Where to Begin the Initial Style of Material?

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A question pretty much posted up daily around here...

Seems to be the question of "Where to Begin an Initial Style of a piece of Raw Material?"

Answer ?

By doing the Math !

This new video I just uploaded... Is part of multiple videos designed at demonstrating
how best to begin this journey!


 
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Have gotten quite a few responses so far, regarding this video... and the concensus seems to be that I have to hurry up with part 2!

I spent the whole day yesterday, filming and doing work on the tree. Got a little more to do today... then have to start editing. ..

So, hopefully... coming soon!
 
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We need more instructional vids from grandmasters on here. So much better than reading. You actually see how things gets done.
Man... I totally appreciate the compliment! But keep that "Grandmaster" stuff to yourself!
Lol!
:p

We already have way to many "Grandmasters" in Bonsai claiming to do stuff that anyone can learn to do... as it is!

Next thing you know, everyone will start offering up "Teired" platforms... and telling people what they can and cannot do, and use in Bonsai.

Next video will be up shortly!
 
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I like it, Stacey. The video is very clear. But sometimes you talk through your own talking, saying two things at the time. It is the editing, and if you solve that your video will be much better.

Thanks for taking the time to video stuff!

And hurry up! :p:D
 
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I like it, Stacey. The video is very clear. But sometimes you talk through your own talking, saying two things at the time. It is the editing, and if you solve that your video will be much better.

Thanks for taking the time to video stuff!

And hurry up! :p:D
Yes!
Unfortunately, this the "over-talking" so to speak... is merely a problem of of time.

By this I mean, I am crunching about 2 plus hours of video into 18 minutes, doing very rough cuts and just trying to get it out and finished.

I would love to be able to actually spend more time editing, to resolve these issues!
At the moment, at least just not a paying proposition, and other work that does, needs to take priority...

My apologies! Thanks for the post and the compliments, I appreciate it!
 
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Have gotten quite a few responses so far, regarding this video... and the concensus seems to be that I have to hurry up with part 2!

I spent the whole day yesterday, filming and doing work on the tree. Got a little more to do today... then have to start editing. ..

So, hopefully... coming soon!
From a person that just started in bonsai. I think videos showing what should be done or ones like yours that gives you different options and then making your final decision is great. I wish there were more movies out there that showed you how to style, and wire and the small things that takes many years to learn but showing the proper way helps a ton.
 
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From a person that just started in bonsai. I think videos showing what should be done or ones like yours that gives you different options and then making your final decision is great. I wish there were more movies out there that showed you how to style, and wire and the small things that takes many years to learn but showing the proper way helps a ton.
Thanks, I appreciate it!

Just to let you know... doing the first initial style to a piece of material and beginning to set up it's structure and direction... is pretty much the hardest thing to do in Bonsai.

And for the record... it is something everyone struggles with, regardless of experience!

The whole where to begin... where to go... I don't want to mess up... only get ' s actually tougher, the more you move onto nicer material! And it is extremely easy to get caught up in the notion of... I just got this freaking amazing piece of material, and I need to do this really kick ass style to it!
And the second guessing of... am I capable, are my skills up to par, is my vision for the material the right one... and if so, is it good enough? And you will find people waiting endlessly, for some sort of shining beacon, to tell them that it is, before they begin...

If you fall back on training... you will always make the right decision.

Bonsai is all about problem solving.

If you learn nothing else than this about Bonsai... you have learned the most important thing anyone could ever teach or tell you regarding bonsai.

It is easy to get caught up in the whole process of what to do... and impossible to see the forest through the trees...

So, don't!
Just start with the first problem... resolve it. Move to the next problem, resolve that one, and you will not have to be able to see the forest through the trees... it will reveal itself.

Lastly, some problems are just unresolvable at the current state... that is to say they might take time to resolve, and you will not be able to fully address them at this point in time.

In these instances... Come up with the best solutions that you can, or if you find no best solution... you just move on and leave it as it is. Perhaps, the next problem and it's solution, might give you the answer for it.

