My shimpaku shohin.

[Dav4]

Looks cool Dave. It's funny, John placed the branhes of my shimpaku, and I wouldn't dare moving them!

Trust me, you would hardpressed to tell the difference between a picture before "the tweak", and after "the tweak"....Seriously, Suthin left the branches a bit flat and horizontal...I just lowered them a smidge.

 

[Dav4]

Growing well...

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Looking great!

 

[Dav4]

Quick shot from this AM... re-potted last week into a smaller, more fitting pot (I think), started to wire out and form distinct pads in the canopy. Still working the deadwood. Let me know what you think.

 

[Nybonsai12]

I think it looks great, awesome base, nice pot, really coming along well.

 

[Poink88]

Let me know what you think.

The tree is very nice...nicer than I can probably produce in my lifetime but here is my thoughts/critique (please do not hate me for it).

The top (branches) is not matching the gnarly bottom. Branches are too straight looks like reaching with a goal of creating a nice silhouette...not a great bonsai. In general the top looks like a healthy regular "Christmas" tree while the bottom is like a battered by elements tree...2 trees grown from 2 different locations put together. Sorry.

If my novice critique is not welcome, just let me know and I will delete this and refrain from doing it again on any of your trees. Thank you.

 

[Dav4]

The top (branches) is not matching the gnarly bottom. Branches are too straight looks like reaching with a goal of creating a nice silhouette...not a great bonsai. In general the top looks like a healthy regular "Christmas" tree while the bottom is like a battered by elements tree...2 trees grown from 2 different locations put together. Sorry.

QUOTE]

You're right in that this isn't a great bonsai...yet...it is a good bonsai in the making, imo. This tree just had a new design implemented less then one year ago, so way too early to say the attempt fell short. The branches are wired the way they are because they are "reaching"...for the sun. I'm trying to pump the foliage up and develop back budding, and that will only happen if the foliage gets a certain amount of sunlight. The canopy needs to fill in and, eventually, will become an accessory to the focal feature of this tree, which is, of course, the fat weathered deadwood trunk and base. I'm years away from finishing this tree, but that's cool. Others might want a "great bonsai" sooner...they should start with different material, I guess.

 

[october]

ohhhhh... Now that is a nice tree. Beautiful structure. I am glad I can still see your work. Not the same as seeing it in person in the workshops like the old days though.

Rob

 

[Dav4]

ohhhhh... Now that is a nice tree. Beautiful structure. I am glad I can still see your work. Not the same as seeing it in person in the workshops like the old days though.

Rob

Thanks Rob. I appreciate your comments. Speaking of structure, one of the failings of pictures (or at least MY pictures) is that they fail to give a truly accurate account of the branching of a tree, mainly because they are 2 dimensional. I think I need to get into the habit of taking and providing pictures of the canopy from the top as well as pictures from the front of the tree. Any way, here is that picture...it shows the canopy, with all the branching wired out like the spokes from a wheel. It's still rough but the edges will soften in time.

The front (and apex) are at the bottom of the picture

 

[KennedyMarx]

Great tree. I might be the odd one out here though because I think that I prefer the original front.

 

[Tona]

Late to the party but nice chunky tree!!!
Tona

 

[Dav4]

Great tree. I might be the odd one out here though because I think that I prefer the original front.

Thanks for the kind words, and I bet you aren't alone with your sentiment concerning fronts. I was quite surprised when Suthin said the back would be better...I actually argued with him for a while before he convinced me. I'm realizing with all my trees that effective styling requires the highlighting of the BEST feature of your given material (in the last year, with this in mind, I've completely restyled a fair number of the trees I've been working on for a LONG time). The front (current back) had, in my mind, slightly better movement in the trunk and the canopy/branching looked better, as well. BUT, the back (current front) had the dramatic deadwood, ok movement and a pretty descent base. At the end of the day, dramatic deadwood, along with a good base, trumps pretty much everything else, at least with a juniper. The canopy is far from perfect, but it can be changed in time.

 

[A Random User]

The top (branches) is not matching the gnarly bottom. Branches are too straight looks like reaching with a goal of creating a nice silhouette...not a great bonsai. In general the top looks like a healthy regular "Christmas" tree while the bottom is like a battered by elements tree...2 trees grown from 2 different locations put together. Sorry.

QUOTE]

You're right in that this isn't a great bonsai...yet...it is a good bonsai in the making, imo. This tree just had a new design implemented less then one year ago, so way too early to say the attempt fell short. The branches are wired the way they are because they are "reaching"...for the sun. I'm trying to pump the foliage up and develop back budding, and that will only happen if the foliage gets a certain amount of sunlight. The canopy needs to fill in and, eventually, will become an accessory to the focal feature of this tree, which is, of course, the fat weathered deadwood trunk and base. I'm years away from finishing this tree, but that's cool. Others might want a "great bonsai" sooner...they should start with different material, I guess.

This is rediculous...
I don't think this has anything to do with "wanting a bonsai sooner"...
Dario's points are well stated and I was about to post the same
thing, until I read his post.

