Once again, the image is not of a big forest, it is a near view image. With more distance, fine detail blends into obscurity.
In this case, the ''straggly twigs'' are a vitally important element. The tree/image would be lesser without them.
Even in an up close view, individual needles in the top of the canopy would not be discernible.
The tree is a raft, right? It’s a way of making a forest composition. In a forest composition, if it’s “near view”, the largest and primary tree is in the front of the composition. The presumption is that in a forest, the largest and oldest trees would be in the center, and younger trees would be on the outer edges of the forest. So, to get a near view, someone would have to be in the middle of the forest standing right in front of the primary trunk. That is the DEFINITION of a near view forest.
A far view forest is the image presented as if someone was in a meadow looking at the forest in front of them. In that case, there would be smaller trunks between them and the primary tree, which is in the center.
Your raft has trunks that arise in front of the primary and tallest trunk. By definition, it’s a “far view” forest.
In forests, trees in the center grow pretty much straight up. They have to, or else they won’t get any sunlight. It’s the trees around the edges of the forest that lean out, at an angle, to reach the light. Your composition has the trunks growing out at quite severe angles trying to reach the light. Again, trunks on the edge of the forest => far view. If a tree tried to grow sideways in the center of the forest, it would get shaded out and die.
You seem very motivated to push an anti Japanese and anti traditionalist agenda. To the point of bigotry. It’s fine to have personal preferences. Everyone has them. But to say that my personal preference is wrong, that I have no eye for art, I have no appreciation for nature, that I don’t “get it”, is simply childish on your part.
And, I am simply tired of your bigotry. I have several friends that apprenticed in Japan, and I have Japanese friends, as well. I have two personal friends who have won Kokofu prizes. I have another friend who exhibited at Kokofu. We discuss styling, and they all can modify their styling to suit the material, and the desires of their clients. There is no right and wrong styling. I think there is good and bad bonsai, but styles can vary.
Like I said, I don’t much care for the pagoda styled tree that Owen worked on, but it was what the customer wanted. Is the customer wrong for wanting a tree like that? I mean, some like their shrubbery shaped in balls. Others like a solid flat top hedge. Which is “right”?
But what really is getting on my nerves is the anti-Japanese bigotry. I couldn’t figure it out what exactly it was in your posts that rubbed me the wrong way, but now I’ve figured it out. Bigotry. Bonsai is a Japanese word. And yet you appear to hate all things Japanese.
That’s uncalled for. I’m kicking myself for not recognizing it earlier. So, I’m afraid I’m done with you. I prefer not to associate with bigots.