What one would you pick, and why?

namnhi

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I was searching thru some old club photos from around the state. One sees many trees that are good beginner trees, yet lack the real merits as to what makes a great bonsai.

Here are two separate species trained in the same style and almost exactly the same in proportions. In fact the proportions match the trees posted in this thread. These two trees I have posted both have tall slender trunks. They both have taper, that seems to be an indicator of good material. They both have small internodes, another indicator of great material. They are both informal uprights much like the trees posted in this thread. They both have nicely groomed branch structures with good foliage on the trees. They seem very healthy and the pine is covered with buds all over. The leaf size on the maple is consistent throughout the tree and the foliage is back in towards the trunk and lacks the poodle appearance. The nebari is not that great on these two, and looks much like the three posted in the thread.

So, after being at this bonsai forum for a number of years or months depending on who you talk to, is this what bonsai is about? Does a person buy one of the three, spend a good amount of time getting them healthy and building some good branches and then have a tree like these two to put in the show?

Sorry, my understanding and view of bonsai is much higher than this.



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I just wonder why take the pics of these two trees. I don't take pictures of trees I don't like and these definitely fit that category. We're you ok with them when you not that experienced?
 

coh

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So, after being at this bonsai forum for a number of years or months depending on who you talk to, is this what bonsai is about? Does a person buy one of the three, spend a good amount of time getting them healthy and building some good branches and then have a tree like these two to put in the show?

Sorry, my understanding and view of bonsai is much higher than this.

Looking forward to seeing some examples of your much higher understanding of bonsai at the next National Show. Come on, let the world see what you've got!
 

0soyoung

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I just wonder why take the pics of these two trees. I don't take pictures of trees I don't like and these definitely fit that category. We're you ok with them when you not that experienced?
I actually find looking at some such as these quite helpful to clarify artistic principles I wish to exercise.

With these two examples, especially the second one, I say to myself that this person must be a fan of espalier. It works for vineyards and orchards, but ...

Then I am asking what is it that these people want me to see? I notice the gawd awful nebari on the first one and the thought goes through my mind that maybe this is supposed to be interesting (i.e. like a pug, so ugly that it is cute), but it is presented just as a pile of stuff at the base of the tree. The other one looks to have acceptable or better nebari, but there is nothing in that composition to draw my attention to it. I see it only because of the bonsai design checklist in my head. With both, my eye just wanders around looking for something, anything interesting - my eye never stops moving. There is no point of interest, there is no message. There is nothing that makes me say ooooo or even smile.

So I'm now ruminating - thinking, if these were mine, what could I do to improve them? What would I make be the point of interest? How do I make it the point of interest? I'll look for pix of trees I like that have some similar features (e.g., round peg coming straight up from the ground) and try figure out the nuance the artist used to disguise the defect.
 

Smoke

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I just wonder why take the pics of these two trees. I don't take pictures of trees I don't like and these definitely fit that category. We're you ok with them when you not that experienced?
Thats a keen observation. But unfortunately you only get the wrong point. I didn't take the pictures because I thought they were good. I took the pictures because they were bad. From about 2004 to 2009 I was an officer in GSBF (Golden State Bonsai Federation. I was an Officer in two capacities. Part of the duties to the job was writing articles for the magazine, of which I did and some others (magazines) as well.
 
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