Mallsai Juniper

[Pup]

Brett Robert Stevens book has been reprinted in Paperback. Sue bought it last week it cost her $ 59-00 I think Stone Lantern are the distributor. You might be able to get one on Evil Bay . I am glad to see that you are taking it all on board. Not like some Pup

[PeterW]

The only way I will be getting that book is to buy. That is a great possibility but won't be for a while so if there is a specific section you think will be usefull. Then it would be great if you could scan it for me.

Sorry Brett, i forgot about this. I will get to it next week for ya.
Peter

[anttal63]

I apreciate all the comments alot that is why I am here. But I still say it is all our poragative to agree or disagree with comments without being scared of persicution. If I was scared of being wrong I might say nothing and that is not going to get us anywere.

too right pal

[PeterW]

I apreciate all the comments alot that is why I am here. But I still say it is all our poragative to agree or disagree with comments without being scared of persicution. If I was scared of being wrong I might say nothing and that is not going to get us anywere.

Never let it it be said that you are backwards in comming forward Brett! .................hahahaha. Your comment is spot on mate.
Peter

[Hector Johnson]

I've watched this scenario play out many times on discussion boards:

Question: "Here's my Precious, what do you guys suggest I do with it?"
Answer1: "Blah, blah, blah."
Answer2: "Blah, blah, bluhr."
Answer3: "Bluhr, blah, blah."
Response: "No, I don't think any of you are right, because it's my Precious and I don't want you messing with it, see?"

I can understand people being a little defensive about their Precious but it's one thing to ask advice of the wise; another to expect them to offer advice again and again if you make a point of not listening to what they say. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that has happened here. It is, though, something that happens a lot in these sort of threads and something that often leads to misunderstandings and noses out of joint, so to speak.

However, back on topic, the tree in question is not a particularly good specimen (though I'd cut your throat for that pot!). It's not a logical design, if you're trying to portaray a windswept tree. It's not an attractive tree, if you're looking at it from a classical bonsai styling standpoint. It's not well composed at all, from a balance perspective. It needs more love and work to be noteworthy, is what I'm saying.

Options:
1 There is a long, rather featureless portion of the trunk that could easily be shaped into a channel that you have carved into a piece of driftwood to create a nice tree that is taller than the current design. Being a Juniper it will produce plenty of branching options over a relatively short time. The rock can remain, if the owner wishes, though it should take a subordinate role as it's not a terribly interesting rock, from what I can make out.

2 Alternately, as a windswept tree, run the long "branch" in the direction of the "wind" and wrap it up and over the rock in a longer tray, if the rock has sentimental value. This may be a better design and would take less work than the previous option.

3 Finally, you could opt to chop the top off the tree, to get a stronger trunk and more low branching, given a little time.

(The maxim I find most appropriate is "Make the smallest tree reasonable from the largest tree available.")

[Bretts]

Never let it it be said that you are backwards in comming forward Brett! .................hahahaha. Your comment is spot on mate.
Peter

For all the pitfalls of online discussion I was taught there are many advantages. It is very hard to distingwish between statements and questions, advice and facts. The freedom of discution can be very rewarding though.

I often had a laugh when I went back to my first styled tree thread and discussions with Jim Lewis At the presigious IBC. Hell I even ask my doctor questions on his advice I said
When I see a beginer recieve advise to take a tree out of a bonsai pot chop it down and grow out in the ground. I always think of Craig Cousins first tree progressions. In his book Bonsai for Beginers The smallest twig in a pot you can get but I think anyone would be happy to own the Ascot Lady as he called it that emerged.
I still have the Hawthorn from that thread on the IBC growing out in the garden and the dam thing is still not much bigger than a twig And I haven't learnt a dam thing about bonsai techique from what was suposed to be a learning tree. I'm pulling it out next sping to try and work out what is holding it back

Some intresting Ideas there Hecter. The longer tray is a definate. For reasons such as the hammering it has taken from me I think it deserves better than total recall as a tunuki though. maybe Towards the top of a landscape

[Si Van Nguyen]

Hi all, I like this little tree. Of course, one option is to redesign the whole thing. But if one has to style it as a windswept, then it is not such a bad material to work with. It is just a matter of a little branch and foliage management to improve the design over time. I would keep and wire all branches, no matter how small, but reduce the foliage much more. It has too much foliage for such a windswept and battered look. The only thing I am not so crazy about is the rock (sorry Soltan), but if you like it, then keep it, but maybe it would be better on the otherside of the tree. I think the story might be more believable if the tree was growing on the protected side of the rock in the beginning , then became wind blown as it outgrows its shelter. Here's how I see it. Good luck with it.
Si

[PeterW]

