Shohin Juniper Progresion and Challenge

[John Ruger]

Here is a small juniper that I've been working on for a while. It initially had a mushroom-cap apex, so I spent time re-orienting the top by about 90 degrees. I have an idea of the final result that reflects an older style of bonsai that I have seen in old photos and paintings. It has a way to go, but I think that the general outline seems to be working so far. One of the major issues is the fact that the primary and secondary branches are high up the trunk. The left branch was really no issue to draw down. The right branch (I'll post a side shot in the next post) jutted out nearly 90 degrees. I think I was able to solve that issue to some degree, but after it sets, I'll take another look at it. I used a cloth strip in lieu of wire on the right branch because I just found it easier to orient that side down and toward the rear. I thought about splitting the whole works at the crotch of the branches, but it seemed too intricate a cut and I could loose the tree.



p.s. for some reason the front of the tree is showing as the thumbnail. The large photo is actually the back before I re-oriented the apex and lateral branches...sorry about the photo quality, I just shoot pictures like a madman.

 

[october]

Hello John..Very nice material to work with.. Did you create this from scratch or did someone else do some work before you got it? The reason why I asked is because it appears that whoever did the initial styling, chose your current back, as the front of the tree.. The reasons why I say this is because of the meandering shari line up the trunk and also how the branches are coming right from the front of the trunk. The thumbnail is showing many branches that are eminating from the front of the trunk.. This would indicate that this is the back of the tree.

 

[John Ruger]

Actually, it's me who made the shari. The reason being is that from everything I understood on how it should be done, called for 2 (one on each side). I didn't want to do it on the front because I wasn't really confident enough to try it on a smaller scale above the fron jin. When you look at the back, that apex was actually comming back at you at nearly 90 degrees...it doesn't look that way, but it was. The branches that you see comming from the front of the trunk, were almost comming out at 90 degrees as well. I have some pictures before and after taken from the R side and you can really see the difference...I having a problem attatching the photos as a reply (asking for url#) The regrets I have is that I think I should have kept the lowest branches on both sides instead of making jins and that would have saved me the headaches now. If I have to, I'll post the before and after side shots as new threads...unless I can figure this out

 

[John Ruger]

View attachment 20218

I thought I'd update an older thread from last year. The 1st pic. is from the right side of the tree before I started re-shifting everything around this past spring.

View attachment 20219

The 2nd is the same side after I took it up several inches to remake the apex. I left it at this angle until just last month when I took off the wire. The idea (looking at it from this same side) is to take it a few more inches to the L until it passes beyond vertical. I didn't do it all at once since it's from that entire section where all the branches radiate from and I could hear it cracking even with raffia, so I stopped.

View attachment 20220

The 3rd pic was taken this past summer after fooling around with it. The lowest branches on the R and L are the same ones in the first pic. jutting out on the L side.

View attachment 20221

The last pic. is sort of a projected idea to modify the section of the R branch since the foilage has really filled in considerably and covers a good portion of the trunk as a result. Sorry about the quality of the "virt".

Overtime, I had really painted myself into a corner with it and it radically minimized my options (lesson learned); I couldn't set myself on one idea. I recently played around with some much different style ideas, but I just can't tear myself away from the old informal upright style that just seems to fit a rather mediocre job overall.

If you care to, let me know what you think of the direction and if it makes the best sense. Let me know if you see anything different and we'll see how to bring the best out of this one.

 

[John Ruger]

ok, so I guess that's a wrap...

 

[Mystogan]

cant open attachments for some reason

ok, so I guess that's a wrap...

 

[tmmason10]

cant open attachments for some reason

I can't see them either, but would love to see them if you repost.

 

[JudyB]

same here, can't see it...

 

[John Ruger]

Sorry about the post folks. Last nite after I posted the info. I decided to pull out of the forum altogether. I was waiting a day to see if anyone had questions or comments and when nothing transpired I pulled out, I certainly meant no rudeness. Things have got too caustic on this forum and I just think that it's far too detracted from the art of bonsai to be of any further useful purpose; an art form that I haved loved for almost 16yrs. now.

 

[tmmason10]

Sorry about the post folks. Last nite after I posted the info. I decided to pull out of the forum altogether. I was waiting a day to see if anyone had questions or comments and when nothing transpired I pulled out, I certainly meant no rudeness. Things have got too caustic on this forum and I just think that it's far too detracted from the art of bonsai to be of any further useful purpose; an art form that I haved loved for almost 16yrs. now.

That's too bad, it looks like some great material and inspiration. I understand though, I think things sometimes get out of hand on this forum and it's pretty unnecessary.

 

[JudyB]

John, I hate to see anyone leave for the reasons you've stated. I've had my share of feeling likewise, but the balance tips for me when I consider the helpful posts and constructive critiques that I've received for no more effort than asking for it. There is so much information here, and I would say that 75% at least of my experiences here have been positive.

Please reconsider, we need people like you who are not afraid to post their work. Incomplete though it may be. I have little that is complete myself, but to work in a vacuum is to lose too much. Too many here are afraid to show what they are working on, I wish this was not the case.

AND - I like your tree, wish I could see the other photos.

FWIW.
J