The final phase of the display board is the most dramatic, but can also be a bit trickier. I have some links to previous articles that the show step by step process. This one shows you how I do my foliage on trees, shrubs and even fences!
Sadly I broke off one of the branches on this tree when I reached for my light switch, so that altered the shape a bit when I placed my moss and flock. If I had more time, I could simply have pinned a new branch to it, and nobody would have been the wiser! In fact, I had already added an extra branch to this tree.
Just as I did with the ground flock, I "shaded" my trees with that fine, dark flock. The moss is very bright green, and I did not have time to airbrush it first. Yes... that is an option that I have used in the past with great success!
You can see the original color of the moss, quite bright! Between the shading of the dark flock, followed by the green, I was able to get a much more realistic set of tones.
In this image, I am in the process of adding foliage to the two smaller trees. I did learn that the new, stronger hold spray adhesive requires me to mask off my existing painted/flocked areas more than the older spray adhesive.
However, the extra holding power is worth it, so I will continue to do so. One more note... I even used my watered down spray glue in my bigger clumps of moss when they were placed on top of existing clumps.
The last time I made my trees, I didn't have that spray bottle which you saw in Phase two!
The last element of the display board was the puddles in the road ruts. I brought out a few of the new Secret Weapon weathering paints for this task. These are glossier paints, designed to simulate oil, grime and so on.
This is perfect for the ruts, as the water makes the puddles a bit darker in color than the surrounding dry areas. This would also maintain the glossy look around those edges.
I painted these colors into the ruts, making sure a tiny portion of it extended past the edges. This would represent the puddles evaporating, or even the effect of the water in the puddles being displaced by passing vehicles!
I did this in the footprints as well.
There are a number of "realistic water" products that you can use for the water... even Elmer's glue.
Secret Weapon Realistic water is great, but I like to save that for my snow/ice effects, so I used Woodland Scenics water effects.
It takes a few layers to build up the levels you need, and you also have to be aware that it will flow right off the board if you bring it right to the edge! It has a lot of capillary action, and it tends to find its way through nooks and crannies in "dams".
Here you go! I just have to wait for this to dry, and I have a tournament display board completed and ready to rock!
I have a much more elaborate army display board planned for a tournament in November, which I am hoping to record in videos. Those will be available to the patrons of my Patron Page once they are edited and rendered.
