Ledanta Virtual Competition - November 2009

[Leigh Taafe]

Hi again! Sorry for getting this posted up late! Have been a bit busy (time of year!)

Here is a cork oak that I dug from the field about 4 or 5 years ago.

I lost the top from over watering, fortunately, it shot back new growth to what you see now.

The tree from soil level to the top of the growth is about 75 cm. There is a 30cm ruler next to the tree for scale, however, you dont need to use this in your virts.

This type of tree is very popular as a bonsai in Europe (search for some images to give yourself some ideas - there are some awesome specimens out there!)

Anyway - have fun with it. Dont forget, it is free to enter, and you could win yourself a prize!

Apologies for the pics - I am still coming to terms with a new computer.

Entries will close at midnight 20th November 09.

Cheers,
Leigh.

corkoak1.JPG

corkoak2.JPG

corkoak3.JPG

corkoak4.JPG

[Jamie]

first off. awesome awesome awesome stock!
would love to have this one but it is to big for me

i knew i had to get in quick with this idea so here it is. it may be some sort of record for posting a virt but it worked well for me on a desktop, better mouse control than a latop etc.
plus i wanna crack at the final!!!!!

for this entry i have used picture 3. love the movement. but picture 1 has some wicked movement too. so i will enter another one with that a bit later

virtcomp1.jpg

i used the main trunk line for this and have used a few different pics for the foliaged. pain stakingly traced and then cut and pasted

thanks guys

regards jamie

[Leigh Taafe]

I will call this one ----- "Geisha" Nice (and fast) work mate!

[Jamie]

I will call this one ----- "Geisha" Nice (and fast) work mate!

thanks mate and i am humbled by you naming it too

if you could excuse my ignorance... can i ask what geisha means ???? or is it a persons name, because i have heard of the movie "memoirs of geisha" but never seen it.
it is on the list of movies i need to get though


jamie

[Leigh Taafe]

G'day mate - a Geisha is a Japanese woman of the night - often wearing very small shoes.

Cheers,
Leigh.

[Jamie]

ahhhh. cool. nice name for the tree. i see why you named her that now too

ok, got nothing better to do, i am gonna go do another one with pic 1


jamie

[MelaQuin]

Geisha is more than a common prostitute. Very highly trained to please men in singing, dancing, playing instruments, able to converse and able to blend in the background. Far more like a courtesan as both need 'benefactors' to maintain the costs of their costumes and lifestyle. To hire a geisha for an evening would cost big yen. To take advantage of her skin based accomplishments would cost even more. So this oak Geisha is a lady of class, quality and utter refinement......

[Pup]

Geisha. Is not a girl of the night perse. She is a girl trained in the art of conversation, and music and dancing, for the entertainment of men, often performing the tea ceremony.
Which is highly revered in Japanese culture.

Although when the ocupation forces after the war started there stories that is what was said of the Geisha.

Edit I agree with Lee she is a lady of culture.

[Jamie]

well, now knowing even more of what a geisha is i am even more humbled by the naming. elegance, cultured etc. wow

it makes me wonder whether i should put my second entry in...
i think i shall wait for others to put theirs in before i post a second.

thank you very much leigh, mel and pup

jamie

[MasonC]

I will get one done tomorrow after cricket. Haven't got the energy now!

[Jamie]

well, seens as there hasnt been much in the way of entries to this months one, i will put my second one in, i used the first shot for this one as opposed to my first entry which used the third. hopefully it gives it a bump and others put some entries in too

to make this one possible you would have to air layer and do a chop at these points

corkoak1 air layer lines.jpg

well roughly around there any ways

and you end up with something like this

virtcorkoak2.2.jpg

i did use the same top as my first one as i liked it and i think it works for the style of oak. i always picture oaks with full canopies like this.
and i used the same pot too, simply because i like the style of pot with the tree

[DavidN]

Hi Leigh
Fantastic material to work with here. Very inspirational and can go a number of ways with this.

Having the benefits of spending 3 days listening to Robert Stevens last week, I drew on trying to understand and incorporate a story behind this tree. This tree is natural would have suffered some sort of damage to effect its loss of the top of the tree. I will try and explain my thinking at a later date as have to go play with the kids now.

Here is my idea.

[Psymo]

G'day all
If your interested GrahamWPotter's done a demo on one of these trees http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL7tMI_K7VM
I had some fun doing this, i dont know if the wine was to strong but i think you'll get the joke.

[Leigh Taafe]

Good one!

[dayne]

i will do one up as soon as i get a chance how about flip it over on its side so the bend is facing up and make it a big raft on a flat hand made slab carve the trunk then whel the roots take on the bottom loose the root ball