Carpinus B

BobbyLane

BobbyLane

Imperial Masterpiece
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Hi folks

I have another European Hornbeam project in progress, thought i'd share...

kaizen have a few of these hornbeam stumps and funnily enough this was one of the cheaper ones, i found this piece the most interesting though and it gives some options, along with well developed primarys, i just need to focus on building up the structure further and ramification, a little carving to be done here n there...

FB_IMG_1503445149087 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
FB_IMG_1503445167073 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

i had planned to remove the thick straight section even before having the tree in front of me
FB_IMG_1503445159579 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

i wanted to try something like this
Biggest tree - Great Witley by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

off with the thick trunk,
20170824_125553 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr


the tree was literally a dense bush when i got it, this after thinning and branch selection

i toyed with the idea of tilting the tree and having the remaining trunk go up and become dominant, like in the oak image above
20170824_162341 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

not so sure it suits the material, not at this stage anyway,
i think its more suited to a powerful spreading canopy
20170824_192126 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

had to do some further reductions, one or two branches are a bit of an eye sore
20170824_192231 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

the main branch far right might be reduced to lower shoots later
IMG_5349 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

IMG_5352 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
IMG_5365 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

i think the material is more suited to
Ancient Oaks by Jake S.D., on Flickr

ill be able to get a proper look and do some further styling after leaf drop:)
the back of the tree will be credible as a front, some carving will be done on the scar and it will become a hollow feature..
 
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Really nice piece of material (once again). Looking forward to updates!
 
my nellie said:
What a mighty trunk you have there!I agree with you, if I might say.
Click to expand...

Hi Nellie, the first oak at top of page and this image here which is similar, are the visions i was having but its just not feasible, it would take many years to grow up the main trunk on the left
20992784_1468292073235829_5600016377707129244_n.jpg

20170824_162341 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

no point trying to make the tree into something its not! but oh how i would love some material like the tree above:)
however, the carving at the back will look similar to that

Thanks folks
 
Last edited:
BobbyLane said:
... ...but its just not feasible, it would take many years to grow up the main trunk on the left
no point trying to make the tree into something its not!
Click to expand...
I suppose growth rate is slow for this species, isn't it?
But despite my ignorance I would think : a) that you could try to make something similar to the tree on the magazine and b) that it would take less years than you imagine to accomplish...perhaps.
 
my nellie said:
I suppose growth rate is slow for this species, isn't it?
But despite my ignorance I would think : a) that you could try to make something similar to the tree on the magazine and b) that it would take less years than you imagine to accomplish...perhaps.
Click to expand...

not at all Nellie, this species is a rapid grower, i will continue to build up the section in the middle on my virt and see how it develops over time, the right branch can be chased back a little during the process. the tree is a nice shape as is so wont be doing nothing drastic like ground growing it or anything, will just enjoy it while it develops, it might even go in a pot next spring will see..
 
So, @BobbyLane, do you try to copy an 'inspiration tree' or do you try to distill an essence of your inspiration and put that into your bonsai? I am getting the impression that you try to copy.

I'm just an untalented 'snob' trying to 'get it'. ;)
 
0soyoung said:
So, @BobbyLane, do you try to copy an 'inspiration tree' or do you try to distill an essence of your inspiration and put that into your bonsai? I am getting the impression that you try to copy.

I'm just an untalented 'snob' trying to 'get it'. ;)
Click to expand...
Hi mate, i think its a bit of both, even when im attempting to mimic a particular tree, it will never be a copy as every tree is different, i just try to take different aspects of real tree images. i have a load of images of real trees and naturalistic bonsai trees stored on my drive and in flickr see here my favourites https://www.flickr.com/photos/138823275@N03/favorites

so usually when im buying material i might see something in it that reminds me of something i have stored, that ive been admiring and want to emulate. or just use bits, for eg the scar on the other side might be done something like this
15665880_1216434221754950_2559128992488029111_n.jpg

Ancient hornbeam by Treeman973 ., on Flickr

and i also look at what the experts do with raw material, i have loads of progressions like this bookmarked http://walter-pall-bonsai.blogspot.co.uk/2007/02/
 
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Here's a before and after of some carving of the scar at the back of the tree....

