AusBonsai

I have a fasination with the literati form. Although it seems to ignore all the rules of bonsai but I believe in reality it is excellence in design principles that will enable us to create great literati.
That is why I have not been able to create a great one yet but I am not giving up. Any one else intrested? It could run well with studies into the rules design principles and penjing!

G,day Brett here are some guidelines for Bunjingi ( Literati ) . As you know I am loath to call them rules. To my mind this styles show's that the guidelines are meant to be BENT or TWISTED

The trunk should be thin with minimal taper. With very few branches. this style usually has a long hanging branch, with strong downward movement. The foliage is usually stepped, like the cascade branch.

Bunjingi look better if there is a slight slant in the trunk line. There are minimal if any branches in the lower areas,
If there is a need for one, ie for balancing,or for the style. It is a very small one.

The pot for Bunjingi should be shallow, usually round, or of uneven design ( Nanbon's are traditionally used the lid of pot's of food storage jar's ) again there are exception's where oblong pots are used even oval the soil can be mounded.

I hope this is helpful Pup

Yes sure is I will go through Deb's chapter on them in her book and highlight the intresting bits. It seems she liked them alot too

Bretts wrote:Yes sure is I will go through Deb's chapter on them in her book and highlight the intresting bits. It seems she liked them alot too

I have some magazines called International Bonsai. Published by Bill Valavanis that are devoted to this subject I will have to dig them out.
Be aware though we have our show this weekend so I might be a bit slow in finding them.

It is one of the most rewarding styles in Bonsai when you get it right!!. Which is as you have already said not that easy to get it just right.

The one thing I do agree with Robert Steven on, ( as I have said there is always something to be learned even if it is a mistake ) Bunjingi ( Literati ) should not be trained, from stock that is OH!! that is not good enough for ( any style ) so we can do a Bunjingi ( literati ) with it.
It should be sought out with the style in mind.
As you would any other style.
So as with all good hunting. Pup

That would be great Pup as always no rush this is bonsai

This was my first attempt a few years ago. Can't remember what species it was. Pity it is not still around I would have lkiked to see what iut was like today

this is an interesting idea brett maybe we could get a few people interested in it and have a bit of a literati-off!
we would have to decide on a few things obviously along the lines of that it has to be new stock? not previously styled? and a price limit on it to keep it cheap enough for everyone to be able to do it. and a set of progessions as such, every 2-3 months.
i think this would not only help in this topic but help us all in design principals and learning with styling ideas and everyone can put there positive critisism's in.

i dont know? what do you think? brett, pup?


regards jamie:D

Hmmm.....

Literati at 10 paces

I'm in

cool, theres one, well two, obviously im in too

jamie111 wrote: cool, theres one, well two, obviously im in too

I do not need any more tree's unless it is a mini. Also new stock to me is a pain as there is nothing out there

Pup

Literati , is that what they call bent sticks in pots with leaves or needles

Pup wrote:

jamie111 wrote: cool, theres one, well two, obviously im in too

I do not need any more tree's unless it is a mini. Also new stock to me is a pain as there is nothing out there

Pup

size is not an issue, i didnt intend the excersize to be a competition. more of a learning experience. and i figured it to be over a period of time

alpineart wrote:Literati , is that what they call bent sticks in pots with leaves or needles

yet a stick in a pot can be quite dull as a great literati bonsai can be intruiging, inpiring and represent the perils of what a tree can go through, i can look at a good literati for hours

Glad you are intrested
I was thinking it was going to take more than one tree to get the hang of this form. How about a free for all to start with whether it be already styled or new stock or discussions on how to create literati. That way all are able to contribute experienced and new alike. Although if you style one Pup, to show us how it is done I will gladly take it of your hands to relieve the pressure How would you go about creating stock for this form?


I have a few cheap Junipers that I got to practice literati on but I doubt they are decent stock but I was keen to try some drastic stuff on them. I also have a JBP that I hope will make a nice one but this year was meant to be a vigor year after nursing it back to health last year

jamie111 wrote:this is an interesting idea brett maybe we could get a few people interested in it and have a bit of a literati-off!
we would have to decide on a few things obviously along the lines of that it has to be new stock? not previously styled? and a price limit on it to keep it cheap enough for everyone to be able to do it. and a set of progessions as such, every 2-3 months.
i think this would not only help in this topic but help us all in design principals and learning with styling ideas and everyone can put there positive critisism's in.

i dont know? what do you think? brett, pup?


regards jamie:D

Hey great idea Jamie
New Competition coming up I see

Lets do a comp if you want but can we keep the rules simple