Small trees in the distance can be made by trimming bottle or test-tube
brushes to the proper shape. Dip tree in green enamel paint, then
sprinkle dyed sawdust on wet paint, or shake paint-wet tree in jar with
dyed sawdust. Use paper mache mix to build proper trunk texture. Medium
size trees can be made from an excellent “Tree Kit” manufactured by
Aurora Plastics Co., of West Hempstead, New York, and available at most
model railroad shops. This kit contains graduated sections that are
stacked together and glued. It will help to touch up and vary the color.
Oil paints will stick to the plastic. These trees are glued to your base
with Pliobond.
Large evergreens can be made from golden yarrow gathered in fall and
winter. The stalks are dyed a deep green and permitted to dry.
[Illustration: (unlabelled)]
20 GAUGE WIRE
BRANCHES WIRED TOGETHER
Use Weldwood contact cement to glue a small diameter wire to under side
of twig. Use tube to spread cement along twig. Hold wire with spring
clothespin and run full length of wire into tube. Let cement dry for
about 15 minutes, _then_ press wire to under side of twig. Bend wire and
stem into desired position. Use fine wire to fasten several twigs
together into branches.
Using a wooden dowel at least ¼″ in diameter (get at hardware store up
to 3′ long), drill small holes through from different angles. Then, by
whittling or sanding, taper the dowel. Poke wire-wrapped branch ends
into holes. Anchor with Pliobond. Let dry, then trim excess branch
lengths from opposite side of trunk. Use paper mache mix to cover wooden
dowel, shape and thicken branches and trunk, and model branch joints.
Paint the paper mache with water colors, poster colors, or latex white
with casein temperas.
[Illustration: USE PAPER MACHE TO MODEL ROOTS]