Traken Amur

[Traken]

Be sure to post a picture of the back, 180 degrees from your chosen front. My own taste without seeing the tree in person would be to put the middle trunk in front. It is also your largest diameter trunk, so putting it in front would accentuate the impression of size.

I like it. Glad to see you are working with Amur. Great maple for the great frozen north.

Here you go, Leo. Just a quick snap, but this is the opposite side of the current front.


The two main issues I see with that side are the large knob that has to be carved out at the bottom right and the straightness of the one trunk. One of the reasons I rather like it on the other side, is that the straight trunk is partially obscured by the left front one, so that the ramrod straightness isn't so in your face, or at least that's my inexperienced reasoning. Please let me know if you have differing thoughts. If I get a chance, I might try to take a 360 video and post it. It can be so hard to convey/show stuff over single photos.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I get what you are saying. Turn the tree just a touch more towards the left, so a little more of the right branch shows from behind the main trunk. Mark the spot. I think that will eventually be your best front.

Many trees go through changes in front as they develop. I agree this back view is butt ugly, at least for the time being. I would work this tree to show from either side, with the intention of switching to this back side after you have "fixed, or developed" the ugly scar into an interesting feature. Think Walter Pall's fantasy trees. That scar could be made into a delightful gnarly hollow (uro), and the whole composition could become an interesting grotesque. But it will take a decade to slowly get it natural, during which you can use your initial front for display. Just check your styling to make sure you keep the back as an option while you get the tree developed.

Amur maples tend to be more angular than the graceful Japanese maples. Sharp angles are natural for an Amur. Go with it rather than trying to make a smooth, feminine arching tree. The Amur will fight you if you try to make a smooth, gracefully arching tree.

Go for gnarly. Then as it gets there, that back will become your front.

 

[Traken]

I get what you are saying. Turn the tree just a touch more towards the left, so a little more of the right branch shows from behind the main trunk. Mark the spot. I think that will eventually be your best front.

Many trees go through changes in front as they develop. I agree this back view is butt ugly, at least for the time being. I would work this tree to show from either side, with the intention of switching to this back side after you have "fixed, or developed" the ugly scar into an interesting feature. Think Walter Pall's fantasy trees. That scar could be made into a delightful gnarly hollow (uro), and the whole composition could become an interesting grotesque. But it will take a decade to slowly get it natural, during which you can use your initial front for display. Just check your styling to make sure you keep the back as an option while you get the tree developed.

Amur maples tend to be more angular than the graceful Japanese maples. Sharp angles are natural for an Amur. Go with it rather than trying to make a smooth, feminine arching tree. The Amur will fight you if you try to make a smooth, gracefully arching tree.

Go for gnarly. Then as it gets there, that back will become your front.

Thanks, Leo. Will do.

 

[Traken]

I updated my BRT thread, so I figured I should throw a quick update here for the amur, as well. It's growing like the weed tree it is. Apologies on the pictures. The sun is not in the best position at the moment, and I didn't want to pull out the camera to take proper shots, so these are just phone pics with a lousy backdrop.









I think it may call for a trim soon. Can't see anything in there. haha.

I had intended to repot it this spring. My wife and I had actually taken a ceramics class this past winter, as it's something we've both been wanting to mess with, and I tried making a pot for the tree, but the more I looked at it, the more I wasn't certain I wanted to use it. One, the pot walls need to be thicker for actual strength, and second, I've been thinking more and more that I made it too tall. I know the general rule is that it should be as tall as the trunk is thick, but the more I look at it, I wonder if I really should go for something more along the lines of the height of the training pot it's in. Here's a pic of the pot. (Note, I've never done pottery/ceramics prior to this. Don't crucify me. lol)



Do you guys more well versed/comfortable in the aesthetics think a shallower pot (not super shallow, mind you. Just not as wide as the trunk, which is 6-7" thick before splitting into the 3) would work better?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I would look for a pot about 2/3rds the depth of the pot it is currently in. The new pot could be rectangular, oval or round. I would probably seek a rectangular pot. It would go well with gnarly. Oval can work, Or even round.

Your home-made pot looks better than my home made pots. There is a reason I buy pots instead of making them. LOL

 

[Traken]

I would look for a pot about 2/3rds the depth of the pot it is currently in. The new pot could be rectangular, oval or round. I would probably seek a rectangular pot. It would go well with gnarly. Oval can work, Or even round.

