16 | Making a cherry blossom tree

Making a fake tree from bioplastics

Intro

This week I want to focus on making more scenery. I've noticed that there are always trees in the miniature landscapes. The branches of the trees are normally made out of plastic, all kinds of spray paint, super glue and the leaves are made out of crepe paper or foam. All these ingredients are very toxic to the environment and are not biodegradable. I will be replacing all these ingredients and make a bioplastic blossom tree! I've chosen for a cherry blossom tree because I think the colors of this tree will fit perfectly with my landscape.

Replacing plastic with gelatine foam

Like i've mentioned in the intro most of the trees in miniature landscapes are made from plastic. I needed something that had the same texture as these plastic branches texture.

Plastic miniature tree, MyXLShop.nl, 2020

I choose foam because I knew that I could just take a piece and it would already kind of look like a small bush especially if I would dye it.

Making gelatine foam

I got this gelatine foam recipe from the Bioplastic Cook Book by Margaret Dunne

38g Gelatine, Dusanka, 2020
60ml glycerin, Dusanka, 2020

I added 60ml of water. When it was all in the pot and almost cooking I added 2 small pushes from the soap bottle.

Adding soap to the gelatine in the pot, Dusanka, 2020

When this was all done I put it everything in the blender to create more foam and mix it all together nicely

This is how the foam looked like after a few days

Gelatine foam, Dusanka, 2020

Making the gelatine foam tree

For making the tree I just collected a few branches that had different branches on them (just like a tree has)

Ripping pieces foam off for blossoms, Dusanka, 2020

Making pink dye

To make pink dye I used beetroot. I cooked it and then I let it simmer for an hour or so. While simmering I put in the pieces of foam. After that I cooled and dried it I pricked the pieces of foam onto the branches.

Beetroot HAK I used, Dusanka, 2020
Putting in pieces of foam while simmering, Dusanka, 2020
Getting out the pieces of foam, Dusanka, 2020
Pricking pieces onto branches, Dusanka, 2020

End result

Gelatine foam blossom tree, Dusanka, 2020
Gelatine foam blossom tree, Dusanka, 2020
Gelatine foam blossom tree, Dusanka, 2020

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