Bonsai Philosophy, a discussion.

[rockm]

I agree. For me, what looks really "cartoonish" and unrealistic are the so-called "Sumo style" black pines that seem to be the rage nowadays. Every Japanese black pine I haver ever seen, both in landscape plantings here and pictures from Japan, are tall and curving with more balanced proportions between the height, branches and trunk.

one thing I have learned doing bonsai for 30 years is it gives perspective both artistic and personal
For instance sumo style— the style is not meant to look “just like a black pine.” It is meant to be a reference to a mountain (in Japan the mountain is specifically Mt Fuji). With its heft and blunt taper the trunk is a mountain not a tree trunk. It is not an easy style to accomplish so a good one is a sort of humble brag

There are many hidden things to learn n bonsai that can shed light on your life. Having a broad perspective. Seeing and appreciating little things in nature not just the spectacular Mountain View but the stones along the path up those mountains. Appreciate the grandeur of the lion but also the ferocity and nobility of the mouse…

 

[Desert O'Piñon]

These are good bullet points. The story we tell in a tree doesn't change what the tree is. It only changes how the tree appears. Regardless of good or bad, the things that happen to us might change our life and have an affect on us and our interaction with the world, but they don't change who we are.

 

[Cajunrider]

#2 is pretty important. The tree will sort of dictate the available designs, which means we need to be flexible.

If you get lemons, you can make lemonade, but you can't make orange juice.

I don’t much worry about lemonade or orange juice. I just don’t want to make fire wood or mulch.

 

[Gabler]

There's a lot of talk about the "story" a tree tells, but bonsai is usually more lyrical than narrative or dramatic.

i.e.

narrative, lyric, drama

 

[Cajunrider]

There's a lot of talk about the "story" a tree tells, but bonsai is usually more lyrical than narrative or dramatic.

i.e.

narrative, lyric, drama

And wailing and lamenting!

 

[Desert O'Piñon]

There's a lot of talk about the "story" a tree tells, but bonsai is usually more lyrical than narrative or dramatic.

I agree. The lyrics are the stanzas we write to develop the story.
It definitely depends on the artist and the tree, and the harmony between the two (or three or six artists, etc.).

 

[Nera]

one thing I have learned doing bonsai for 30 years is it gives perspective both artistic and personal
For instance sumo style— the style is not meant to look “just like a black pine.” It is meant to be a reference to a mountain (in Japan the mountain is specifically Mt Fuji). With its heft and blunt taper the trunk is a mountain not a tree trunk. It is not an easy style to accomplish so a good one is a sort of humble brag

There are many hidden things to learn n bonsai that can shed light on your life. Having a broad perspective. Seeing and appreciating little things in nature not just the spectacular Mountain View but the stones along the path up those mountains. Appreciate the grandeur of the lion but also the ferocity and nobility of the mouse…

That's really interesting! I'm always happy to learn more, thanks for this.

 

[shohin_branches]

Nigel Saunders mentioned in one of his videos, how many Trident Maples are turned into trees with really massively thick trunks, and he said he felt it was "quite cartoonish" (too far removed from natural looking growth). For me, this is where I personally agree with him so I would stick to a slimmer look for that. However, it's really a personal choice for all bonsai enthusiasts, to each their own.

Some trees just easily lend themselves to a specific style. I tried growing a trident literati to be a contrarian.
last winter it died back.

I guess now it will be a sumo.

Dammit

 

[ABCarve]

Edge Tools

At the edge of your hearts desire
we choose what is and not.
We take the tools and push them around
to show each other what we found.

 

[dbonsaiw]

I tried growing a trident literati to be a contrarian.
last winter it died back.

I find literati to be contrarian altogether. That’s my philosophy and I’m sticking to it.