[Pearcy] Shimpaku Juniper, Informal or Literati?

[Pearcy001]

Thought I'd start a thread on this Shimpaku. It's 1 of 3 tree's I worked on during a workshop in mid 2018. The other tree's came out great, but I was never that happy with this one, so I'm going to slightly change from the workshop design.



I picked up the initial stock in 2017, and it has continued to put out an abundance of growth while in my care. There was a interesting trunkline toward the top that was being concealed by growth, so I wanted to open up to frame the curves. I had always pictured this as more of a Literati style tree, with minimal foliage flowing back to one side. Unfortunately I never mentioned it during the workshop - which I now regret. Below is the tree after the initial workshop styling.









The Jins were left long and not to my taste, lending the overall tree to not be to my liking. In saying that the picture you see of the tree is not how the artist intended it to look finished, they wanted to wait for more inner growth to form in order to cut back to closer to the trunk, so in the end maybe isn't as far from what I wanted as I first thought? In voicing my concerns today I want to make it clear that I do not blame the artist running the workshop, they could only work with the stock presented at the time, accompanied by an attendee who did not voice his opinion as much as he should have.

10 months on from the workshop I decided to get the tree back out to make some changes. The other night I removed a large branch from the front view, in order to open up the curves I was wanting to frame. I intend to remove all growth to the right, although one branch will remain as a sacrifice branch for a couple of years. Here is an initial virt I have done of a more informal upright design, not so different from how it is now. In time I intend to remove most foliage in order to turn it into a more Literati style of tree. As it is winter I am weary not to remove too much growth. Shari will also continue to be worked once growth begins to move in Spring. I'll try get some rough wiring done today to set it out then wait until after winter to remove alot of the foliage. Apologies for the photo quality, night time bonsai work in the kitchen haha.





Down the line I may even end up layering the top off just below the curved trunk. But as I don't have any taller trees, I think I will stick with a taller design for the foreseeable future before making that decision.

As always, all comment welcome. Hopefully I can get up an updated photo this afternoon after some work is carried out.

Cheers,
Pearcy.

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[Pearcy001]

If I do choose to go with a more Literati style down the line, the is one design I like for inspiration. It will involve removing that low hanging branch, but I shall trial it there first to see how I like it. I like that the foliage pads on this tree aren't overly manicured, giving it a more natural look. Most of all I think it's the use of deadwood on this trunk that I really enjoy. Unfortunately I am not aware of the artist, if anyone does know feel free to credit them. I believe this photo may be of the tree unwired and allowed to grow free, but I like it more than the wired version I have seen haha.



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[MJL]

Hey Pearcy, for what it’s worth, I reckon your 100% on the mark with literati here. I think the trunk will be a feature. Not dissimilar to one that Treeman recently posted, I think.

Also, I am not sure I’d lose that hanging back branch out to the right in a hurry... it may be a design feature.

Here’s some more inspiration from Zhai Qingquan

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More slender trunks perhaps but the sparse foliage is the stand out for me.

Anyway - looking forward to progress. Enjoy.


Bonsai teaches me patience.
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[Daluke]

Literati are difficult to pull off.

There’s little plan b when you set your mind to it.

I don’t think this is too far fetched


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[shibui]

For what it is worth I think Pearcy's virt is way ahead of the more balanced tree Daluke has posted.

The biggest problem at the moment is that it is overgrown. Need to cut back all branches quite severely to get growth where you want it and keep trimming to build and maintain tight foliage pads closer to the trunk. You could try trimming the entire tree to see what the original concept looks like or just go straight to your more literati plan.

[Keep Calm and Ramify]

just go straight to your more literati plan.

you'll never be really happy until you do it

[DavidN]

Hi mate,
Bring it to tonight's shimpaku workshop and I'd love to have a look at it with you. Has fantastic potential. Will bring one of mine that looks similar to your virtual.
David

[Ryceman3]

just go straight to your more literati plan.

you'll never be really happy until you do it

Your virt looks sound to me and you obviously have a very clear (and pretty nice) vision.
I agree with KC&R, literati may be hard to pull off but don't let "hard" hold you back. Unless you implement it I reckon you'll always wonder.
Whatever you decide - look forward to the update, it's a pretty sweet trunkline.

[Pearcy001]

Thanks everyone for the input! It's good to hear everyone's different ideas and designs. I have the day off of work sick today, so managed to get outside while the rain briefly stopped to get a photo of where it's currently at. Still a long way off but I think it's in a better direction, it still needs some tweaking and a few branches to extend but it will get there eventually.

