After reading Tona's post on carving a privet, I had to try it myself. I have been doing a lot of reading on carving a privet. After clearing away some soil, I noticed some excellent Nabari. The roots seemed to spread out in a nice radial pattern. Also found that when I stick my finger up through the roots, I have a very big hollow space. It seemed perfect for a deep groove in the front of this tree. I plan on digging this tree up in the next week or so. I have plenty of other trees similar to this around my yard. So if I screw this one up, no big deal. Any thoughts or opinions or good direction , I will be very grateful to you.
My first victim for carving
- Thread starter Jarath
- Start date
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Goggles!
Sorce
Sorce
Vin
Imperial Masterpiece
For me, carving takes more thought than pruning. Once you start carving away something there's pretty much no going back. From the photo you provided it's going to pretty hard for anyone to give much input. If you could take a few more photos at different positions with some added light to the trunk it would help (or you could put a white backdrop behind it and see if that works). Also, take a photo of the whole privet so we can see the foliage.
fredman
Masterpiece
Yeah I agree. I need to see more and from all directions.
GrimLore
Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
It would really be best if you dig the plant and get it established first. You really need to know where you are going to get growth, branches, and leafs if it even takes. Then plan from there. It honestly looks like it could be a cool project but will take a little time before ready
Grimmy
From what I have read, privets are really rugged. My plan is to dig up, reestablish a good root structure for a season, develop my branches. Then carve it up. I expect a couple of years to reach this point. I have been realizing training bonsai isn't overnight. Patience is a virtue I don't possess. But I too am in training just like my future bonsai. Thanks.
I will continue to post some new photos on its progress and get to building some grow boxes. Got to stay busy,Till then.
I will continue to post some new photos on its progress and get to building some grow boxes. Got to stay busy,Till then.
Brian Van Fleet
Pretty Fly for a Bonsai Guy
They're not rugged as bonsai. They are soft wood, punky weeds. Any I have dug have eventually rotted out. They grow angular by habit, and don't develop wonderful taper, because the branches don't thicken up very well. They seem like they should be better candidates, but I've not seen a great one. Yours has a good base, so I hope you have better luck with yours than I did with mine. You might consider using the stump to suggest a mountain, and grow new branches to suggest trees:
Planta
Mame
Maybe hollow out the two parts in red and connect them. And Jin the parts in blue? Sorry I did such a bad job I downloaded 5 apps to write on pics and that's the best so far :/
Tona
Shohin
I started using privets because I had a few stumps dug up from my yard. Harry Harrington carves privets and has a website that is pretty informative. I'm surprised that Brian said they were soft. They are related to the Olive family and I found the Japanese privets to be pretty hard. Here are some of Harry Harrington's privets:
http://www.bonsai4me.com/Gallery/Gal Privet Bonsai Images April 2015.html
http://www.bonsai4me.com/Gallery/Gal Privet Bonsai Images January 2015 page1.html
http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/AT Large Privet Bonsai Progression.html
http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATLongThinOneProgressionSeries.htm
Good luck,
Tona
http://www.bonsai4me.com/Gallery/Gal Privet Bonsai Images April 2015.html
http://www.bonsai4me.com/Gallery/Gal Privet Bonsai Images January 2015 page1.html
http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/AT Large Privet Bonsai Progression.html
http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATLongThinOneProgressionSeries.htm
Good luck,
Tona
I have watched his work immediately after your first post. He definitely inspired me even more. Thanks
jeanluc83
Omono
It looks like a fun project. I have done some carving. The only way to learn to carve is to carve. Get you hands on a Makita die grinder and find some scraps to carve on. I have found 1/4" round nose router bits to work well to start off with. They take a while to remove material and are a little less likely to "get away from you".
Eye and hearing protection is a must.
One thing to remember is that you don't need to do all the carving at once. Most of the demonstrations show all the carving being done in one go. I feel it is better to take your time and see how the carving matures with the tree and do a little bit at a time. Remember once the wood is gone it's not coming back.
Eye and hearing protection is a must.
One thing to remember is that you don't need to do all the carving at once. Most of the demonstrations show all the carving being done in one go. I feel it is better to take your time and see how the carving matures with the tree and do a little bit at a time. Remember once the wood is gone it's not coming back.
