Mugo #3

0soyoung

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Sorry; I detect a degree of sarcasm in you reply. But the question remains: If you had this angle to work with why would post this image as the one you need help with? I meant only to help which is what I though you were requesting.
No sarcasm, Vance. I'm mad at myself - embarrassed.
My apologies to you and thank you for your comments.
 

Vance Wood

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No sarcasm, Vance. I'm mad at myself - embarrassed.
My apologies to you and thank you for your comments.
that's the problem with the INTERNET forums, it is easy to misunderstand what someone is saying. So the problem now is; is returning to this more favorable view impossible?
 
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I know nothing of mugos...
But agree, I did not see nebari issues or any type of other issues when I first looked at your pics...

Just saw too many continuations of the trunk. Yes, in nature often one will find a tree with a single trunk go up and then split off into 3, 4, or even more main trunks... but from a visual artistic conception, this area stops one's eye and becomes confusing and you just focus your attention here.

If you look at the earlier pics with the different front, and compare them to the last picture where this front is now the back... visually the last one allows your eye to better move around the whole tree.

Now, yes in theory one could keep them... some would worry about taper, however if you are not going to grow this tree out substantially, just refine the tree... it would more than likely not put on enough growth that this would end up being a problem anytime soon. It could just be dealt wirh in a way of perhaps masking.

Seeing however that you have a ton there to work with... I would opt for the removal of at least one, if not possibly 2 and save yourself the time by solving this issue now.
 

0soyoung

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that's the problem with the INTERNET forums, it is easy to misunderstand what someone is saying. So the problem now is; is returning to this more favorable view impossible?
Not impossible. In fact, relatively easy but I don't want to mess with the roots right now. So, next fall it will go back.
 

Vance Wood

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Not impossible. In fact, relatively easy but I don't want to mess with the roots right now. So, next fall it will go back.
It is not often that you find a Mugo with a trunk as nice as this one. Of course I do not know how much of it is photoshopped, if any.
 

0soyoung

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It is not often that you find a Mugo with a trunk as nice as this one. Of course I do not know how much of it is photoshopped, if any.
Yes, it has really nice bark, but lots of 'little problems' that really annoy me - not photoshopped, except for the virts in earlier discussions which were just distortions of what exists - what if the trunk had taper (stretched an area of the photo), what if the trunk was shorter (cut out a horizontal slice of the photo), etc.

Thanks for your encouragement.

You keep them alive and a design stays just out of reach.....
.....and I think you should.
I did not see nebari issues or any type of other issues when I first looked at your pics... Just saw too many continuations of the trunk.
...
Seeing however that you have a ton there to work with... I would opt for the removal of at least one, if not possibly 2 and save yourself the time by solving this issue now.

I must admit that I feel very constrained by what it seems to be, as opposed to what it could be. I appreciate the nudges.

walk away for 30 minutes, do, something opposite, then
come back and look.
I try to do just that when I hit a mental block, but 30 minutes was nowhere near enough this time. I fell into 'analysis paralysis' and this is just my way of dealing with the frustration (the inner voices screaming 'do something, don't just sit there'). So I've committed the (reversible) mistake and now that it is done, I will try again - persistence pays better than walking away.

Thanks again, you'se guys. ;)
 

Anthony

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Oso,

never pressure yourself to - do something.
You put it aside and just look after it.
Time.
Persistence to look after the tree, and just relax.
Time.

When we bring in a new tree type more time is spent in learning in how to keep it healthy.
Good Day
Anthony
 
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0soyoung

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Oso,

never pressure yourself to - do something.
You put it aside and just look after it.
Time.
Persistence to look after the tree, and just relax.
Time.

When we bring in a new tree type more time is spent in learning in how to keep it healthy.
Good Day
Anthony
Thanks, Anthony. I appreciate your kind words.
It has been 6 years now - it is healthy.
My artistic abilities just don't measure up (yet).
 