You have a trunk that doesn't match the rest of the tree...
Sorry, doesn't work for me either... if you want an "Attaboy" you've got it.
But, if you want to take it to the next level, I think the tree's
story needs to be figured out.

Either the trunk's dead wood appearance needs to be softened
to match the "fruitfull and abundant" appearance of the foilage
and the beautiful branch structure...

Or, the opposite needs to happen and the branches need much
more movement and the same feeling of pain, that the trunk
has had to endure...

Next time I post a tree feel free to rip into me if you want,
but, there was a very valid point that was made, and some very good
"constructive" criticism was given... and sadly it was just being snubbed,
for some rediculous reason...

Sorry, I am just keeping it real...

 

[Dav4]

This is rediculous...
I don't think this has anything to do with "wanting a bonsai sooner"...
Dario's points are well stated and I was about to post the same
thing, until I read his post.

You have a trunk that doesn't match the rest of the tree...
Sorry, doesn't work for me either... if you want an "Attaboy" you've got it.
But, if you want to take it to the next level, I think the tree's
story needs to be figured out.

Either the trunk's dead wood appearance needs to be softened
to match the "fruitfull and abundant" appearance of the foilage
and the beautiful branch structure...

Or, the opposite needs to happen and the branches need much
more movement and the same feeling of pain, that the trunk
has had to endure...

Next time I post a tree feel free to rip into me if you want,
but, there was a very valid point that was made, and some very good
"constructive" criticism was given... and sadly it was just being snubbed,
for some rediculous reason...

Sorry, I am just keeping it real...

Sorry Stacey, you don't know what you are talking about. Keeping it real???? Whatever....being a pompous, argumentative ass is more like it. I take criticism as well as anyone and I certainly didn't snub his. I understand Darios' point (and yours?) but I don't agree ... apparently Suthin doesn't either. Dario is more then welcome to comment and post what he wants in my threads... he is polite and usually goes out of his way not to to antagonize. You...pretty much the opposite, so feel free not to post in my threads if this is the way it's going to be.

 

[JudyB]

Thanks for the kind words, and I bet you aren't alone with your sentiment concerning fronts. I was quite surprised when Suthin said the back would be better...I actually argued with him for a while before he convinced me. I'm realizing with all my trees that effective styling requires the highlighting of the BEST feature of your given material (in the last year, with this in mind, I've completely restyled a fair number of the trees I've been working on for a LONG time). The front (current back) had, in my mind, slightly better movement in the trunk and the canopy/branching looked better, as well. BUT, the back (current front) had the dramatic deadwood, ok movement and a pretty descent base. At the end of the day, dramatic deadwood, along with a good base, trumps pretty much everything else, at least with a juniper. The canopy is far from perfect, but it can be changed in time.

It's a hard thing to go with the better long term solution, especially when the other option is good. I'm still trying to learn this lesson. But the focal point is the focal point....

 

[tmmason10]

Dave, I like this tree and I think it has a natural feeling to it. I thought I liked the old front better, but looking at you picture for a bit I think Suthin picked the right front. The only question I have is are there any plans for refining the deadwood in the future? I think possibly thinning the mass of the dead trunk might make the tree look even better. Not a critique, just a thought I had and wanted to share. All the trees you have been posting lately look great, and I'm glad you've been updating us.

 

[Dav4]

Dave, I like this tree and I think it has a natural feeling to it. I thought I liked the old front better, but looking at you picture for a bit I think Suthin picked the right front. The only question I have is are there any plans for refining the deadwood in the future? I think possibly thinning the mass of the dead trunk might make the tree look even better. Not a critique, just a thought I had and wanted to share. All the trees you have been posting lately look great, and I'm glad you've been updating us.

Thanks Tom. The dead trunk you refer to actually isn't totally dead...the foliage on the bottom right of the canopy comes from a live vein along the right side of that trunk. Personally, I think it would be quite difficult to remove mass from that trunk and keep it looking natural as it would have to be removed from the inside portion of the trunk, though I'll take a look at it the next time the tree is in front of me. I actually have worked on the deadwood recently, mostly removing some punky wood toward the base along with some deadwood roots that looked out of place. It's very possible the deadwood will be reduced slightly down the road, but I always do it in stages...once it's gone, it's gone.

 

[tmmason10]

Ahh that makes sense, it's not a dead trunk. Sorry I should have noticed that. Either way, it's looking good thanks for sharing.

 

[Si Nguyen]

Nice tree Dave! Thanks for showing it! Have you considered splitting off the smaller trunk and make another bonsai out of it? Here's one suggestion for you. I kinda like the old front better too, and it might even look better with the smaller trunk removed and the main trunk line shortened.
Si

 

[Dav4]

Nice tree Dave! Thanks for showing it! Have you considered splitting off the smaller trunk and make another bonsai out of it? Here's one suggestion for you. I kinda like the old front better too, and it might even look better with the smaller trunk removed and the main trunk line shortened.
Si

Acually, I wasn't considering splitting the tree into two, but I have thought about removing either the lower left or right part of the canopy to get more movement. I think your virt is interesting and something to consider. Thanks for the post, Si.