Bonsai "in the round"?

[James W.]

One one of the things I dislike about the traditional Japanese styling is the insistence that my little tree must be designed entirely from a "front". The first thing we absolutely have to do is to identify the front and then all aesthetic decisions are based on that view. Ugly features are simply hidden, sacrifice branches are grown off the "back" so that the scars are not on display, etc. I want my little trees to be attractive from all sides the extent that I will compromise the front view to add interest to the back or sides. This is the reason I am reluctant to get styling advice during a club meeting or in a workshop with a pro. Does anyone else do this? I think maybe Walter Pall might put a lower emphasis on the one-sided design? Are there any resources that approach design not from the front?

 

[dbonsaiw]

My two cents - depending on the style we choose, there will always be a front that is the optimal viewing angle taking the nebari and branch placement into account. The other views aren’t necessarily abandoned, but there is a clear preference to view it from a specific angle, hide the chops In The back etc. The more “natural” a tree is styled (I’m thinking broom and what I consider the Walter Pall informal broom) the more likely it can viewed from multiple angles. But my impression of the Walter Pall threads on this site is that he still expresses a preference for a specific front.

 

[ABCarve]

There is nothing wrong with designing a tree to be interesting from all angles. It’s just that those trees are not all that common. I was taught that’s what round pots are for, ( they don’t have a dominant side) although there’s many different opinions on that. To sacrifice an interesting view to make a lesser view better can be self defeating in that all sides can become mediocre. You can only look at one side of the tree at a time.

 

[Joelshack2362]

One one of the things I dislike about the traditional Japanese styling is the insistence that my little tree must be designed entirely from a "front". The first thing we absolutely have to do is to identify the front and then all aesthetic decisions are based on that view. Ugly features are simply hidden, sacrifice branches are grown off the "back" so that the scars are not on display, etc. I want my little trees to be attractive from all sides the extent that I will compromise the front view to add interest to the back or sides. This is the reason I am reluctant to get styling advice during a club meeting or in a workshop with a pro. Does anyone else do this? I think maybe Walter Pall might put a lower emphasis on the one-sided design? Are there any resources that approach design not from the front?

The great debate between conservative art and progressive art.

 

[Nybonsai12]

whoaaa chilll buddy. If I can get one side looking good i'll take it.

But i understand what you are saying. It would be great for a tree to look good from all angles. I would imagine it be a tough task to do so considering some trees best features are only visible from one side.

 

[rockm]

Jeez this “argument” is very very old it boils down to you can’t really use all the tricks of bonsai from all angles. Simply doesn’t work even if you don’t like it. Most trees have two or even three “fronts” depending on branch and root placement. That’s has been the case since bonsai began. Trying to have the tree look its best from every angle is mostly impossible and probably the ruin of more than a few nice trees owners tried to “adapt” to all the way around viewing.

 

[PA_Penjing]

I won't keep a tree around very long if it has a "bad side(s)" it just drives me nuts. That being said, it would take pretty immaculate starting material to look its best from all sides. plus what rockm said

 

[ShadyStump]

The "front" standard is just another example of how a concept of necessity or practicality evolved into a hard rule.
No, you do not need to chose a front right off the bat. However, you do need to resign yourself to the fact that your tree having a best front is very likely to occur in the end, just as a matter of course.

Accepting your mortality does not equate to being suicidal, it's acknowledging the fact that fighting it isn't going to work out well. Morbid example, I know, but bonsai has always been tied to philosophy.
Your trees will, in all but the most extraordinary of cases, always wind up having a front at some point. On the hobby level accepting this is as simple as working the tree over time, and one day realizing that a certain angle is just more appealing. For professionals of various sorts it becomes important to select a front early so that the tree can look as good as possible in as short a time as possible so that it can sold profitably.
Either way, there winds up being a front in the vast majority of cases.

 

[dbonsaiw]

but bonsai has always been tied to philosophy.

LOL, and I was thinking that bonsai are like people - we too have better viewing angles than others. And the back side always looks like ass.

 

[James W.]

Yes, I understand, just like your favorite girlfriend has a best side every tree will have a best side. And I also understand that I am abandoning the Japanese aesthetic. My trees will never be acceptable to a Japanese bonsai artist even if I were an artist enough to make them look good. I don't even really like calling them "bonsai" except that otherwise no one knows what I am talking about.

My experience with classical eastern bonsai artists is they they (nearly) completely disregard any view other than the front. Are there any who actively develop from all the way around?

 

[jeremy_norbury]

I have a few trees which are "flexible" on what can be the front. If anything, I find it more frustrating because I forget. I think you can also have a winter front and a summer front...

Couple of examples:

The usual front...
IMG_2594 by Jerry Norbury, on Flickr

But this also works.
IMG_0917 by Jerry Norbury, on Flickr


Korean hornbeam "front"
IMG_1372 by Jerry Norbury, on Flickr

Or IS it?
IMG_1377 by Jerry Norbury, on Flickr

I can't think of any tree which works from all angles.

 

[Paradox]

Exceedingly rare to find a tree that looks good from all size. Just the way it is.
Trying to find that is almost like trying to find a unicorn.
You would be limiting yourself too much and it would be very hard to actually have bonsai if you insisted on that requirement
I am happy to have a tree that looks good from one side