Skinny trees

[Smoke]

Lol, I was thinking something similar only tall and skinny. I think with trees though variety is the way to go. Same for any collection I suppose. I like your trees. I get the feeling that thinner trees are seen as inferior or "easy" by some.

I am attracted to the skinny ones (trees that is) for their elegance and delicate, picturesque grace. I am really inspired by this one. I can't remember where I found the image.

View attachment 32343

On the topic of variety, I realize there isn't just fat and skinny, but, a wide range in between. It just seems that the tallest/skinniest are also the fewest.

Not inferior, more difficult. More difficult in the sense that like everything that is done in bonsai is about being able to hide the most faults and "project" an image of perfection. It is very hard to do that with skinny trees. Skinny trees have no large trunk to draw away attention. They tend to have graceful trunks that need to be blemish free and have soft undulating curves. If the trunk is slender but carries a more rough nature, that "look" needs to be carried over to the branches and twigs. All of this is easily seen with a thinner trunk. Like bunjin, the simpler they get, the harder they are to do.

 

[coh]

Glad to see some love for non-sumo trees! Some really nice examples posted here...but wanted to say, I really like the larch. So much that I'm going to re-post it, with the flash removed. Would love to see a photo of it against a plain background. Lots of nice subtlety in that "straight" trunk.

 

[berobinson82]

Tried to help



Just a bit cleaner for your enjoyment

 

[amkhalid]

Glad to see some love for non-sumo trees! Some really nice examples posted here...but wanted to say, I really like the larch. So much that I'm going to re-post it, with the flash removed. Would love to see a photo of it against a plain background. Lots of nice subtlety in that "straight" trunk.

I know, I love it too. Sorry, no other pics at the moment although you can probably imagine that it looks ridiculously good around may and in the fall.

Here is a closeup of the bark. As a Rochester fellow you probably know that larch bark like this is truly special. Every branch is totally barked out.

 

[JudyB]

Great thread, Great examples of the form. I do like the taller thinner trees, they speak their own language of delicate-ness. Don, that JM is one of a kind spectacular.

 

[Don Blackmond]

This beech is sort of tall and thin.

Al I love your little trees. Nice.

 

[Don Blackmond]

shorties are nice too...

 

[John Romano]

Elegance is what I prefer to focus on in this regard. After a long discussion with a bonsai friend in Japan, I wrote an article on elegant shohin bonsai for International Bonsai a few months back. Harder to achieve (as Smoke said), more challenging to maintain but quite beautiful when done well. For many deciduous trees, this is more the way to bringing out their natural beauty, IMHO.

 

[tmmason10]

I really like the feeling in that larch. I too like taller graceful trees, they give a much more natural and real feeling to them when done well.

 

[Nybonsai12]

I have a skinny tree. It's nothing spectacular and will never be a show stopper but I like it and think after wiring the branches down it might not look all that bad.

 

[Don Blackmond]

the little one is a trident, other 2 are japanese maples. the slender maple with nice trunk movement now belongs to another member of this forum...

 

[Smoke]

This is a pretty skinny tree.

 

[Poink88]

One of my favorite. A Korean Hornbeam purchased here at BNut. Believe it or not...this little (and skinny) tree is my most expensive tree purchase as well (that is how much I liked it).

Sorry no current pic but the virt is almost how it is now...but leafing
View attachment 32370 View attachment 32371

 

[catfish chapstick]

One of my favorite. A Korean Hornbeam purchased here at BNut. Believe it or not...this little (and skinny) tree is my most expensive tree purchase as well (that is how much I liked it).

Sorry no current pic but the virt is almost how it is now...but leafing
View attachment 32370 View attachment 32371

that is a nice one. Great trunk line.

 

[Dav4]

Late to the party, as usual. My skinny trees. FWIW, I'll take a skinny trunk that's elegant and dynamic over a stump, anyday.

 

[Anthony]

Dropping this one off.
Good Evening
Anthony

 

[bonsai barry]

I like this thread. To be honest, the perfectly manicured short sumo pines don't hold my attention for long so I'm always excited to see something different.

Here are two trees (neither very far along) that will be slender trees. The first a birch clump and the second is a coastal redwood triple trunk.

 

[fourteener]

The other day someone caste their hatred for skinny trees on my cascade. pine

Not every tree in a collection has to be a fat trunked monster. There are other ways to make something interesting. I'm going for a lot of twisting movement with my little pine.

 

[catfish chapstick]

The other day someone caste their hatred for skinny trees on my cascade. pineView attachment 32389

Not every tree in a collection has to be a fat trunked monster. There are other ways to make something interesting. I'm going for a lot of twisting movement with my little pine.

I know, I saw that. That's partially what motivated me. I was worried i was alone in my love of skinny trees. Happy to know that I'm not the only one.

 

[october]

The other day someone caste their hatred for skinny trees on my cascade. pineView attachment 32389

Not every tree in a collection has to be a fat trunked monster. There are other ways to make something interesting. I'm going for a lot of twisting movement with my little pine.

I do hope this was not directed at me, because it is simply not true. It would be ironic because I have always loved skinny, elegant trees. In fact, I was known at the nursery for years for bringing my thinner trunked, elegant style trees.

In fact, 1 year ago, I posted this for discussion.

http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthr...anging-bonsai-designs-judging-and-pine-fungus

Also, here are some of my trees.

Rob