berobinson82
Omono
I can give you a few ideas on the stone, but I'll be putting myself at risk for being snobby .
First, can you take pictures from all sides? Often you will find stones that have two prominent flat sides, and really we only want one. The reason... well it's like having a back branch on a stone. It adds depth to the image. In my earlier stone collecting days I picked up a lot of stones with two flat sides, but after studying more and seeing great stones in person, I now pass them by.
Second, where is the peak in relation to the entire stone? Great stones have a peak in the middle. I have a fair number of stones that have a peak at the very back. Again, there are many very nice mountain stones with a peak at the back, but toward the middle is better.
I would not recommend cutting the stone. It's quite rare to find a stone with a perfectly flat bottom and carving a difficult diaza is a large part of the artistry. I had the great fortune to go collecting in the Ligurian Mountains in Italy a few weeks ago. The geologic processes there create stones with at least one very flat side, but in my experience this is an exception. The sooner you hone in diaza carving skills, the better.
Finally, I wouldn't oil it. I've seen oiled and non-oiled stones, and I tend to prefer the non-oiled. While you do get a more immediate result, you're in for long term challenges and (to me), they never look quite right. Often times the sheen is too glossy when compared to other stones. There are times where you will find highly polished stones in a river, but there are many great stones that don't have a high luster to them. There are some great images over at the IBC of the Nippon Suiseki Meihinten show. Look in particular at stones 8, 10, 16, 23 and 24. They aren't shiny. So while there are some stones that take a higher gloss than others, it's not a strict requirement. After all, we don't spray leaf shine on our maple leaves.
Well, that's probably more than you wanted. I think the stone has potential.
Best,
I apologize that you took the time to write out this thoughtful reply and I've only just now seen it.
This stone is photographed and presented here from its most attractive side. The back is almost vertical. I'll gladly grab a shot tomorrow for your troubles.
I suppose when I saw it, I was, in parallel, looking at $5 Home Depot junipers. My eye is absolutely not trained to find good stones and I thank you for your information regarding the apex being centralized and a more even overall shape.
That being said, I'm excited to try and create a daiza.
Best Regards,
B
Last edited: