What's Naka talking about? ("L" "C" & "I")

[emk]

In Naka's book Bonsai Techniques, in the chapter called "Trimming Twigs, Small Branches, and Debudding," he concludes the section full of great information with an especially cryptic paragraph (at least to me). Maybe someone more familiar with his work or eastern bonsai in general could let me in on this "secret."

These trimming and debudding methods are used to create a combination of lines necessary to produce a beautiful structure as seen in a winter silhouette. The three lines needed are: a sharp line like the letter "L", a soft line like as in "C" and a straight line as in the letter "I". (See Plate 15).

(I'm not sure if it's appropriate to post a scan of a copyrighted image out of his book, so I'll err on the side of caution for now.)

You know how when you're stargazing and someone who knows their stuff tries to point out certain constellations to you and you think you see what they're talking about, but later when you find it on a star chart it's not at all what you were looking at in the sky? I'm afraid I might be doing that by trying too hard to see Ls, Cs, & Is when I might not even be looking in the right place.

 

[Rick Moquin]

Primary to secondary branches etc... or just plain branches in general

 

[Anonymous User]

Shut off the computer.

Go outside.

Look up.

Now compare what Naka said to what you see happening on the trees in nature.




For other advice on the same subject see:

http://forum.bonsaitalk.com/f14/whats-naka-talking-about-l-c-i-27859.html




Will