Demo by David Benavente

[delisea]

If you want to burn a few minutes and then feel bad about the quality of your trees this is well worth a watch. IMO it is better than a live demo, much more considered and calm. The result is spectacular.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA9Aw-2xDZo

Cheers,
Symon

[Watto]

Very good, thanks for that

[KIRKY]

Great thanks, got a couple of these has inspired me to just have a go.
Cheers
Kirky

[tgward]

nicely done -- makes me wonder the look of the nebari when it is repotted at that angle-- and whether that was considered in the design

[treeman]

Brilliant technique!....to produce a boring and utterly predictable outcome...
When will someone surprise with us with imagination?

[tgward]

Brilliant technique!....to produce a boring and utterly predictable outcome...
When will someone surprise with us with imagination?

what general style does everyone think would produce the most surprises?--- perhaps literati

[treeman]

what general style does everyone think would produce the most surprises?--- perhaps literati

Even the use of the word ''style'' assumes - to me - that there is a particular form to adhere to.
What style is this?....

oldpine.JPG

[tgward]

what general style does everyone think would produce the most surprises?--- perhaps literati

Even the use of the word ''style'' assumes - to me - that there is a particular form to adhere to.
What style is this?....

oldpine.JPG

informal upright?-----but what 'general style' would tend to give you the surprises you need

[Rory]

Brilliant technique!....to produce a boring and utterly predictable outcome...
When will someone surprise with us with imagination?

Your reply to this is utterly predictable..... and I love it.

[TimS]

Appreciate it being shared, but like all ‘demonstrations’ I think I skipped through it in about 5 clicks and saw exactly what I expected to.

How to do a demo as a professional:

1. Start with rough (very) stock conifer
2. Angle change because *insert base/ taper/ movement*
3. Wire primary branches out and down but try to sound individual by using words like ‘asymmetrical’, ‘flow’ or ‘creating visual interest’
4. Wire foliage into sparse fans to start the pads and create some very rough jins/ Shari
5.Tell audience you need 5 years of growth before design is realised

[treeman]

Appreciate it being shared, but like all ‘demonstrations’ I think I skipped through it in about 5 clicks and saw exactly what I expected to.

I saw the raw material, and - knowing Benavente's work - imagined a tree, went all the way to the end of the video and there was my tree...
Then I saw this...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlY6S3f-u1c ....and the same thing happened!

[tgward]

"there is nothing new under the sun"--- I will be looking forward to seeing your innovations

[delisea]

Ha ha. I thought it was just an entertaining vid. I didn't expect the vitriol. I find it hilareous Australians complaing that the styling of a Northern Hemisphere conifer. It's great. There should be more of it.

Here is something else to trigger y'all. If you are going to hate it make sure you don't put any effort to understanding the cultural background or the motivation of the artist. It just won't be as fun.

Naoki Maeoka.jpg

Cheers,
Symon

[TimS]

Lol vitriol? Why is no one allowed to say demonstrations and bonsai styling generally has become predictable and uninteresting across the world?

Soon as anyone mentions it it’s like no one is allowed to have an opinion that isn’t glowing endorsement.

Oh and the ‘you do better’ point is a moot one, these are professionals who have made this their career and livelihood, not amateurs who occasionally get a few spare hours to work on a tree.

Naoki’s tree is a product of the Japanese bonsai culture that demands highly refined trees for any type of recognition or potential to win awards that without make it harder to operate. The Japanese style has largely been the basis for all other bonsai cultures around the world. Hence we see a largely uniform styling throughout the world.

[greg27]

Here is something else to trigger y'all. If you are going to hate it make sure you don't put any effort to understanding the cultural background or the motivation of the artist. It just won't be as fun.

It's very nice. And took a huge amount of time and skill to create - hugely impressive from a technique/skill perspective. I just find it lacks character, or soul, or however you want to define it. There's no story to it - the trunk is twisty and crazy, but perfectly smooth and polished, and the foliage is completely perfectly placed. Like Tim said that's the type of tree you need to produce to "make it" but there's just no soul.

And yes, I admit that I have zero knowledge or understanding of the artist or his background/motivation.