Tree side project 2

I wanted to make a more realistic tree. Rather than focusing on the overall quality, I wanted to understand the process of making it. From what I learned I would then go on to make another tree, but take my time with the small details.

I modelled the try using reference images (no concept art as not stylised in anyway). I used the Create CV Curve tool, then extruded a cylinder along the curve I drew for the initial shape.
Instead of fitting the main branches to the model (attaching them via vertices etc) I simply modeled them and placed them in the tree. Players won't see that high and there may have been seems from UV's anyway. I made a branch in photoshop with leafs attached which I added to 3D planes and attached to the actual modelled branches.

This is the branch I made in photoshop. It's very basic and ugly as it was only for practise and to see whether the actual method would work. Next time I will make a more relistic branch, but the wood will be thiner and there will be more leafs spread out on it. This way I should be able to bush out the tree using less 3D planes and reduce the poly-count. [edit] I apart from it being a shit branch, I didn't think about using normal maps in their material so it looked really odd in the scene. Should have used algorythimc's  Bitmap2Material.

These are a couple of the trees placed in unreal engine. They look ok for quick trees but no where near what I'd use in an actual game or Uni assignment. But I have the method down so I can refine it now. Depending on whether I make another basic tree that would be repeat countless times in a game, or a Hero Tree of which there would be a couple or even just one, I may sculpt it in Zbrush first.