Nantahala Midland V 3.0

[Sumpter250]

When you remove the dorky base you lose about a half inch but the foliage gets the height back. Because the tree is a fakey, shiny brown color the first thing I did was spray it flat black after I had shaped it. Then I dry brushed it with some gray and blended it with some chalks (darker gray and reddish brown).

I have only two of those trees on the new modules, and they are "somewhat hidden"
You did an excellent job on that trunk, with the paint and chalks , and yes, they're great trees.....when mixed in with others, I still prefer starting with "tree-like twigs". Your last picture shows how, with a little extra time and effort, it's not that difficult to model some reasonable looking trees from such an unreasonable beginning. Once again, you've nudged the bar up just a bit, but you've also shown that the higher level of quality is attainable.
I do enjoy being "challenged".
Because I use thin shell scenery, I try to keep, and "hide" the bases. The weight of the tree, and the fact that the modules get transported, makes the stability the bases provide, a necessity.