Sunday 10 April 2011

Bamboo Grove

The 3rd Anglo-Burma War 1885

I seem to, once again, have got ahead of my intentions and been distracted by yet another conflict.  I was led towards a relatively small range of miniatures, from Pontoonier Miniatures sculpted by Paul Hicks intended to represent the 3rd Anglo-Burma War of 1885.   I have to admit that this was yet another conflict that I knew nothing about so I found myself totally absorbed in the research of the period.

Even before finishing my first model I just found myself wanting to create a piece of terrain and more specifically a bamboo jungle!

Original sketchbook designs


Pieces of foam block off cuts were stuck with PVA to a scrap piece of Plasticard.  Once the glue was dry I used the old Dremel tool to chamfer the edges of the card and worked into the foam to remove any obviously straight edges.     


Once completely dried I used a bit of generic household filler in the gaps and helped to build up the edges a little.  A PVA with sand mix was applied the flat areas and few extra larger pebbles added for dramatic effect.  On the top surface a few pieces of dried twig to represent fallen logs and then a liberal dressing of embroidery thread for jungle creepers. 



BBQ skewers and cocktail sticks were pushed in, sometimes with a little PVA, to represent the bamboo staves making sure to give a irregular feel to the copse.  These were then given a liberal spray with a grass green acrylic, the base then painted with a chocolate brown emulsion.

 
Several layers of dry brushing later and the stand is starting to take shape; bamboo painted I could then add some light green clump foliage and static grass, this I also stuck over the rocks to give a mossy feel.  The final touches came from ‘Pets at Home’ a large pet shop that the good lady wife occasionally insists we visit to look at “the cute an fluffy animals”!  The leaves for my bamboo grove started life as a plastic aquatic plant bed and although I paid £5 for it I think I still have enough for another half a dozen groves.  



Now I just need to get on with painting the figures.

More bamboo building ideas can be found here: Bamboo grove revisited

7 comments:

  1. What an excellent and perfectly formed tutorial, and timely too as I'm working on scenics for a jungle game in late April. Thanks!

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  2. I'm thrilled that you feel that it will help, looking forward to seeing the results in April. All the best,
    Michael

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  3. Well explained and well worth the effort i am pretty sure this will help a number of wargamers in how to create bambo,nice figs as well.

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  4. It's done more than help, I've made my first one and you can see the result @ http://6milphil.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/bamboo-radley/

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  5. I have been looking for ideas about how to build some bamboo groves for my pulp games set in Asia. Thanks to you and 6milphil I have found two tutorials in one day. Now all I need to do is head out to the pet shop and get some aquarium plants.

    ColKG

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  6. Glad to be of service Colonel, pleased that our posts have helped.

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  7. Likewise. :-)

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