Shimpaku Styling Thoughts

[MidMichBonsai]

Here is the update that I promised but never delivered on. The tree has filled in, and pretty much been left alone. Next year I will be pulling down the upper branches, developing a new apex, and possibly putting some more extreme bends in some of the straighter sections of the trunk and "bar branch" on the right.

Suggestions welcome!

 

[tmmason10]

Ok, I studied what you have and this is what I see.

I think the branch on the right needs to go. You could leave a small Jin but the branch need to be gone. The other problem with the tree is highlighted in the second picture. I think its a bit monotonous with all the branches on the same plane. Picture one is my idea for a fix. Basically, pulling the first branch in towards the trunk, putting the next branches on a different planes in the next level, and rounding out the apex a bit while nit being too symmetrical. I also suggest pulling the back branch down in the light green shade. I think the tree is styled a bit too wide for the thin trunk.

Just thought I'd share what I saw, doesn't mean it should be done or your other ideas aren't good enough. Food for thought.

 

[MidMichBonsai]

Tom,

Thanks for the feedback. I agree with you on the planes. I'm trying to bend some of the branches lower to vary the planes but they are not yet long enough to actually get them down to the height that I want them.

As far as the apex, it's difficult to tell but there are 4 branches that are being pulled down and going N, S, E, W and a new apex is growing in the center of them. If you look at the original picture the image was very open and sparse. The idea is to grow these branches out and pull them down to fill in those spaces and try to compact the image. I've toyed with the idea of just growing the apex out to thicken the trunk because I agree that the foliage is heavy for the trunk thickness.

Any feedback welcome.

Dan

 

[Derek91]

I would do what tom said and the maybe add some movement to the lower trunk.just a little wiggle. I think you will be much happier with the tree. Regardless of what you decide I would definitely place the branches on a different plane.way

 

[ChrisV]

If it were mine I would give it a lot of time to grow and make something out of it like this:
(Virtual looks a bit crappy but I don't have photoshop it is made with the standard preview program on a mac )