Calm down Al....you're trying to make this into a "Black and White" issue and it's more of a grey issue.
I'm talking about balance between "manipulated by man" and "Natural". That really is what bonsai is. The balance between the two extremes. Not choosing one extreme or the other. Some lean more to one extreme or the other but there remains a balance if they want it to be seen as a tree.
I'm not attacking your choices with this tree. Did you miss the part where I mentioned that I think you're on the right track? Or did all you see was the bruise to your ego that my fair and balanced criticism apparently caused?
Wasn't it you on BT that preached how people needed to accept honest criticism without being so defensive? Time to buck up and swallow your own advice.
No... I'm not trying to make anything black or white. I accept bonsai for what it is. No matter what we do in bonsai we still manipulate them. While walter's trees may look more natural than those I showed previously his trees still retain the looks of being manipulated by man. Trees don't grow that way. Like Emeril Lagasse says, "I don't know where you get your flour, but mine don't come seasoned". So..I don't know where you collect your trees but mine don't come styled.
Sometimes I think you guys forget that bonsai requires some time. I know the branches are small...Duh! The tree had NO branches on it when I dug it. This is where it is in four years. That is pretty good for four years. I know people on this forum that have trees they have worked on for 30 years and it don't look this good. Let's have a little respect for the material. ME I can handle the criticism when it's valid, but I have to stick up for the material. I'm sorry that the tree doesn't have larger branches for you, but I have to wait for them to get there. Have I not shown enough work in just the last two weeks that speaks to anything?
Al Keppler has never, I repeat never ever shown anything on any forum that is finished as in done working on it, ALL MY WORKS ARE IN PROGRESS, does that make sense.
All I ask is a little patience. If you want finished stuff I'll just quit posting and come back in twenty or thirty years when it is mature and more to your liking. I feel thats stupid, and I feel it's more benificial to post and talk about it. But lets talk about it for what it is, a four your old bonsai in training...nothing more.
I'll be more than happy to offer my criticisms on any of your four year old material.