Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Help-Tree

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greennewbie
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Joined: 8/09/08
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Topic: Help-Tree
Posted: 8/09/08 at 12:53pm

Hello. I need help making a life like tree. I'm not a theater professional just a mom who wants to make a jungle/rainforest theme playroom for my son. I don't want to just paint a tree on the wall because I wanted to have it look real and be able to cut a hole in the trunk so it could be like a little hiding spot or reading area.

I saw a few seconds of a show that used chicken wire and materials used for making casts but not sure how complicated that would be. I also thought about spray foam insulation because it has a neat texture but 1)not sure if it's toxic and 2) what to use to shape tree trunk that would be easy to to work with.

Any info or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I've searched the web and cannot find anything but murals and wall stickers.

Thanks!

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jungle16jim
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Joined: 7/16/08
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Posted: 8/11/08 at 4:59pm

I've used the insulation method before and it looks pretty cool. You're kind of stuck with the lines it creates when it comes out--not very moldable. But if you run it up and down the wire in the direction of the bark, you get a nice texture. I'd suggest using both chicken wire and window screen as it tends to fall through the wire. Also work with plastic gloves. It spray paints nicely and you can dry brush on some nice texture to highlight the roughness.

I don't know about toxic issues though--I wasn't as inclined to lick it as a young child might be.

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vickifrank
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Joined: 9/21/07
Location: United States
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Posts: 332

Posted: 8/11/08 at 8:09pm

Why not make a fabric tree? Here's what I'm thinking...you want a big tree, so the child can fit inside. So you paint tree bark on 8' x9' muslin. Cut and finish a window opening and then sew two fabric sleeves into the top and the bottom--insert hula hoops in the top and the bottom. Now you have a cylinder painted like tree bark. You will hang the top hula-hoop after you paint an upward looking view of a tree on the ceiling (so you paint a forest floor view of the tree canopy). You can even hang a few non-painted leaves to hang down from the ceiling (cut them from green felt).

Fabric can be kept safe (no sharp chickenwire, no toxic substances) and is washable. I suggest latex/acryllic fabric paint or wall paint (non-toxic) on unsized fabric.

Your son can either lift the hoop up to get inside, or you can leave an opening in the back as an entrance. If you want to get fancy, you can even cut exposed 'roots' from felt, bend them in a 'v' shape so they stick out and let them drape on the floor.

If the hole in the tree were positioned right, you might even have a creative puppet theater. In a pinch it could also be a storage area for stuffed animals.

Or you can velcro woodland creatures to the tree (woodpeckers, worms, caterpillars, squirrels, wasp nest) so that the whole surface is a creative experience.

If you want to be even fancier, you can make the upward painting in the tree to include the inside of the tree (a squirrel's eye view) inside the diameter of the tree fabric cyclinder--so maybe tree rings, or the insects that live in a tree.

Oh and you could also do it with corregated cardboard--George Pettit does some fantastic stuff with cardboard. If you doubt it, check out http://www.cortecscenery.com and look at his directions. Cardboard is much safer for a child than heavier materials, and as George does this, its a wonderful construction material with high quality results.

If you prefer to look up casting methods, I think you are referring to a technique called 'vacuum forming' (also called 'plastic forming'. Vacuum form pieces are commonly used to stage armour, or for bricks to attach to walls, etc.. You might not need to cast it yourself, there may be tree casts. Some of the places that have the armor: http://www.merchantadventurers.com/. http://www.costumearmour.com/. http://www.tobinslake.com/. I'd think tobin lakes is the most likely to have a tree cast.

_____________

http://www.studio-productions-inc.com
1-800-359-2964

The theater scrim people

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greennewbie
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Posted: 8/12/08 at 11:47am

hula hoops. awesome idea! I'm going to think about that some more and take a trip to the fabric store. soft, safe and non-toxic and probably inexpensive too! I bookmarked the site for George Pettit, his designs are amazing and cardboard might be a great option too.

Thanks!

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Kim L.
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Joined: 2/03/07
Location: United States
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Posts: 86

Posted: 8/13/08 at 7:57pm

I recently made a tree stump out of two large (5 gallon) stacked on top of each other that was increased in width at the bottom with chicken wire. Then, I paper-mached the outside. To make the lines, I took newspaper and rolled it into tight rolls (tapered at the ends) and paper mached the rolls onto the trunk to look like the varied look of the veins in the tree trunk. Then I painted the trunk to look like a tree. You could possibly start with a wood frame, put chicken wire around the frame and paper mache around it. My project took a week or so, working several hours a day on it.

Good luck!

Kim

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whitebat
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Joined: 8/05/07
Location: United States
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Posts: 137

Posted: 8/28/08 at 10:45pm

I think "Sonotubes" (a cylindrical concrete form) would make a good base for a tree. Then use chicken wire or spray starched fabric over them to get the bark texture and blend the different size tubes. They are very heavy cardboard, but shouldn't be impossible to cut.

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greennewbie
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Posted: 8/29/08 at 11:05am

thanks. I actually just saw a magazine that used the concrete form with starched muslin or something over it and then they painted it to look like a tree. it did look good so I think I will try that. I'm so glad I came here to ask, everyone has such good ideas.

