I started working on this prop as i needed a mesh to test a new shader i discovered in the game of The Sims 4. The shader in question is called "SculptureIce", fittingly enough. So i created this little Christmas tree made out of ice. I started with tracing a sculpture i found on Google Images, and then creating the low poly base mesh. Then, i UV unwrapped it and created a high-poly version by subdividing the original mesh. Once that was done, i baked the normal map in Marmoset Toolbag, which is in my opinion the best program for baking any texture. I then imported the base mesh and the normal map i just had baked into substance painter and started creating the micro detailing.
The shader i was studying has a very interesting way to simulate ice. it blurs anything that is behind the mesh and also warps and distorts everything following the mesh's countours. The IOR of the shader is not customizable sadly, only the blur scale.