Building the Wylderynn: Part 4 The Mushroom "tree"

My Wylderynn set has a lot of mushrooms in it. I feel like nothing screams fantasy forest like some oversized fungus. I bought mine off Amazon, but I couldn't find anything really big. I just wanted at least one big tree-sized mushroom. I think that would really sell the fantasy vibe.

I figured I'd just make one, if it came out good, great. If it sucked, it would never see the light of day on my table and none would be the wiser. I went to my scrap pile and found a nice-sized piece of foam.

I drew a basic shape of a mushroom stalk on the foam and with my Olfa knife, began cutting, and cutting, and cutting and cutting until I had a basic mushroom stalk shape.

More cutting...

You can see it taking shape here.

Next was the sanding to take the blocky and sharp-edged look of the stalk away. I used a fine-grit sandpaper to get that smooth shape. Wear a mask so you're not breathing any of that foam dust in. Do it outside as well.

While the sanding was happening I had the hot glue gun all fired up and ready to go. First, the stalk was mounted on the base. Same basing material as I used for my trees. Then, I started drawing veiny growths along the stalk. Honestly, this is going to be a mushroom...trust me.

I drew some roots along the base with the glue gun as well. I didn't use foil like I did with the trees because I wanted the roots to look different, almost like they were runners and that's how these mushroom trees grow forests, like they are one big fungal colony.

I'm not going to lie, that was tedious but that was just the beginning of the tedium. I based my mushroom tree as I do all my other wilderness bases, with a sand of various aggregates. Then, onto the cap.

I return to the scrap pile and find a project that failed. Yup, it happens. No big deal, these projects will live again in a different form.

I drew out a basic circular shape, changed the blade on the Olfa and then set to cutting, and cutting, and cutting again.

Until I had this...

A vague mushroom cap shape begins to form.

On to sanding. Same drill as before, wear a mask, do it outside.

Not bad!

I flip it over, find the center (I eyeballed it) and draw a circle.

A bajillion cuts later and I have a hole my stalk will sit into.

I start drawing gills, ribs, or whatever you call those things on the underside of a mushroom cap. I'm using the hot glue gun for this.

All done with the ribby, gill things.

Next, the cap is hot glued to the stalk, then a coat of black paint and modpodge, and after, several coats of off white. It's looking like a mushroom!.

Now onto the paint and flocking!

For the cap, I went with a purple, I think it was "grape", the spots are "Plum", a bit darker so they stood out.

Flocking was just some Woodland Scenics fine flocking on the base, across the roots, and a bit up the stalk. I'm thinking this is more moss than grass.

I dry brushed the veins in a lilac color, just a kiss of the lilac. Always remember to do the undersides whenever possible. One thing I have found is that my players will always pick up the terrain.

I finish all my terrain with a couple of coats of Matte varnish to harden them up and make them durable. This is a must if you're going to use them with other effects like fog or mist.

I'll see you next time, In the Wylderynn.