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Set Design and Construction
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Set Design and Construction

Author	Message
greennewbie Walk-On Joined: 8/09/08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: Help-Tree Posted: 8/09/08 at 12:53pm
	Hello. I need help making a life like tree. I'm not a theater professional just a mom who wants to make a jungle/rainforest theme playroom for my son. I don't want to just paint a tree on the wall because I wanted to have it look real and be able to cut a hole in the trunk so it could be like a little hiding spot or reading area. I saw a few seconds of a show that used chicken wire and materials used for making casts but not sure how complicated that would be. I also thought about spray foam insulation because it has a neat texture but 1)not sure if it's toxic and 2) what to use to shape tree trunk that would be easy to to work with. Any info or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I've searched the web and cannot find anything but murals and wall stickers. Thanks!

	IP Logged

jungle16jim Walk-On Joined: 7/16/08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 8/11/08 at 4:59pm
	I've used the insulation method before and it looks pretty cool. You're kind of stuck with the lines it creates when it comes out--not very moldable. But if you run it up and down the wire in the direction of the bark, you get a nice texture. I'd suggest using both chicken wire and window screen as it tends to fall through the wire. Also work with plastic gloves. It spray paints nicely and you can dry brush on some nice texture to highlight the roughness. I don't know about toxic issues though--I wasn't as inclined to lick it as a young child might be.
	IP Logged

vickifrank Celebrity Joined: 9/21/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 332	Posted: 8/11/08 at 8:09pm
	Why not make a fabric tree? Here's what I'm thinking...you want a big tree, so the child can fit inside. So you paint tree bark on 8' x9' muslin. Cut and finish a window opening and then sew two fabric sleeves into the top and the bottom--insert hula hoops in the top and the bottom. Now you have a cylinder painted like tree bark. You will hang the top hula-hoop after you paint an upward looking view of a tree on the ceiling (so you paint a forest floor view of the tree canopy). You can even hang a few non-painted leaves to hang down from the ceiling (cut them from green felt). Fabric can be kept safe (no sharp chickenwire, no toxic substances) and is washable. I suggest latex/acryllic fabric paint or wall paint (non-toxic) on unsized fabric. Your son can either lift the hoop up to get inside, or you can leave an opening in the back as an entrance. If you want to get fancy, you can even cut exposed 'roots' from felt, bend them in a 'v' shape so they stick out and let them drape on the floor. If the hole in the tree were positioned right, you might even have a creative puppet theater. In a pinch it could also be a storage area for stuffed animals. Or you can velcro woodland creatures to the tree (woodpeckers, worms, caterpillars, squirrels, wasp nest) so that the whole surface is a creative experience. If you want to be even fancier, you can make the upward painting in the tree to include the inside of the tree (a squirrel's eye view) inside the diameter of the tree fabric cyclinder--so maybe tree rings, or the insects that live in a tree. Oh and you could also do it with corregated cardboard--George Pettit does some fantastic stuff with cardboard. If you doubt it, check out http://www.cortecscenery.com and look at his directions. Cardboard is much safer for a child than heavier materials, and as George does this, its a wonderful construction material with high quality results. If you prefer to look up casting methods, I think you are referring to a technique called 'vacuum forming' (also called 'plastic forming'. Vacuum form pieces are commonly used to stage armour, or for bricks to attach to walls, etc.. You might not need to cast it yourself, there may be tree casts. Some of the places that have the armor: http://www.merchantadventurers.com/. http://www.costumearmour.com/. http://www.tobinslake.com/. I'd think tobin lakes is the most likely to have a tree cast.
	_____________ http://www.studio-productions-inc.com 1-800-359-2964 The theater scrim people
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greennewbie Walk-On Joined: 8/09/08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 8/12/08 at 11:47am
	hula hoops. awesome idea! I'm going to think about that some more and take a trip to the fabric store. soft, safe and non-toxic and probably inexpensive too! I bookmarked the site for George Pettit, his designs are amazing and cardboard might be a great option too. Thanks!
	IP Logged

Kim L. Star Joined: 2/03/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 86	Posted: 8/13/08 at 7:57pm
	I recently made a tree stump out of two large (5 gallon) stacked on top of each other that was increased in width at the bottom with chicken wire. Then, I paper-mached the outside. To make the lines, I took newspaper and rolled it into tight rolls (tapered at the ends) and paper mached the rolls onto the trunk to look like the varied look of the veins in the tree trunk. Then I painted the trunk to look like a tree. You could possibly start with a wood frame, put chicken wire around the frame and paper mache around it. My project took a week or so, working several hours a day on it. Good luck!
	Kim
	IP Logged

whitebat Celebrity Joined: 8/05/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 137	Posted: 8/28/08 at 10:45pm
	I think "Sonotubes" (a cylindrical concrete form) would make a good base for a tree. Then use chicken wire or spray starched fabric over them to get the bark texture and blend the different size tubes. They are very heavy cardboard, but shouldn't be impossible to cut.
	IP Logged

greennewbie Walk-On Joined: 8/09/08 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 8/29/08 at 11:05am
	thanks. I actually just saw a magazine that used the concrete form with starched muslin or something over it and then they painted it to look like a tree. it did look good so I think I will try that. I'm so glad I came here to ask, everyone has such good ideas.
	IP Logged

Topic: Help-Tree( Topic Closed)