Progression of Literati..'Blue Star'

[bodhidharma]

Here is a progression of my Juniper. It has been ..'slimmed.. down a little with carving and a position change. The branches have been repositioned a little, it has a new front and angle change and has been repotted into its new pot. Some jin work has also been added. The foliage pads need a little bit of detail work but i am waiting for them to regain their full colour after winter. I also hope to have the wire off for december. Critiques are always welcomed for progressions of this tree you can view it on previous Literati comp posts

[MelaQuin]

I would like to see the long jin on the right shortened. At the moment it is drawing attention away from the trunk and in the wild with a tree that tortured [said only in the nicest bonsai sense] the jin would never last that long that long.

It is probably the photo but the tree seems to be leaning away from the viewer. Is this right? It's not a problem as it can be adjusted the next time it is repotted but I feel it looks as tho it doesn't want to interact with me.

Those comments aside, it is going to be a very nice tree when it develops a bit more and has heaps of character.

[Mojo Moyogi]

Hi Bodhi, I like what you have done here, great movement in a trunk that shows genuine age. I look forward to seeing you "hang a set of branches" on that trunk, and seeing the pads fill out if you can tame the propensity of J.squamata 'Blue Star' to be untidy, I tried a few young examples of this cultivar a long time ago when I was starting out and they just wouldn't behave themselves.

Cheers,
Mojo

[bodhidharma]

I would like to see the long jin on the right shortened. At the moment it is drawing attention away from the trunk and in the wild with a tree that tortured [said only in the nicest bonsai sense] the jin would never last that long that long.

It is probably the photo but the tree seems to be leaning away from the viewer. Is this right? It's not a problem as it can be adjusted the next time it is repotted but I feel it looks as tho it doesn't want to interact with me.

Those comments aside, it is going to be a very nice tree when it develops a bit more and has heaps of character.

Thanks For the input Mel. I appreciate learned feedback. Yes, i agree that the Jin is to long but does not look it in the flesh. It is a photo thing and as this is a photographic comp it will be shortened. The tree is actually coming towards you and i was also surprised at the effect when posted. See the side shot of it.

[bodhidharma]

Hi Bodhi, I like what you have done here, great movement in a trunk that shows genuine age. I look forward to seeing you "hang a set of branches" on that trunk, and seeing the pads fill out if you can tame the propensity of J.squamata 'Blue Star' to be untidy, I tried a few young examples of this cultivar a long time ago when I was starting out and they just wouldn't behave themselves.

Cheers,
Mojo

Thanks Moj, if you have played with them you can understand the foliage problem I have had the tree a long time and when i collected it i did not know much about Bonsai let alone this species. Now i know better but the tree has great age and i have become attached to it so i keep persisting

[Mitchell]

It is probably the photo but the tree seems to be leaning away from the viewer. Is this right? It's not a problem as it can be adjusted the next time it is repotted but I feel it looks as tho it doesn't want to interact with me.

Given the second picture posted, your observation interests me. Funny how you observed it as leaning away, yet indeed it is not the case. Infact it is coming straight at us.
I too am extremely surprised it is planted at that angle towards the viewer.


Nice tree Bodhi, me thinks this is an example of a photo, is not worth a thousand words.

[Mitchell]

Just showed my girlfriend, she also agrees with mel, looks like it's leaning away from the viewer.

This may be a bad this in bonsai terms, but I like the optical illusion you have created, I'd work with it.

[bodhidharma]

Just showed my girlfriend, she also agrees with mel, looks like it's leaning away from the viewer.

This may be a bad this in bonsai terms, but I like the optical illusion you have created, I'd work with it.

Yes, a very weird optical mind messer In the flesh this is definitely the best way to see the tree. This is the other side.

[Mitchell]

That is bizarre...

"It is one thing to shape a tree into form, but when you are able to convincing deceive ones perception of reality, something much more is accomplished than just a simple bonsai."