AusBonsai

Bonsai is about what you as an artist, feels and puts into a tree. Yes, there are things which defines a bonsai, techniques and guide lines used, these are what distiguishes a bonsai from a bush in a pot, or a topiary. If you use all or just some of these techniques/guide lines you are creating bonsai. If you don't you are not. Using the so called 'Rules of Bonsai' want attain perfection in a bonsai. Only your ability and the material used, may do that. As for perfection in bonsai, that; I feel, is something just out of reach. I think we have to be satisfied with, "That's the best I can do."

If you strive for perfection, you will never know joy. If you strive for joy, you will always produce your best.

chris.

[quote="chrisatrocky". I think we have to be satisfied with, "That's the best I can do."

quote]

If it's the best you can do , you should strive to achieve better. Not be satisfied with "that's the best i can do". To be good at something you must always try to get better at it or What's the point of participating. you may never be as good as the next guy but who ever is .

I think if everyone followed all the rules all the time, you would have a collection of "cookie-cutters".

"Don't make your trees look like bonsai's; make your bonsai's look like trees." Was that the quote?

Craig, the best you can do is all there is, it doesn't matter how good you get, it will be the best you can do, at that time, and it will never be perfection.
You can improve on your previous best, but at the time you have to be satisfied with the best you can do. If you are not then you will end up with nothing but disapointment. My statement should have been read, "That's the best I can do." (with the understanding 'at this moment'). You, Craig have taken what I have written and twisted it to mean the opposite.

chris

Ok if you say so

You can only do your best... With the knowlege at hand...One other thing that can be hard to do at times is to be critical of your own design/ work... Particularly when a lot of time and effort has gone into the design.(true for design in general) ... But if one can overcome being 'precious' ( been guilty of that!) then the results and progression are usually better.

Perfection is pursued but rarely attained.

The creation of this forum and what we are doing on this forum every day is part of the pursuit of perfection in some way. Since joining in 2009 I have seen a constant build up of quality and commitment from its contributors not to mention the way we are thinking about and discussing bonsai.

Here's to it.

ME Sorry i am loving myself this morning. I will try and be more serious.

bodhidharma wrote: ME Sorry i am loving myself this morning. I will try and be more serious.

Why

I want what he's on...

Gavin

I love this post and all that's in it.

Everybody is right in there interpretation of Bonsai, because it is different for everybody, but alot of us are similar.

Teaching Principles have been confused as Rules for a long time. The Japanese simply, and quite beautifully, came up with a process that would teach us a basis for artistically recreating images of nature. There is a combination of artistic principles of balance, direction and depth, mixed with characteristics of old mature trees like exposed roots and trunk, open structures with reducing spaces toward the top, and most importantly asymmetry and proportion. These are known as the Classical Rules, and I believe where we should start, and where we take it after that is up to us.

Always do your best, but never think for a minute that it will be as good as it gets. Otherwise I would never have done 8 hours wiring on my Fig. I have done my best. For now. Learn, grow and improve, but enjoy the ride.

Tony

Bit of a delayed post,

but nicely put Tony !
Wise words

Cheers,
Sam