Juniperis Sabina..classic literati.

[bodhidharma]

I have had this tree for a long time and it started life as a collected tree. It was always going to be Literati but, as with all Literati, the minimal designs are ALWAYS the most difficult to do. I have started this one about ten times, and gave up on it, and put it back in the corner. I will now stay with the project and see if i can see it out. Looking for input on the top jin, yes or no, and a front. I love the Literati style as it yells at me "Classic Bonsai" but a good one is hard to pull off. Input please!!!

[Daluke]

I like the tree - it tells a story like it's been through some struggles but has come out on top...

The Jin at the top looks good - i wonder how it would look with another angle change to have the horizontal base in line with the straight of the foliage, and a shari running the full length of the trunk connected to the Jin to make it look like the tree was windswept and had a leader that was broken and a vein died off?

I also think having the foliage go behind the trunk would accentuate the top more which looks like the best feature.

[MoGanic]

Hey D,

I like the second last pic as the front, but would prefer to have the foliage floating off to the right with the trunk showing through. But that's just my preference for a style, not saying where it's going now is bad Either way I'd be ecstatic with this on my bench.

Great work getting it to where it is now though, as always.

Mo

[Daluke]

P.S maybe a different pot

[treeman]

I like the second last pic as well. I would like to see it turned a few more degrees counter-clockwise to show the ''loop'' even more.
It might also be worth trying to tilt it the opposite way and see what it looks like leaning back rather than forward?
More pics?

[Watto]

Looks like we have all been to the same committee meeting - I also like the second last photo. I like literati to be "the breaker of rules" and where the trunk crosses over at the top gives this tree some character. A little bit of time and a good pot is all that is needed.

[anthonyW]

Hi Bodhi

Input please!!!

When I seen your failed attempt there was the classic design for me,I would of rotated 180 degree(front to back)only because it is going away I think(history anyway)funny how we see things different,thats the beauty I suppose...lol

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On your current direction I like the 3rd from the bottom...keeping your structure just minus some and a tweak..some fun

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cheers

[Lane]

Love your first drawing Anthony!

[Matt S]

Nice tree. I agree that Literati are the hardest to get right!

When I first saw this I kept thinking of a man leaning forward holding a bowl out, with the loop being the head. I like Literati's to have as little foliage as possible so this is what I imagined..

bodhi literati.jpg

However I reckon this has the pads too close to the ground. So I thought this was better...

bohdi literati2.jpg

And here it is without the jin...

bodhi literati2 no jin.jpg

Of these three, I prefer the second. Which is basically the same as Anthony's sketch!

Matt.

[treeman]

Here it is leaning back.... Or maybe with the mass of foliage over the base??? Or maybe leaning even further back???? or.......

[bodhidharma]

Thanks so much people What great feedback. I am going to pour over these great works of Art and re evaluate the tree. So many talented people on this forum Keep you updated but, the tree will change due to this feed back.

[anthonyW]

Thanks Mac..yes as Matt has said Literati is very hard to get right.

I like all the drawings Daluke,Matt and Mikes ..I m sure Bodhi will see it in his own time,got this far without us..haha

Hope we haven't chucked too many spanners in the works my friend..oh dear lol

Anthony

[bodhidharma]

When I seen your failed attempt there was the classic design for me,I would of rotated 180 degree(front to back)only because it is going away I think(history anyway)funny how we see things different,thats the beauty I suppose...lol

Love the drawing Anthony and, yes, a missed opportunity.

[GavinG]

You don't do things the easy way, do you Bodhi?

For my 2c, either the top two branches or the middle two branches might be the way to go - having four foliage masses feels like it's too much with such a slender trunk. I think the tree is just sitting there in front of you - cut out the bits you don't need.

Thanks for posting.

Gavin

[EJZ]

what an amazing transformation

It great to see how much a tree can evolve over time, and how changes can inmensly inprove the tree.

Thanks for shareing your tree's story