Japanese Black Pine Winter Work

[garywood]

Hey Briar , interesting thread and I think in the long term the tree will be much better. BUT, what I also find interesting is the responses. Maybe another thread about personal visual preferences and why, or when do visual preferences change and why.
Wood
http://thingsofwood-gary.blogspot.com/

 

[mholt]

I agree with Gary Wood. I think you'll be happier in the long run but I'm sure your heart stopped for a few seconds while making the cuts. Nice vision.

 

[HotAction]

Brian, great work on the refinement in just a few years. I'm glad you made the move to redesign. The new trunk will be way better for you. I've had your website bookmarked for quite sometime, and go back to it again and again even though I don't even have a JBP. The slideshow is great, and shows clearly the steps to take and the results you can expect.

However, that kink in the trunk never sat well with me. I was elated to see the pics of the clipped branches. It already looks loads better. Congrats on having the guts to make the tough cuts. I hope you don't mind, but I made a virt with a couple quick changes.

The first branch on the right was much to heavy for me, and I felt it distracted from the interesting new trunk line. So, I hacked it off to accentuate the trunk line, and also to balance the tree a bit more. Then I just lowered the pad from the next branch up just a tad.

Either way, great work and can't wait to see it repotted.

Dave

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

NICE! That is tempting...thanks for taking a minute to do the virt!

Glad you like the website as well!

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Here it is, in "new shoes". It's going to take this growing season and a round of fall wiring to get the shape where I want it, but I'm happy with the decision.

Even with the current wiring done prior to changing the front, this front presents a more dynamic shape, while keeping the growth naturally closer to the trunk.

 

[Charles M]

Impressive tree. I cannot see the apical deadwood in the post-repotting photo. Did you keep the deadwood or remove it?

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

No, as much as I liked it, the deadwood was visually distracting. My good friend and fellow bonsai idiot, whose opinion I trust implicitly, talked me into reducing it to a small snag...so I made him do it

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Candle-Cutting phase 1 complete...
This one is going to look pretty sweet after this winter's wiring, the right side needs to be thinned out considerably, and the dropping branch on the left will be accentuated.

 

[Specialkayme]

Nice show so far, I can't wait to see the progression.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Before and after fall work; which consisted of light pruning, needle reduction and wiring.

 

[tanlu]

Thanks for posting this progression. That last photo taken in full sun I believe captures the best qualities of this tree. The trunk line looks much more rugged and natural compared to the earlier photos.