guidelines to styling literati

DanS

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I'm new to bonsai, so forgive me this silly question. what are the general styling rules to making a literati? From what I've read, they typically have long, slender trunks with a slight and even taper. The foliage is confined to the top 1/3 or 1/4 of the tree. There are many variations with windswept and drop-branches, but am I understanding the general rules of literati? How tortuous can the trunk be but still be termed a literati?

Thanks,
Dan
 
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Here is something I wrote a short while ago, even if you dislike the article, the references at the bottom will lead you to other works concerning Literati.

But in short, as I wrote there, "There are no rules or even guidelines for the overall form, no branch placement rules, and no formula on how to twist and bend the trunk. The Literati's final image should speak of grace, elegance, balance, and form. It is the final image only that will tell if the design is successful."

Literati takes some skill, but it is fun aquiring it,


Will
 
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DanS

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Thanks for the link. I like the article and it addressed a number of my questions. I've even bookmarked it ;)

Dan
 

cbobgo

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My previous teacher's teacher, who is a master in Japan, once said that a good literati should have more than 37 bends, curves or changes in direction in the trunk line. But I've never seen anything like that in writing anywhere.

- bob
 

Vance Wood

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My previous teacher's teacher, who is a master in Japan, once said that a good literati should have more than 37 bends, curves or changes in direction in the trunk line. But I've never seen anything like that in writing anywhere.

- bob

I've never seen anything like that in pictures either. That seems to fly in the face of every literati I have ever seen. But there you go, almost anything seems to be possible, and as Will says it is the final outcome that determines if it is a good literati or not.
 

Smoke

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I lost count but I think there are about 37 or so.....

Why?
 

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cbobgo

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well, I think in general the curves are more subtle than that. I may not be remembering the number exactly. It could have been 27. It's also quite possible he was making a joke. His English isn't the greatest.

- bob
 

Smoke

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I'm thinkin 7 would be quite enough for me...:D
 
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