"Have any tree bark painting suggestions?" Topic

I don't care what.
Single paint.
Or base coat plus wash plus dry brush.
Or a super expensive "triad".

I have fortifications and log cabins and so on. They just don't look right.

Good question – I use a brown basecoat and then a grey wash over it

How about burnt umber with Ceramcoat Sand Dune dry-brushed. The latter is a gay-tan that should bring out the detail just enough. Cheap options too.

Usually alternate grays and browns if the miniature has enough texture to justify it--base, drybrush, wash until it looks more or less right.

Most trees are actually grey, not brown.

Russ Dunaway

I agree with Russ, but I think everyone is more or less on the same track here. I use a dark base coat, black or burnt umber, then dry brush on a mid grey, then another dry brush coat of light grey. This should mostly cover the base coat and give some texture. Stockades, blockhouses, fences etc made from wood all would bleach out in the sun.

I use inexpensive craft paint, there are a ton of colors, dries fast. My advice would be to find a surface to practice on until it looks right to you. Dry brushing is the key to giving it that weathered look.

Yes, find a tree trunk of the color you want, then paint some swatches on it to match… ;-)

I do pretty much the same. I recently did some plastic palm trees like this: Gray primer for a basecoat. Dark brown wash. Lighter gray dry brush. Wash and dry brush again to make it look right.

Some great ideas

Definitely craft paints

I recommend varying the colors, get a few similar craft paints. Also some light green for areas that might have some moss, particularly on the roofs

Along with the greys, try a wash of of green mixed with white. Most trees in new England have various types of plant growth along the bark. You don't have to 'see' the green but it will affect the overall feel/look of the bark. Tend towards the white.

In any case, chocolate brown always looks false. A concrete grey with highlights and washes gives the best feel.

I use a brown with a grey dry-brush.

John, I use cheap craft paints for all my terrain.
I've had good results for trees and/or wooden buildings by using a burn't umber base coat and dry brushing with Folkart "barn wood".

Yes, Barn Wood is one of my favorites. It's almost like they planned it to look like old unpainted wood. :)

Flat black base & dry brush with medium grey then a highlight with lighter grey.