In the last video, that is currently in production, where I am beginning to work with wiring out branches that were grown on top of others, as well in close proximity... and there are bare spots because of this... you are going to find I will be running into issues where the only choice to be made is to just see what the future holds. This is out of my control. Out of anyone's control... regardless of how much you know or do not know about bonsai.
 

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Shohin
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I watched part 1 last night and it was very insightful. As a proper bonsai noob myself I found it really clear and useful in following step by step progression.
There are a lot of videos on youtube which show people styling trees - most of them are simply someone going through the styling progress in a linear way as if what they're doing is obvious, which to most people with experience I suppose it is. For me being able to see the other options and the thought process behind why you chose the direction you did is helpful, compared to just 'now we'll cut here, and here, wire this, cut that and TADA!!'.

Obviously everyone will have their own tilt on how they style their own trees so seeing lots of different ways is important, but seeing something so clearly laid out is great, kudos!
 
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I watched part 1 last night and it was very insightful. As a proper bonsai noob myself I found it really clear and useful in following step by step progression.
There are a lot of videos on youtube which show people styling trees - most of them are simply someone going through the styling progress in a linear way as if what they're doing is obvious, which to most people with experience I suppose it is. For me being able to see the other options and the thought process behind why you chose the direction you did is helpful, compared to just 'now we'll cut here, and here, wire this, cut that and TADA!!'.

Obviously everyone will have their own tilt on how they style their own trees so seeing lots of different ways is important, but seeing something so clearly laid out is great, kudos!
Thanks, I appreciate it!
Must be doing something right then!
:)
 
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Thanks, I appreciate it!

Just to let you know... doing the first initial style to a piece of material and beginning to set up it's structure and direction... is pretty much the hardest thing to do in Bonsai.

And for the record... it is something everyone struggles with, regardless of experience!

The whole where to begin... where to go... I don't want to mess up... only get ' s actually tougher, the more you move onto nicer material! And it is extremely easy to get caught up in the notion of... I just got this freaking amazing piece of material, and I need to do this really kick ass style to it!
And the second guessing of... am I capable, are my skills up to par, is my vision for the material the right one... and if so, is it good enough? And you will find people waiting endlessly, for some sort of shining beacon, to tell them that it is, before they begin...

If you fall back on training... you will always make the right decision.

Bonsai is all about problem solving.

If you learn nothing else than this about Bonsai... you have learned the most important thing anyone could ever teach or tell you regarding bonsai.

It is easy to get caught up in the whole process of what to do... and impossible to see the forest through the trees...

So, don't!
Just start with the first problem... resolve it. Move to the next problem, resolve that one, and you will not have to be able to see the forest through the trees... it will reveal itself.

Lastly, some problems are just unresolvable at the current state... that is to say they might take time to resolve, and you will not be able to fully address them at this point in time.

In these instances... Come up with the best solutions that you can, or if you find no best solution... you just move on and leave it as it is. Perhaps, the next problem and it's solution, might give you the answer for it.

In the last video, that is currently in production, where I am beginning to work with wiring out branches that were grown on top of others, as well in close proximity... and there are bare spots because of this... you are going to find I will be running into issues where the only choice to be made is to just see what the future holds. This is out of my control. Out of anyone's control... regardless of how much you know or do not know about bonsai.
Thanks I also think next hurdle is getting material and to know when it is good quality
 
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Speaking of doing something right...

As well... problem solving, and being able to see the forest through the trees, so to speak...

You know, the though has crossed my mind, that seeing I am dragging people along both here and on FB, with multiple videos and people's time... invested in watching them, and them wanting them to now come to some really amazing conclusion... after devoting the time that they have...

I am just hoping... I don't F-up big time!!!

I mean ... I have No idea where all of this is headed! I am just doing the work and pretty much showing it to you as I do it!

I am just falling back on the whole solving of one issue at a time... both with the tree and with the videos. And the notion of by solving one... it will then lead to the next, until I reach the end.

Finger crossed it pays off... or, I will surely look like a dumb ass!
:)
 
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Thanks I also think next hurdle is getting material and to know when it is good quality
Well... if all material has problems...

Then perhaps the questions you might want to ask yourself in trying to determine what might define good material might be...

How many problems does it have?
How difficult are the problems to solve?
How much trouble do you want to go through to solve these problems?
 
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