Japanese Maple Penjing, need Advice....

[Bolero]

This is my 4 yr old Japanese Maple Penjing, Picture is couple days ago....

I've been told, by Non-Bonsai folks, that the Foliage Canopy is too Dense, that it needs to be opened up...

I think it is very natural and presents a more realistic picture of the 3 Monks in a Secluded Grove...

I plan to show it in August and by then it will be even more Dense...

So I am looking for some Comments, Advice, Critiques.........................

 

[BrianBay9]

I agree with your non-bonsai friends. If you keep the canopy that dense all the time it will shade out the smaller trees and inner branches, making them weak or die back. I'm no J maple expert, but I let things grow out like you have in the spring, but then thin them out considerably to develop structure in the branches.

 

[ArtistWolf]

Beautiful color. My only maple like that in color is one not being turned into a bonsai. Yours is making me want to do a grove!

 

[platypus]

I really like that you have multiple varieties of Japanese maple in there, I think it gives the canopy a lot of interesting variation.

 

[Victorim]

I like it, but some careful thinning will make it pop. And better health wise.

 

[M. Frary]

I like the pot color choice.
For real. I like unglazed pots.
As for the grove itself I like the dense forest look and the shade it puts those monks in.

 

[sorce]

I plan to show it in August and by then it will be even more Dense.

I wonder if @MACH5 couldn't give you a schedule between now and then to tighten and small em up?

I still want to see more negative space but mostly in the form of a Wider pot.

The left tree so close to the edge Yells, "I'm in a pot".

With a wider pot, it will yell...
"I'm a forest!"

Sorce

 

[Mellow Mullet]

Yeah, it could use some thinning out. You could just start by eliminating the new growth that is growing straight up or down and the cutting out new growth where there is more that two branches at a fork. Go for a "y" and not a "trident". If you do that, it will thin it out some and you will still have the fullness that you like.

 

[Bolero]

I like the pot color choice.
For real. I like unglazed pots.
As for the grove itself I like the dense forest look and the shade it puts those monks in.

Thanks Mike that is exactly the look I am trying to show...
It is so dense it will be a nightmare to thin out...

I do hope Mach5 shows up with a critique...

 

[Wilson]

I love the scene, wish I could hear the wisdom of the sages. I do agree with @Mellow Mullet that a methodical thinning get will keep your desired look, but will help the health of your interior branching.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

So I am looking for some Comments, Advice, Critiques.........................

Since you asked, here is what I would advise. Probably not much you can do for August, but in the future.
1. I don't do figurines, but I know you do, so assuming you want to keep them as part of your composition, I will work around them staying where they are. The mossed steps leading to them is very good.
2. The pot is constricting. It should be wider by 50%, and oval or even on a slab.
3. Forest compositions require the composer to use forced perspective for the composition to be believable. The left and back work for me, but to have the main tree front and center kills the perspective. I'm forced to look around it, rather than into it. Moving it to the right by a few inches invites my eye into the composition.
4. You definitely need the larger tree, because many others are thin and similarly-sized.
5. The tree in the front-right is awkward. I'd remove it.
6. The light-colored rocks at the front left are visually distracting, I would moss the area instead.
7. When it has finished growing the first flush, trim the entire canopy as one unit to give it a rounded, pleasing silhouette. Then stand back and look for dense areas, and remove individual leaves to balance it out. Usually, I end up cutting off the leaf I want to keep, so I deliberately grab the leaf that stands out to me, and cut off it's mate. Maybe it's just me, but it seems to work.
8. Bonsai is all about creating an illusion. The green trunk of J. Maples belie the trees' youth. If you want to even the tones, paint the trunks with lime-sulfur, diluted to 1/2 strength with water. It will also help with adding some quiet and subtle consistency in a composition that has lots of different colors and textures going on.
9. Moss the whole surface. The whole thing is the composition, so you don't want to "jarr" the viewer peering into the monks back into reality with a shot of the bonsai soil. Continue the scene all the way to the rim of the pot, which becomes the frame.
10. I would keep the fallen tree on the left, but don't overdo it. One is good, more takes away the novelty.
11. If you do keep the front right tree, clean up the apex, the cut is prevalent and distracting.

 

[Bolero]

Thank you Brian for the very concise critique, I am going to do most of your recommendations...
I'm still in doubt regards the Trimming & how t o proceed...
I like your Mods to the original settings (the last picture)...thank you for the detailed attention...
I'll post more pictures when I get the Mods completed...
Thanks again...

 

[Adair M]

Since you asked, here is what I would advise. Probably not much you can do for August, but in the future.
1. I don't do figurines, but I know you do, so assuming you want to keep them as part of your composition, I will work around them staying where they are. The mossed steps leading to them is very good.
2. The pot is constricting. It should be wider by 50%, and oval or even on a slab.
3. Forest compositions require the composer to use forced perspective for the composition to be believable. The left and back work for me, but to have the main tree front and center kills the perspective. I'm forced to look around it, rather than into it. Moving it to the right by a few inches invites my eye into the composition.
4. You definitely need the larger tree, because many others are thin and similarly-sized.
5. The tree in the front-right is awkward. I'd remove it.
6. The light-colored rocks at the front left are visually distracting, I would moss the area instead.
7. When it has finished growing the first flush, trim the entire canopy as one unit to give it a rounded, pleasing silhouette. Then stand back and look for dense areas, and remove individual leaves to balance it out. Usually, I end up cutting off the leaf I want to keep, so I deliberately grab the leaf that stands out to me, and cut off it's mate. Maybe it's just me, but it seems to work.
8. Bonsai is all about creating an illusion. The green trunk of J. Maples belie the trees' youth. If you want to even the tones, paint the trunks with lime-sulfur, diluted to 1/2 strength with water. It will also help with adding some quiet and subtle consistency in a composition that has lots of different colors and textures going on.
9. Moss the whole surface. The whole thing is the composition, so you don't want to "jarr" the viewer peering into the monks back into reality with a shot of the bonsai soil. Continue the scene all the way to the rim of the pot, which becomes the frame.
10. I would keep the fallen tree on the left, but don't overdo it. One is good, more takes away the novelty.
11. If you do keep the front right tree, clean up the apex, the cut is prevalent and distracting.
View attachment 143247 View attachment 143249

May I add that the canopy should be the highest where the fattest tree is. The thickest tree should be the tallest.

The trees around the perimeter should have some lower branches sticking out.

 

[ghues]

Hi Bolero, You have some great advise from Brian and Adair.
You should/could consider trimming now.......as it's only late April and your trees will respond nicely. Some of the growth appears to be leggy, i.e. Fairly long internodes especially at the top.
I have a few J. Maples and thin out (trim) throughout the growing season, especially the larger leaves and these attempts are always focused on getting light into the inner canopy to assist in developing interesting inner branches.
Keep us updated.
G.

 

[MACH5]

Nothing much I can add. I agree with the insights and comments already given Bolero. You MUST thin that forest. If you don't, the interior twigs/branches will die off. If you don't want to do much trimming (highly advisable) you should at least do a partial defoliation where you cut one leaf out of each pair mostly on the outside of the canopy. Also consider angling the outer trees on either side as they push away in search of light. This mimics what happens in nature.

 

[sorce]

future

Great Virt!

Exellent Visual.

I don't know how long this takes....
But I hugely appreciate it!

Sorce