I've moved the apex further across to the left, while compacting and tightening the curve through it. I think the more off centre the better for this one's apex. A couple of cracks began to show so I will let it rest before re-attempting to compress it further in the future.

I think I may reduce the low hanging branch further, but I'll leave it now. The branch was completely straight before the new work this weekend, so once it settles I'll continue to put more movement into it in order to compact it further.

There are two branches that have been left as sacrifice branches, one leaving the trunk to the right and the other to the rear. I'll leave them for a while to thicken the trunk before turning them into a Jin down the track. I also added a twisty Jin up top. It's not great but will leave it for now too.














It was all only rough wired so still looking a bit messy, but that will be corrected as the foliage extends a bit further and the pads can be positioned better.

When Spring hits I will most likely work it more toward somewhere between the original virt and something like this.



Feel free to tell me what's wrong with it, happy for all input.

Cheers,
Pearcy.

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[Keep Calm and Ramify]

Looking much more interesting already...

[MJL]

Pearcy, wonderful progress already. I’ve got nothin’ near as good so take this with with a grain of salt. He’s a very rough sketch while on the train home. Just thinning stuff out really. White = remove foliage; Yellow=Jin

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Again, just playing around with a sketch - it’s soooo much easier to make such decisions on someone else’s stock!

Have a good night.




Bonsai teaches me patience.
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[boom64]

Nice vision Pearcy ,very funky.....

[Pearcy001]

Update on this one guys.

I guess I'm officially putting this in an 'attempted' Literati category for now while it progresses, although trunk may be a little thick for a real Literati now I think about it. It's my first attempt at this style- if that's even what this is? Just a bit of a crazy styling I guess. The tree is growing like a weed in this big pot, the growth had stacked on since the last update just 10 months ago.

I got stuck into it again today to remove any straight branching and add more movement to the tree all around. The low hanging branch was shortened and jined, with further small jins being added all over the tree. Some more work was also done to widen the shari. I'll likely soon also reduce the crazy Jin on the right down to a stub.

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At the last restyle I placed a guy wire to pull down the apex. I may have tightened it one too many times over the coming months, causing the old apex to die off, WHOOPS. Not to worry, you can always make another. I used a branch more central to the base for the new apex, that comes sort of from the rear of the tree? Maybe it will help with more depth, maybe not haha. Ignore the mess of an apex for now, I could only work with the branches I had available.

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There are still two very large sacrifice branches growing from the trunk that will be removed and jined one day. I am considering removing a large portion of the sacrafic branch foliage now, in order to make sure the branch doesn't direct all its energy to them, overpower the current final branches I have selected and causing them to die - would love people's thoughts on the risk of this happening or not? I won't remove it completely yet as winter is on the horizon, but would remove a large portion of the foliage to even out the trees energy.

The current photos for you all, feel free to throw any opinion at me.

Cheers,
Pearcy.

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I had a little help from the young fella today too, let's hope he gets into the hobby like his dad one day.

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[MJL]

Pearcy, I reckon your being really hard on yourself .... ‘attempted’ ... rather more than that - a ripper work-in-progress. I wish I had the foresight to do what you’re doing; keep going and the little person working with you will have a wonderful Literati when old enough to know what his dad was doing way back when. Oh ... and here’s a little ‘accent’ plant that sits on my speaker... thought you may like it.



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[Pearcy001]

Pearcy, I reckon your being really hard on yourself .... ‘attempted’ ... rather more than that - a ripper work-in-progress. I wish I had the foresight to do what you’re doing; keep going and the little person working with you will have a wonderful Literati when old enough to know what his dad was doing way back when.

Hey MJL. The 'attempted' referred more to the title initially deciding between styles, and now that it is probably a little more Literati that informal, the tree not quite being a true form of it - as well as this being my first attempt at the style. I am happy with the trees progress so far and I couldn't really care less if it doesn't fit a category to be honest, but I was wanting to try make an attempt on the Literati style for this one. I think the shari and deadwood help give it the more aged appearance. Although I must say I think we still need to push ourselves a little in this hobby to get a good tree.

I find it helps me to do a design from the start - I used a program similar to paint on my phone. That way I can see how a couple of different options would turn out and then go with the design I prefer if I wasn't sold on my first idea. I know others sketch but I simply can't draw, plus it wouldn't be very accurate for me to see how it will turn out. Fingers crossed over the next 40-50 years I'll be able to pass over a few ripper trees to the little man, but first let's just see how many branches are left after he breaks a few off over the next couple of years.

Cheers,
Pearcy.

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