Anyone know how to make easy tumbleweeds?

[shahryar]

For my outcasts I am planning old west badlands style basing and figure I would make one or two tumbleweeds and have been having trouble locating how I would do such a thing.

[prof_bycid]

My initial and completely untested thought is to use a few strands of steel wool rolled loosely into a sphere?  Might try it this weekend, now.

[Trample]

I'd be interested in hearing what you come up with and how it works. 

[Omenbringer]

Steal wool could work though might be to tightly packed to give the right look. What I would recommend is some dry craft moss like this:

It is available in small bags and fairly cheap from most virtually very craft store I have visited. Though a bit delicate out of the bag, a little glue wash followed by some clear coat stiffens them right up. Best part is they likely wont even need paint.

[snitchythedog]

On 18/02/2016 at 6:21 AM, Omenbringer said:

What I would recommend is some dry craft moss like this:

I would second this.  My only caveat would be to glaze the moss with superglue.  It has a tendency to rot over time when it is exposed to humidity.  To glaze pick up some very thin superglue and apply it to the moss.  Then gently blow it around so the superglue impregnates all of the moss then let dry.  This will both stiffen it up and protect the moss from moisture. 

Hope that helps.

Snitchy sends.

[prof_bycid]

After having looked up some photographs online rather than going by memory, I will concede and agree with the above.  The fructicose lichen will work much better than my suggestion of steel wool.  I initially thought that the width of the lichen 'branches' compared to the diameter of the whole tumbleweed would be too great, but it actually looks like this could be pretty close.  It looks like that wreath has both lichen and moss on it.  I would use the lichen.  It is also super-cool to think that it is an inter-kingdom symbiotic organism, like us having green patches loaded with chlorophyll for eating sunlight---how Malifaux is that?

[Guslado]

I like both ideas of the moss and the steel wool. I think the moss looks great but the rotting thing definitely sounds like a problem. Perhaps dunk it in some watered down PVA glue to seal it; I feel like coating it in superglue might end up throwing off the color of it.

On the other hand, I think the steel wool would look more in scale to Malifaux miniatures. Downside would be it isn't already the color that you're looking for and could potentially be rather difficult to paint.