AusBonsai

I like the additions, and the sweep of the low foliage fits in well. Some people won't like it, but it certainly dances to its own tune.

Gavin

Thanks, Gavin. I value your opinion, so if you like the tree as it is now, that is much appreciated. I look forward to doing some more work on it, once it's standing more firmly on its roots.
Have a good time off line, and a whole good year thereafter!

Lisa

Hi LLK , Nice to see you have taken the plunge . I would like to see the second bend in between the apexes of the 2 jins so it fits and flows together a little more . A sling on the live first bend and secured to the top of the shorter jin would pull it together possibly adding a curve to each live a dead wood .I rarely critique a style but i like where this is heading . That piece of deadwood you first posted is very close to a natural combined jin and shari to suit this as a Phoenix graft . Now you have the basis for a nice combined piece of work as is or as a Phoenix Graft . Things can only get better

Cheers Alpine

Thanks, Alpine. Very interesting suggestions! I haven't quite given up on that piece of deadwood, but am hesitant as it is big and very coarse in comparison to the Shimpaku. I'll keep looking, inspiration will come sooner or later. Some more bending to be done when the things are more solidly rooted.

Lisa

P.S. I've got another Shimpaku - think it's a blauii - sitting in my pre-bonsai corner......

LLK wrote:Bodhi, I can't make a literati out of that strange tree shape. By the way, where's your promised Tanuki??

Firstly, apologies for taking so long, Christmas, guests, yaddah, yaddah second, we could make it a Literati, Raffia, benders and lots of wire Any way, i did not forget my promise of contribution. A "Sargentii" Tanuki Started by David Phipps from the Ballarat bonsai club who passed away. I will finish it for him so it is a "not to sell" tree. I hope it will live up to his dream. The wood is, apparently, Casuarina. I wonder if that makes it a Native.

Many thanks, Bodhi! Gee, what a SUPER composition. The deadwood is magnificent, the vertical wave of that deeply fissured Casuarina wood complements the juniper so well.
I'm sure David Phipps would have been very pleased!
(Don't think the tanuki has ended up being a native, though.

I'm going to have another look at my piece of deadwood. On Christmas Day a small boy picked it up and said "It's a turkey". Maybe the turkey will suit my headache shimpaku after all. Your tanuki is very inspiring.

Lisa








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LLK wrote:On Christmas Day a small boy picked it up and said "It's a turkey". Maybe the turkey will suit my headache shimpaku after all.

Thanks Lisa, you just completed my day.

Here is a little shimpaku i wired the other day. The arm is still in a cast so the wiring job is not really up to scratch but you get the idea.

It has a few similarities to what yours did pre-chop.
Once the arm gets out of the cast i should be able to get the pads formed up much more nicely. Until then i will let it grow and fill in a bit more.

Hi Jow,
That is a very beautiful, daring, moving bonsai! Gee, how I love unusual trees. That style of informal upright x semi-cascade is just superb.
BTW, you call it "a little shimpaku", but it doesn't give the impression of little. How 'big' is it?
Yes, your tree has got some similarities with my pre-chop headache shimpaku, but in yours the tops of the two trunks move away from each other, whereas in mine they moved towards each other. I tried tilting left, right and center, but the results weren't satisfactory. Well, like I said, I have no doubt that others would have done better with it, and you and Bodhi would have for a start. Still, maybe the work I still have to (or can) do on it will improve it.

Thanks, all!

Lisa

P.S. - I forgot to say: great photos, Bodhi and Jow! It makes such a difference to the presentation of a beautiful bonsai.

Hi Lisa, here is one shot that gives a better idea of scale.


It's not tiny but a small tree none the less.

Jow wrote:Hi Lisa, here is one shot that gives a better idea of scale.


It's not tiny but a small tree none the less.

Small but mighty. Really love this tree mate well done.

Lisa, your tree has come a long way and I really can't wait to see what the future holds for it. Shimpaku's are fast becoming my favorite species to work with.

-Mo

by Jow » Today, 08:37
Hi Lisa, here is one shot that gives a better idea of scale.
It's not tiny but a small tree none the less.

Thanks, Joe! That's quite a bit smaller than I thought, no doubt because of the perfect proportions and the attention to detail (like the foliage pads ending in a pointy shape, so different from the rounded ones) which give this tree stature. I thought by myself that when you can't tell the size of a tree, that's the very essence of bonsai.

MoGanic, thanks for your kind words. I'll have to wait a bit before I can bother the 'headache' again, but I'll use the time to work out some ideas.

Lisa

Thanks for the kind comments Lisa, There are a few more pics from different angles on my blog.

http://nichigobonsai.com/2013/01/08/small-shimpaku/

Very worthwhile reading (and looking, of course!), but sh...oot! It's made me aware of the fact that I have to up my standards of bonsai refinement. NOW. And quite a bit, in fact.

Lisa

Hi Bodhi that is a massive bit of deadwood and I look forward to seeing it down the track!

Jow I am very impressed with how you styled your tree...TOP JOB Especially without the full use of both hands.
Do you have any before pics, or should I visit your website?

Hi Lisa hope you don't mind enquiries about other peoples trees in your thread?
Cheers, Dario.