AusBonsai

Well I have been doinf some reading and here is my second attempt at a Literati Bonsai. Im still not sure about it as I think the curve in the top of the tree isnt still quite right.
Anyway any comments are appreciated.
tell us what you think.

Archie

Woops I forgot the Before Photo

hi id try to bend the top litle bit up as a new apex and roughly how long did you spend styling this tree all up

Hi I'm not really sure how long it took, it happened over a few days really a bit here and a bit there. I guess maybe a few hours just looking at it mainly. Why do you ask is it that bad

Hi, I would try to bend/twist it the other way so the lower branch is on the "outside" of the bent. And yes I agree, the apex should curve up a bit.
Cheers

bad isnt a word i describe peoples trees to often i use a handicap like golf and for a first litterati you have a high handi cap so your allright its the hardest style to do convincingly trust me i have two big ones on the go and its hard try to sketch if you can and look at as many trees on the net and books as possible if you like your junis you should get bonsai today master class junipers its a must have keep up the good work

Thanks Dayne,
So where would one purchase this Bonsai Today masters series. I just tried a quick search on the web and not sure where to get it.

stonelantern.com have a look

Thanks Dayne,
I think I may have to get myself a copy

The tree as it is is out of balance and looks as tho it is going to fall out of the pot. As previously stated, your branches are coming off the insides of the curves and that's a no-no. You need to rethink your curves so the branches grow at the outside of the curve [this is botanically sound as branches growing on the inside would weaken from insufficient sun]. Put more curve in the trunk. I've tried to draw a better line as an example but can't get it to happen without getting my hands on the actual trunk. Sorry.

Archie have a look at some of the entrants in the Literati Bunjingi contest it will give you some Ideas of where you should be going.
At the moment you are all over the tree no real direction, those inside branches need sorting out one way or the other.

Just one opinion though. Cheers Pup

hey archie; with a piece of stock like this, b4 i cut too much off i try to look for a trunkline that is achievable and will bend and turn with the stocks already natural growth pattern. Then from there i decide wether i want to be extreme, subtle or in between with my reshaping of the trunkline, according to the branches that are available to me. Easier said than done you might say. Sure for some of us it is easier to invisage than others, but like all things the more you do and look around you, the more familiar shapes and forms become. One of the things i did alot of, apart from loads of trees, is to organise folders of photos that i would just sit there and watch as slide shows. there are loads of sites out there with amazing pics of trees that can inspire one. These are some of the things that build a repotoire with in your mind, that out of no where just pop out at you when studying a piece of stock.

Sorry for the rant, back to your tree. Here we have to trace our steps backwards and find the best possible shape and form for what we have left. No prob there are many options here, endless possabilitys. I have demonstrted 4 for you. Each colour is a different trunk line. The red trunk line i have used to different greens to show you 2 differing foliage configurations. Trees that look like they are falling over actually excite me! It means they are in movement, however they need to be counter balanced. Either with their foliage configuration or/and the pot and planting configuration. There still needs to be sense of holding on. Dont think too much about all this just be aware. There is so much more info and detail that runs along side this bag of wind.i go into this detail, for the relevance of your tree and so that you and others may take something away. Enjoy, i look forward to seeing a better out come for this tree. or at least your mind's eye.


ps, when you are tieing a bend down you need to use counter ties too or were you just tieing to lean the tree that way? if so it may still change your bends if not countered.