Dirty Nails
Shohin
OK here is my first workshop tree mentioned in another thread. I went to town on the jin and beginnings of shari. The jin are fuzzy, I am thinking let it dry out for a few weeks and sand it down. Comments or suggestions?
Regarding the fuzziness of the jin, the other thing you can do is take a blow torch to it. Have all the little tips burn up and smooth it out.
As far as a critique, I think the jin is too long. We only want a hint that there was life beyond, not a full scale view. I know your trying to keep those branches as points of interest, but it feels like it is a bit to much. The deadwood outweighs the foliage visually.
For the shari, it seems a bit like a power tool got loose and made a bunch of scars. I would rather have a strip of bark removed(maybe around an old branch). I always try to imagine the story that would make sense for this trauma to have happened.
I agree that picture two is a good front. The movement, the foliage in the front, the depth with the jin in the back all seems to work together pretty well.
Watch a Graham Potter video on Youtube with his blow torch!! Not only does it take away the fuzz, but create some texture on the wood.
Well, I think this tree has a lot of potential, so I came back and did a virt for it. I hope that is ok. This is all done in stages of course...Using the second pic as the front. Here is an example of what this tree could look like in the future. I would develop the main foliage area and create 2 foliage areas from it. I would remove the foliage on the right. Here is the virt of with all this and a pot as well. Also, if you go with this design. You could keep that long jin. It works well with this design, imo.
Rob
Thanks for the great input. I was thinking the jin would not look so imposing in a few years as the foilage develops. It might be too much but you know you can't put it back on once it's off.
As far as the shari scars those are first year ovals like Brian showed on his shimpaku thread. They will be connected in the coming years.
I'm guessing the ovals start the process creating new lifelines in the cambium? How long do you wait for the next step? Sorry for coming across as harsh. I could have worded it better! Thanks for your grace of non-reciprocation! That tells me a lot.
And yes, always better to want something shorter than longer!