this is the wound left from removing the large trunk, i'd sealed the edges with Kyonel, hornbeam are amazing in that, ive seen scars begin to callus over even with no top growth, but only when you apply kyonel right away, i have a beech too that is doing exactly this...
i dont want the wound to heal over as it never well, but i want the edges to roll in...
20170825_172554 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

i didnt need to make the hollow too deep on this material, i use stain to add depth afterwards
20170825_183742 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

the carved root was already dead, so i tied it in with the hollow
IMG_5386 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

can do refining work down the line, but the bulk work is all done, can tidy up branch stubs later...
some of the weaker growth has been wired up towards the light
IMG_5385 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
 
BobbyLane said:
Here's a before and after of some carving of the scar at the back of the tree....

this is the wound left from removing the large trunk, i'd sealed the edges with Kyonel, hornbeam are amazing in that, ive seen scars begin to callus over even with no top growth, but only when you apply kyonel right away, i have a beech too that is doing exactly this...
i dont want the wound to heal over as it never well, but i want the edges to roll in...
20170825_172554 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

i didnt need to make the hollow too deep on this material, i use stain to add depth afterwards
20170825_183742 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

the carved root was already dead, so i tied it in with the hollow
IMG_5386 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

can do refining work down the line, but the bulk work is all done, can tidy up branch stubs later...
some of the weaker growth has been wired up towards the light
IMG_5385 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
Click to expand...

I don't think I give you enough credit Bobby, it's your eye that I envy. I just can't see the future of trees like you do. You carve things and the results are great, and will only get better with time.

How much was this lump of a tree?
And for the less initiated of us, why would it be so difficult for this tree to become alike to the tree in the promo poster above? Perhaps never 100% but I don't see why, in 7-10 years it can't be something like that.
 
ConorDash said:
I don't think I give you enough credit Bobby, it's your eye that I envy. I just can't see the future of trees like you do. You carve things and the results are great, and will only get better with time.

How much was this lump of a tree?
And for the less initiated of us, why would it be so difficult for this tree to become alike to the tree in the promo poster above? Perhaps never 100% but I don't see why, in 7-10 years it can't be something like that.
Click to expand...

cheers for the kind words mate, it takes time to hone your eye, but as i keep saying, if you dont put in the work in studying real trees and bonsai that look like trees, then it will be a tedious journey imo. carving skill also takes time, you dont get better unless you continually work on raw material, that means buying cheap stuff to work on if need be, or collecting it. i emphasize studying real trees in nature, but not everyone wants their trees to look like real trees so i can't speak for everyone in that sense, we all have different tastes!

the tree was the same price as this one
http://www.kaizenbonsai.com/english-hornbeam-bonsai-material-rm1379

kaizen have a few of these yamadori english hornbeam stumps

this one is a little more
http://www.kaizenbonsai.com/english-hornbeam-bonsai-material-rm1424

and this one even more
http://www.kaizenbonsai.com/english-hornbeam-bonsai-material-rm1423

i chose mine because i found it the most interesting, good thickness and movement in some of the thicker bits/primarys, lots of new shoots, good root flare, good trunk and taper in areas, more styling options and also the work what Graham has done on it is evident, some folks would turn up their noses at the price, but i can see whats been done here. collected and established in a big pot with good quality bonsai soil, left to grow likely for a year or two after collection and i can see where he's already pruned thicker branches for taper and movement, thus making my job a lot easier, i can see where branches have been pruned leaving enough of a stump as not to cause dieback. roots carefully spread radially, the thick dead root left partially out of the soil, likely to minimize it rotting, although ill treat that with wood hardener...so with everything taken into account, a good buy and one of my better trees and will be outstanding in a few years imo

ive decided not to follow the tree in the promo, this tree will set its own path, already it has three fronts

from this rotation, after some tweaking, its already showing the potential to mimic an ancient/veteran deciduous tree, from this angle you get power, great taper and some movement, gnarly, twisted, contorted branches, branch taper, it comes at you, engulfing you..........like medusa, with a twisted head of writhing snakes, clutching at you like talons/claws............ok im gettin carried away now, you get my drift though:D

20170827_182312 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

20170827_181241 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
 
I got some wire on this one and did a little more carving on the big hollow, i felt i had to tie in the small Uro with the big hollow for a better connection

ive also cut hard for taper in the branches, set the primary lines up for the future, cut back unwanted branches and eliminated potential problem areas
IMG_5550 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
IMG_5551 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
IMG_5549 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
IMG_5543 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
IMG_5546 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

will leave it in this tub for a season to power the new growth
 
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