Bonsai Beginner looking for manual

[Luminae]

Hi, Have shaped saplings a couple of times but never attempted to shape a more mature one.

This Beni maiko is from a garden centre and was curious if its at all possible to shape it or if its a good tree to try with.
Any advice on which branches to cut or move would be very welcome as I'm not too experienced yet and find it daunting to just start cutting a more expensive tree.

Would love it if someone could help me with a step-by-step.

if you would need diff angles let me know

 

[Goodbrake]

Harry Harrington wrote a pretty good 4 part article series on developing deciduous branch structure, though his article starts from a trunk chop, which isn't necessarily the way to begin every tree.

Developing Deciduous Bonsai Branch Structures: Part 1 – Bonsai4Me

bonsai4me.com

 

[Luminae]

Read the article for most parts, don't know if a trunk chop is going to be all too helpful. I read somewhere that my type of tree doesn't grow very fast. Also am I mostly thinking about how I would start by repotting. Anyone have some tips on how start with that and if I need to prune the roots already?

 

[Goodbrake]

I agree, I don't think a trunk chop is what you want. I'd recommend putting your USDA zone in your bio, as this will help people give more appropriate advice regarding timing, etc.

As far as this tree, I'd start by assessing a few things. You want to clear soil away until you get to surface roots to get a better idea of the quality of the trunk, the graft (if there is one), and the nebari.

You'll probably want to repot it, if nothing else to assess the health of the roots, but depending on your goals you may want to plant it in the ground or in a pond basket or something else, depending on where you'd like to take this tree.

Finally, I hope that you only brought it inside to take photos. Trees generally don't like growing indoors.

 

[Wulfskaar]

Read the article for most parts, don't know if a trunk chop is going to be all too helpful. I read somewhere that my type of tree doesn't grow very fast. Also am I mostly thinking about how I would start by repotting. Anyone have some tips on how start with that and if I need to prune the roots already?

Bonsainut.com is a pretty good resource.

Maybe start by searching for the many progression threads here. You'll see others go through years of progress.

Come up with a plan that you want your tree to look like so you have a place to start from. Once you know where you want to take your tree, the experts here will be able to offer better guidance. What to do next will be dependent on what your goal is.

If a man does not know to what port he is sailing, no wind is favorable.
-Seneca the Younger