Hedgerows—A variation on a theme
by Jim "Nobody" Cornell

D-Day plus 6: The going is slow as the allies are forced to slog it out a yard at a time through the hedgerows that crisscross northern France. A column of Shermans passed by followed by the staccato of enemy machine gun fire...

This tutorial is a variation of a few previous tree-making tutorials. Blitzkrieg Commander is one of my favorite games, so after painting up a bunch of Germans and US stands I sat down to know out some terrain. This is how I made some hedgerows.

Materials Needed:
1/4" masonite
Framing wire
Papermache (Celluclay)
Whiteglue
Superglue
Dirt
Clump foliage
Flock

Step 1: The Base

As with most terrain pieces I make I start with a base. I grabbed a few small scraps from a box I keep near my scroll saw (big pieces go in a stack, small pieces in a box, and tiny pieces in the garbage). I then rounded the corners with a Dremil and beveled the edges.

Step 2: The Trees

I cut some framing wire into 1-1/4" lengths and unraveled them most of the way. Then I twisted into the shape of branches and trimmed the wires that looked too long (2A).

Step 3: The Earth

I then took generous blobs of papermache and made mounds on the bases and while it was still wet, covered everything with whiteglue and dirt. I then pushed the wire trees into the papermache at varying intervals as shown in the graphic below and left over night to dry (3A).

Step 4: Paint

I coated the entire piece with Burnt Umber (including the trees). Then I did a heavy drybrush of Flat Earth on the ground followed by a light drybrush of Stone Gray mixed with Tan.

Step 5: Flock

I used whiteglue to put flock in random places.

Step 6: Clump Foliage

Finally I dabbed some superglue on the branches of the trees and attached different shades of clump foliage to make the treetops (6A, 6B, 6C & 6D).

It is easiest to do a bunch of these at a time in an assembly line fashion. 'Till next time,

Jim