Continuing work on the tree. The water putty dried hard overnight. Some of the thin binding wires showed through the layer as expected and the texture was smooth due to the watery consistency of the first application.
I mixed more water putty, this time thicker than the consistency of pancake batter. I had to work quickly since the mixture wanted to set fast. I used a stiff brush to apply the putty, making bark-like texture with quick brushstrokes as I went.
I did this for the main branches and trunk, leaving the thinner branches with the lighter coat from yesterday. The paint will seal any bare spots on the thin branches, and I didn’t want to build any more bulk on those wires. This will also make the end wires more easily shaped and trimmed as needed. You can bend the putty covered wires a little, but you risk cracking the surface of the hardened putty.
I hadn’t covered the base of the trunk all that well initially since it was hard to hold the tree while the putty was wet on the upper portions.
This time, I filled in more and added the bark texture. I might need to fill in underneath once this layer dries to make the base solid.
Next up, paint will be applied and the tree should really come to life.