Hi all, I like this little tree. Of course, one option is to redesign the whole thing. But if one has to style it as a windswept, then it is not such a bad material to work with. It is just a matter of a little branch and foliage management to improve the design over time. I would keep and wire all branches, no matter how small, but reduce the foliage much more. It has too much foliage for such a windswept and battered look. The only thing I am not so crazy about is the rock (sorry Soltan), but if you like it, then keep it, but maybe it would be better on the otherside of the tree. I think the story might be more believable if the tree was growing on the protected side of the rock in the beginning , then became wind blown as it outgrows its shelter. Here's how I see it. Good luck with it.
Si

Hello Si,
Nice design mate. Unfortunately i doubt that it is anywhere near achievable in this lifetime though! To get the needle growth on this juniper down to that size on this little tree and to thicken up the trunk and get great taper like your design is probably not going to happen...realistically. There is nothing i would like more then tobe proved wrong on that mind you....i am sure Brett would say the same thing.
Keep the sketches comming Si, you obviously have great skills there. Would you start a thread on your sketches and possibly post some for us, i enjoy them very much.
Peter

[anttal63]

si, another great design. brett it is amazing what you can achieve in a few years of going hard at a design although as pete sais the tree cant look like this in our life time. that should not discourage anyone from aiming at a goal. where there is a will there is a way to vastly improve what you have.

[Bretts]

Wow Si that is terrific I am very gratfull for the sketch I will be sure to print that out. Is it a scanned drawing or is that a computer sketch?
I can understand what is said about the size of the foilage but this does motivate me to get it into a good size pot that will encourage base developement, I am pretty sure I can get that. I am far from knoledgable on what can be done with juniper fiolage but this should teach me alot trying.
I think the lower front branch will have to go though to replicate your inspiration. I have already adjusted the branch above it again to replace it. I will consider these things over time but this will definatly be the direction I head for wether it stays as a specimen or in a group planting.
I would love to be able to draw but practising is a chore as I have so much to learn.

[Pup]

[.
I would love to be able to draw but practising is a chore as I have so much to learn.[/quote]

Brett we all have so much more to learn. Just keep on doing it. Cos when you think you have learnt it all you will learn something else. That is what life and Bonsai is all about. Pup

[Si Van Nguyen]

Hi mates,
Brett, glad you could use the sketch. I do a quick sketch by black marker first then scan it into the computer to post. It is much faster for me that way. One should always sketch a bonsai plan out first before starting a bonsai from scratch. Like Pup said, just practice. It doesn't have to be pretty. It just have to be small and fast. The trick is to force yourself to sketch it fast. You will be surprised how quick you could capture the essence of the bonsai, even if it is just an abstract future vision of it. This is very similar to how fashion designers sketch clothings (I used to be an art major in college for a year).
To Antonio and Peter, you guys are right. I got carried away with the sketch. Now that I see it again it does seem a bit too optimistic. But only with regards to the foliage pads though. I think the branch structure is very feasible. I might start a thread on bonsai sketches! I got thousands of drawings of bonsai. That's easy to post. Maybe a how-to-sketch-a-bonsai thread too, if I can figure out how to set it up.
Have a great weekend!
Si

[anttal63]

Wow Si that is terrific I am very gratfull for the sketch I will be sure to print that out. Is it a scanned drawing or is that a computer sketch?
I can understand what is said about the size of the foilage but this does motivate me to get it into a good size pot that will encourage base developement, I am pretty sure I can get that. I am far from knoledgable on what can be done with juniper fiolage but this should teach me alot trying.
I think the lower front branch will have to go though to replicate your inspiration. I have already adjusted the branch above it again to replace it. I will consider these things over time but this will definatly be the direction I head for wether it stays as a specimen or in a group planting.
I would love to be able to draw but practising is a chore as I have so much to learn.

now ya talkn pal!

[anttal63]

si not to optimistic at all. its all about inspiring and motovating one to take their tree tree to greater heights. you have always done that for people. yes you are the bonsai people's champion! good onya pal

[PeterW]

Hi mates,
Brett, glad you could use the sketch. I do a quick sketch by black marker first then scan it into the computer to post. It is much faster for me that way. One should always sketch a bonsai plan out first before starting a bonsai from scratch. Like Pup said, just practice. It doesn't have to be pretty. It just have to be small and fast. The trick is to force yourself to sketch it fast. You will be surprised how quick you could capture the essence of the bonsai, even if it is just an abstract future vision of it. This is very similar to how fashion designers sketch clothings (I used to be an art major in college for a year).
To Antonio and Peter, you guys are right. I got carried away with the sketch. Now that I see it again it does seem a bit too optimistic. But only with regards to the foliage pads though. I think the branch structure is very feasible. I might start a thread on bonsai sketches! I got thousands of drawings of bonsai. That's easy to post. Maybe a how-to-sketch-a-bonsai thread too, if I can figure out how to set it up.
Have a great weekend!
Si

Great stuff Si, i am glad your sketch has inspired Brett. A new thread on sketching would be great!
Peter