Rapid Fire! 20mm - Normandy Bocage Tutorial.

When someone is not fit or talented enough for a job we say here " go fishing" or "embrace agriculture". Well I decided exactly on  the second one. 

So for the latest days I've been making hedgerows and agriculture fields for the Normandy campaign. 

Here they go and this time the text will have little reference to miniature brands but only to Christmas, shoes, Chinese shops and other rather strange stuff...

The idea was to use some 30cmx30cm plastic and textile floor tiles I found under the varanda from some 20 years ago works and build "Bocage boxes".

Then glue some carved pieces of styrofoam/blue board with wood glue to the tiles. Trees were also made from blue board and attached to the "raised mounds of earth" with pieces of barbecue sticks.

Then the whole tile is painted with acrylics mixed with PVA glue and sand.

To others I applied the inner field inside the Bocage - pieces of green or sand yellow thin carpets bought on a chinese shop- first to the tile before painted. I ended by preferring this last method. 

Some cocktail sticks gets no tree as they will receive plenty of bush to make the pieces more varied. 

See? It looks more ... professional. Or then it's just the picture that got better. 

Many shoes were already cleaned on these carpets. The advantage is that the carpet gets lower than a new one. 

Besides after cutting the pieces you quickly spray greens and yellows to your discretion avoiding the spread of Ebola. 

Here they are all shiny and new. 

The internet is invaluable for this task as if you are not close enough to Normandy you can find hundreds of nice photos were you can get inspired. 

Next: the finished Bocage.