Potential World Class Tree? #2

Potential World Class?

  • Total voters
    30
A Random User

A Random User

Guest
Messages
3,554
Reaction score
4,272
Thought it might be fun to try this again and continue the conversation and critiques. So, here again...

With all the talk over what it takes to make a world class tree or not. I thought visually it would be fun to see what others thought of what makes a piece of material good or not good. If one would like to share any comments, I think it be useful to hear what others look for in deciding the potential of a tree.

Now obviously the tree posted will not be a world class tree... just my own. I will not go into details over how much or little was paid for it, how many years development was spent, what something natural or man made, etc. until perhaps we have voted. Reason being, that if a judge was given this tree to try and award, they would not have this information in front of them.

This is not an I gotcha survey... Instead just merely a question of whether one thinks a piece of material is good, and has something in it that they could see at some future point being a really awesome tree. Survey is open to everyone of course, and it would be great if those starting off chimed in as well as those who are more advanced. So, perhaps we could as well see the differences in the varying stages of the Art. Also, if you don't think the tree has potential to be a good tree and want to chime in with why, I think that would be relevant as well. Just ask that one addresses the tree and the question, and plays fair.
Thanks in advance, I appreciate it!

Here is the tree in question this time!

buttonwood1a.jpg
 
Material like this is really hard for me to evaluate with a picture. Clearly, there is an interesting trunk and it's a nice tree, but in a 2D photo I feel like I am missing so much more than most trees. The leaves cover up a significant part of the tree too, so it's hard to appreciate it. Your first tree was much more impressive to me. Maybe I just like that style. Or it could be which style/tree is more photogenic. This tree has some interest, but definitely not a World Class tree. I don't think it has the potential to be one either. Not sure what species it is, or what possible design alterations you can do since I don't even know the species....is that deadwood in there hidden? I can't tell. Can you make more deadwood? That would add a lot of interest to the tree. Can the leaves reduce at all? Again, some of these things might change my opinion on the tree and it's future as a good tree or a future "world class tree"
 
I like this one more straight off.

More when I imagine away the kickstand.

I'm going to go ahead and say yes.
With a backing of, you can not predict the future.

To me, this is a really good representation of what Dirty Southeast American Bonsai IS. Complete with Anole shaped jin.

If Master P. Can do it with that insult to Hip-Hop version of Music.....

I think you can do it with this piece!

Grace. And Balls.

The pot is better but not as complimentary as I'd like to "not" see.

Sorce
 
This one is too difficult for me to properly evaluate from just this one picture. I can't tell what's really going on in there. I don't recognize the species, so for all I know it could be a vine strapped to some deadwood. ;-) Such is the limitation of 2D photos.

Going back to the "world class" discussion - I don't think I quite answered your question in the last thread. For me, "world class" is a really vague, subjective thing. The most objective, abstract way I can come up with to describe it would be a miniature tree that looks impressive and is at the peak of refinement. In other words, all the obvious flaws have been polished out, and the tree looks like something that would appear in nature, perfectly scaled down.

So for me, it's hard to see this as a perfectly scaled down miniature. The leaves seem rather large for the scale it's at, and the trunk doesn't impart the correct sense of scale for me. It's perfectly pleasant to look at, but without being able to see it in 3D, it's hard to see the tree in there.

Your other tree, for whatever faults people pointed out, works really well at the scale you have it at, and if you grow it out just a bit, everything you've done just becomes a feature. But even as is, it looks like a miniature. Whereas here, it seems like a lot more work would need to be done to get there. Again, this is without knowing the species or really being able to see the branching or many other major features up close, so not sure what's possible here.
 
Do I enjoy this tree?
-Yes, I do very much. I really like it. So much character.

Is it a world class tree?
-I don't think so. Too controversial, just like Crusts 'Larch in a vaccumm' piece. Also like what erb said, too much of the tree is covered with foliage. Kinda looks like a blob of wood with a crown in 2D pictures; however, I can tell it looks much better in person.

Obviously this is not his best tree in his collection. Just like the vaccumm tree is not crusts best tree. I have seen much much better stuff from both of them on here. And just like with crusts tree, this one is here only to make a statement. Crust could have submitted better compositions but he had something to say.
 
JoeR said:
Do I enjoy this tree?
-Yes, I do very much. I really like it. So much character.

Is it a world class tree?
-I don't think so. Too controversial, just like Crusts 'Larch in a vaccumm' piece. Also like what erb said, too much of the tree is covered with foliage. Kinda looks like a blob of wood with a crown in 2D pictures; however, I can tell it looks much better in person.

Obviously this is not his best tree in his collection. Just like the vaccumm tree is not crusts best tree. I have seen much much better stuff from both of them on here. And just like with crusts tree, this one is here only to make a statement. Crust could have submitted better compositions but he had something to say.
Click to expand...

JoeR,

The OP did not ask if it was a world class tree, he asked if it had the "potential" to become a world class tree.

Respectfully,
Mike
 
Giga said:
with one picture- I can't even vote yet
Click to expand...
Man, picky people, Lol!
The whole point is just to have fun...
There is not right or wrong really, I just thought it would be interesting for all of us to see what they thought made good material and had a future of becoming something nice with potential.

With this thread and the last one, i clearly stated the material is not a World Class tree. But does it have the potential to perhaps one day be...

See from my own perspective, I would have to say yes... not because these were my trees quite the contrary... I think all material has the potential to perhaps one day be a World Class tree. It is just a numbers game.. how long will it take to make it one and do you have the ability... the talent and skill to make it one?

This is why folks say to buy the best material... it just takes less time to develop the material, that's all.

One can alter, change, cut away, regrow anything on a piece of material.
 
With the image that is offered, there is no way to assess potential really. Because you know what the tree looks like in person, you don't notice all the parts that are missing to those who are looking at just the image. It looks confusing, and it's hard to tell what is where. Maybe a few other angles would help.
 
Obviously, I haven't seen this in person (I'd love to though), but I have seen previous pictures you've shared and I would say this does have the potential to be world class. Maybe it's not there yet, but more refinement will do it. The trunk movement is fantastic. How much could you get it to ramify? I only vaguely know about buttonwood and I recall there being large and small leafed varieties. I feel like showing it defoliated would be the best.
 
Potential? Yes. Personally, the thick foliage bothers me a bit. It's almost like the tree is teasing me by not revealing more. You don't like a lot of negative space. I get it. Is it possible this swings a little far the other direction? Those are my only critiques. Otherwise, I like the tree and the pot. I also have to keep reminding myself that it is tropical/subtropical and my expectations are not completely accurate.
 
Not sure if this really is fair to those that already voted...
but here are some more pics, of the tree along the process


button1a.jpg
button 2a.jpg
button 3a.jpg
buttonwood1b.jpg
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Cadillactaste
World class potential...
Replies
8
Views
891
whfarro
whfarro
A Random User
  • Poll Poll
Potential for World Class?
2 3
Replies
49
Views
6K
Anthony
Anthony
A
Where to go with this tree - potential?
Replies
4
Views
238
Aaronsbonsai
A
Matt3839
Any potential in this JBP?
Replies
18
Views
527
Leo in N E Illinois
Leo in N E Illinois
Z
Nursery stock for potential formal upright conifers
Replies
7
Views
1K
pandacular
pandacular
Back
Top Bottom