I am making a tree for a display case. Well it's like three display cases one right next to the other. I'll see if I can attach a rough sketch. The cases total like 10 feet across and seven feet tall.

So the 'tree' will be a 3-d tree trunk that extends up into the top section of the case area but the branches will flow down in to the other two cases and mostly into the last one--just like a real tree would that was actually much taller than the one you will actually see. I'm doing like a part of a taller tree if you get the dimension there.

Because I want to just about fill that top section with cascading leaves flowing down so it's like the illusion of a taller tree but only the part that fits in the cupboards will show--get my meaning there? To make the dimension believable.

So the question is what would you make the tree out of?

There's a river gonna flow across there made out of different fabrics.

I am open to any and all suggestions if you can understand what I just said.

Paper mache would work, I think. It's been years since I made anything out of it and never anything that big, but I think it would make a good tree. If you wanted it lightweight and hollow, you could get some of the long twisty balloons and tie them together and then form the trunk around them...use however many to get the right thickness, then use less on the way up so that it tapered like a real tree. Depending on how you put them all together you could get some parts that stick out like tree roots. Then just paint the whole thing when it's all dry.

Then the leaves could be tissue paper.

traditional theatre method:

chicken wire covered in paper mache. lighter than solid paper mache.

more modern variant.

chicken wire covered in plaster bandages.

wire is attached to shaped board and supported internally.

still more modern....

build up the blue foam insulation board and then carve and cover w/ thin layer of plaster or spackle.

Thank you, Rose and Doug.