I asked George: "So, what is the advantage of layering a one year old lignified straight candle, versus growing from seed, other than gaining one year's worth of time?" It is true that one gains one year's worth of time, but the price is that the candles are dead-straight. A seedling, on the other hand, can have an interesting cuve to start with.
The answer is that these layers have a few things going for them, that the seedlings don't. They are incredibly vigorous, so in addition to the first year's worth of time gained, there is more time-saving to come, since they will grow much faster in the future. They have a perfect nebari. And, the most powerful advantage is that they have dozens of buds on a tiny trunk that is only a few inches long. This means that you will have dozens of low branches, which will result in amazing taper in only a few years.
To create movement, one needs to plant these in an angle and use a side branch for trunk line, or just grow a formal upright pine. Growing a formal upright pine is always a great challenge, and it is hard to find adequate material.