So, for thickness, it'd almost be like splitting the difference between the main truck and the 3 individual trunks? I'll try to compare some different styles and maybe make some virtuals to see how they'd look. I mean, I've got until next spring at this point. Haha.

Your home-made pot looks better than my home made pots. There is a reason I buy pots instead of making them. LOL

Thanks. I'm actually happy with the design and glaze, I just wish I'd made it thicker and shallower. Ah well. Maybe next time I've there's ever time to take another workshop thing.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Making bonsai pots can be every bit as time consuming as growing bonsai trees. It is okay to not become expert in everything. I know my limits, I buy pottery, rather than make it.

There are no hard and fast rules in pottery choices. All the blather about the pot being as deep as the trunk diameter is a guide for where to start looking, not really a rule of what "must be".

Actually with your tree, visually it is more like a clump, 3 trees, so the "guide" would be to start looking at pot the depth of the diameter of the largest of the 3 sub-trunks. Your tree in some ways comes off more like a 3 tree forest. It is cool no matter what.

The diameter of just one trunk might be a tad bit shallow. The diameter of the whole 6 to 7 inch diameter trunk is obviously a little too deep. It is guess work really. Of course the shallower the pot, the wider the pot needs to hold the roots of the tree. This will play with visual impact too.

 

[Traken]

Making bonsai pots can be every bit as time consuming as growing bonsai trees. It is okay to not become expert in everything. I know my limits, I buy pottery, rather than make it.

There are no hard and fast rules in pottery choices. All the blather about the pot being as deep as the trunk diameter is a guide for where to start looking, not really a rule of what "must be".

Actually with your tree, visually it is more like a clump, 3 trees, so the "guide" would be to start looking at pot the depth of the diameter of the largest of the 3 sub-trunks. Your tree in some ways comes off more like a 3 tree forest. It is cool no matter what.

The diameter of just one trunk might be a tad bit shallow. The diameter of the whole 6 to 7 inch diameter trunk is obviously a little too deep. It is guess work really. Of course the shallower the pot, the wider the pot needs to hold the roots of the tree. This will play with visual impact too.

Thanks, Leo. Makes sense. I'm still learning when to take a more precise approach to things and when to lean more on the artistic side. I wonder if they're going to have the MBS show in August or if it will have to be cancelled this year. I bet I could find another cool pot there. Love the one I got for the BRT from the show last year.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I do not know if they are having the August show at Chicago Botanic Garden. The CBG website says they are partially re-opened, but I am not sure what that covers. Things may change between now and then.

 

[Traken]

I do not know if they are having the August show at Chicago Botanic Garden. The CBG website says they are partially re-opened, but I am not sure what that covers. Things may change between now and then.

Yep. All we can do is keep our eyes open. I do know the Botanic Garden has been gradually opening more stuff up (I get the newsletter), but it's still pretty closed off, and all by appointment at the moment.

 

[Traken]

Quick crappy pic, but it's getting autumnal.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Great colors.

 

[Traken]

Hey all. Sorry for not being around at all. Life's been hectic, but I did get time to repot the amur. I did wind up going with a new front, which may or may not have been a mistake. haha. It does bring the longest trunk up front, though, so it's probably a better move. It also makes it so that the one very large root isn't sticking directly into your face. Hopefully this year will present some time to properly develop the tree, as it's been hard to find time to do much lately. It's in yet another lovely @hometeamrocker pot.

 

[Waldo Street Pottery]

Hey all. Sorry for not being around at all. Life's been hectic, but I did get time to repot the amur. I did wind up going with a new front, which may or may not have been a mistake. haha. It does bring the longest trunk up front, though, so it's probably a better move. It also makes it so that the one very large root isn't sticking directly into your face. Hopefully this year will present some time to properly develop the tree, as it's been hard to find time to do much lately. It's in yet another lovely @hometeamrocker pot.

View attachment 368110

Thanks for sharing in the group, looks great! For those of you following, Waldo Street Pottery’s the name, slangin’ mud’s the game!

 

[0soyoung]

The pot and the tree are really a nice pairing.

Really nice.