Anthony

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Oso,

in the beginning was the 1, 2, and back branch. Followed by the triangles, equi = peace, and the others active.

These triangles then grew to be rounded shapes.

Then young Oso followed his feet to a few art classes and studied designs / trees in nature.

He armed himself with his image maker and back home printed his images of tree, alone in nature.
He darkened the images to produce silhouettes and the traced the outline and negative spaces.

He lightened the images and studied where the 6 main branches were, added them to his traced outline on his
tracing paper.

He showed these images to those who could critique them.

He learned to image at noon when the sun was overhead, and he learnt how light affected
his canopy. He lightened his images to show 3 tones. Light/Medium/Dark

Always he walked around and shot 4 views.

Sometimes he took plastercene or clay and he made trees. First the main trunk, then his six branches, and observed if there
were roots.

Later he took his clay and carved out his canopies as masses.
Then he took a few sculpture classes and asked for critiques.

Pretty soon young Oso had a memory of trees and the imagination to do. It took him 3 to 5 years because
he was persistent. [ K ]
Good Day
Anthony
 

Vance Wood

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Thanks, Anthony. I appreciate your kind words.
It has been 6 years now - it is healthy.
My artistic abilities just don't measure up (yet).
It is better to find yourself in a position of thinking your artistic abilities don't measure up than think your artistic abilities do measure up and having to spend time convincing people that don't think so that they do. Does that make sense? The point is you realize that you are not where you want to be but that means you can grow into that vision. Most of the time what you lack is the ability and technique to make what your creative eye sees a reality which everyone can see. Take the time to figure out what you are lacking and go looking to improve it. It wont come by itself easily. Personally I think you sell yourself short.
 

0soyoung

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Last year there wasn't much to write home about this tree

View media item 3888
It filled in a bit and the canopy shape changed a bit, but it was still a mess of branches underneath. This year I removed a ton of branches (mostly on the right side), thanks to some great back budding over the last two years. Structurally it got a lot better. Artistically, it hasn't changed or has gone backwards. At any rate, it still "isn't there."

View media item 4898
There are a few problems with my photograph like the lowest branch on the left that sweeps right is on the same level as the depth element, so it (the depth element) gets lost. It would be seen from a little higher/lower view point So it would be better to lose this branch or at least shorten it to what it was a year ago. But there are more basic problems with this design.
  • That two branch 'eye' has been my chosen point of interest - I think I am overly emphasizing it.
  • The long, thin trunk has interesting bark. A narrow domed canopy (like seen on many junipers) ought to down-play how thin the trunk is - I don't think I like it narrower (just comparing this year's canopy with last).
 

Vance Wood

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The two thick branches going left are a bit awkward, but should be kept, part of what makes it look real rather than contrived.
Disagree,---- within two to five years there will be a conflict that will demand solving and the removal of one of them. I would go for the lower of the two. Do that next summer and you will have opportunity to develop a decent tree with the remaining branch. Leave the lower of the two and both branches will suffer, and the design will remain hidden.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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Disagree,---- within two to five years there will be a conflict that will demand solving and the removal of one of them. I would go for the lower of the two. Do that next summer and you will have opportunity to develop a decent tree with the remaining branch. Leave the lower of the two and both branches will suffer, and the design will remain hidden.

I see what you mean Vance, thanks for pointing that out. I wasn't thinking "down the road".
 

Vance Wood

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I see what you mean Vance, thanks for pointing that out. I wasn't thinking "down the road".
This is the problem with Mugos. It is easy to default to keeping a lot of branches in the beginning and refusing to make the decision to remove some of them in deference to better choices. The result is that an abundance of un-guided branches can cause the decline of many of better quality. You have to be thinking about decisions now, even if they are wrong, they at least can be dealt with effectively. Often the further development of too many branches can cause a lot of compromise leading to nothing.
 

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Cleaned it right up.
I think it looks better already.
But then again.
me.
 
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