drew33998
Masterpiece
You could just split the trunk of one tree to make the legs and then grow two branches for arms. Something with some craggy or rough bark
Tolkien fans?
- Thread starter It's Kev
- Start date
sorce
Nonsense Rascal
Or keep his ground attachment growing out his Ass....
Finally....
A use for a knuckle!
Sorce
Finally....
A use for a knuckle!
Sorce
bwaynef
Masterpiece
I came to Tolkien after seeing the first of the Hobbit movies. I loathed the movie, but had enjoyed all the ones before it, and respected the opinion of those I knew had read his work. Again, I LOATHED that first Hobbit movie so much, that I picked up _The Hobbit_ to read myself. I read it in about 4 sittings while on vacation.
When I got to the LoTR "proper", I came to the Bombadil storyline and was completely bummed that he and Goldberry'd been written out of the movies. (It could be because of the very fact that they WEREN'T in the movies that I liked the characters so much in the books.)
To bring my post back toward the topic, the picture BN posted above is one of a couple I recall Treebeard making, but I believe that Chinese elm has suffered and the composition isn't presentable presently.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
I read the books several times when I was young. Always thought Bombadil was a pretty close match to his name only with a "do" at the end (c'mon, now that's funny ;-)). he was IMO, A big fizzy douche of a character that was pretty damned irritating and an obstacle in the main narrative stream.
I have read that the character was an indulgence. Tolkien wrote in in a 1954 letter, ". . . many have found him an odd and indeed discordant ingredient. In historical fact I put him in because I had already invented him. . . and wanted an 'adventure' on the way. But I kept him in, and as he was, because he represents certain things otherwise left out".
Can you tell I hate the little bastard ;-)
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
Bonsai Nut
Nuttier than your average Nut
Bombadil was part of Tolkien's Middle Earth mythos. He is supposed to be an enigmatic figure who is neither good nor evil. To me he was always like a male version of "Mother Nature". He was completely disinterested with the struggle over the great ring, with one exception - he was interested in the rediscovery of the ents. Goldberry, his wife, is a river spirit. His creation (as a character) predates the creation of the Lord of the Rings by Tolkien.
To me part of the fascination with Tolkien's work was that many aspects of it were not literal. There was fantasy and magic in the world that didn't neatly fit into a box or make complete sense. He created the world first, and then wrote a story about what happened in one part of it at one time. But you came away with a sense that there was a lot more lurking beneath the surface - many more characters and stories and struggles and surprises. Some people don't like Bombadil because they don't understand him. Tolkien specifically mentions that he didn't want to make him understandable - that he just "was".
What I find interesting is how many people struggle with Bombadil, and yet completely accept the presence of Gandalf, who is just as enigmatic and has an even cloudier back-story:
Tolkien discusses Gandalf in his essay on the Istari, which appears in the work Unfinished Tales. He describes Gandalf as the last of the wizards to appear in Middle-earth, one who: "seemed the least, less tall than the others, and in looks more aged, grey-haired and grey-clad, and leaning on a staff". Yet the Elf Círdan who met him on arrival nevertheless considered him "the greatest spirit and the wisest" and gave him the elven Ring of power called Narya, the Ring of Fire, containing a "red" stone for his aid and comfort. Tolkien explicitly links Gandalf to the element Fire later in the same essay:
Warm and eager was his spirit (and it was enhanced by the ring Narya), for he was the Enemy of Sauron, opposing the fire that devours and wastes with the fire that kindles, and succours in wanhope and distress; but his joy, and his swift wrath, were veiled in garments grey as ash, so that only those that knew him well glimpsed the flame that was within. Merry he could be, and kindly to the young and simple, yet quick at times to sharp speech and the rebuking of folly; but he was not proud, and sought neither power nor praise... Mostly he journeyed tirelessly on foot, leaning on a staff, and so he was called among Men of the North Gandalf 'the Elf of the Wand'. For they deemed him (though in error) to be of Elven-kind, since he would at times work wonders among them, loving especially the beauty of fire; and yet such marvels he wrought mostly for mirth and delight, and desired not that any should hold him in awe or take his counsels out of fear. ... Yet it is said that in the ending of the task for which he came he suffered greatly, and was slain, and being sent back from death for a brief while was clothed then in white, and became a radiant flame (yet veiled still save in great need).[3]
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Because Gandalf was INTERESTING, and not a complete tool ;-) and if we're talking corollaries with Mother Nature, I'd say old Bombadillo is more akin to film director Ron Howard's ugly ass brother who turns up in almost every Ron Howard-directed film serving no useful purpose other than to do a drive-by cameo of "hey, I'm here because my bro wants me"
Or Jar Jar Binks.
Take yer pick ;-)
Last edited:
DrBonsai
Mame
Juniperus chinensis var. torulosa originally a Home Depot acquisition, thought the trunk was thick .
Much to my surprise, after I looked for the nebari I discovered the legs !
It was going to the Bonsai Morgue or become air layered but then my wife said she liked it because it looked like
a man. So "Juniper Man" was born.
Later my son nicknamed him, "Treebeard".
I think Source would appreciate him because he is "anatomically correct".
Attachments
It's Kev
Omono
i'v
I've seen this Bag End display many times before
It's Kev
Omono
Big confession here, i haven't actually read the books, I have researched some characters on wiki, but I need to get reading
Something I thought people would mention here (as it seems some are eager to dole out the Tolkien lore). Old man willow!
This is a much smaller and less talked about "character", but could so much more be created in bonsai.
This is something I've thought about but is simply all down to the material you find. As there's not much written on his description, it could be left much more up to artistic eye and creativeness.
This fits with Walter Palls fairy tale style:
http://walter-pall-bonsai.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/the-fairy-tale-bonsai-style.html?m=1
This is a picture from the above link, I dunno if it's supposed to be old man willow but can't not be! It's the complete spitting image of it!
As long as it had big thick roots, ancient looking bark and gnarly, old man, trunk, I'd say it's well on its way to achieving an old man willow look.
As I said, easier, and in my mind, more effective way to portray something from Tolkien universe. But it'd have to be a piece of material which catches your eye and sparks your imagination. You'd have to SEE the hole where our hobbits got caught, see how the roots will have moved.. maybe even, when finished, have a bit of empty moss covered soil to show which direction Tom B came skipping along from, to free them.
(On my way to work now, actually forgot my book. Rereading the fellowship of the ring)
This is a much smaller and less talked about "character", but could so much more be created in bonsai.
This is something I've thought about but is simply all down to the material you find. As there's not much written on his description, it could be left much more up to artistic eye and creativeness.
This fits with Walter Palls fairy tale style:
http://walter-pall-bonsai.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/the-fairy-tale-bonsai-style.html?m=1
This is a picture from the above link, I dunno if it's supposed to be old man willow but can't not be! It's the complete spitting image of it!
As long as it had big thick roots, ancient looking bark and gnarly, old man, trunk, I'd say it's well on its way to achieving an old man willow look.
As I said, easier, and in my mind, more effective way to portray something from Tolkien universe. But it'd have to be a piece of material which catches your eye and sparks your imagination. You'd have to SEE the hole where our hobbits got caught, see how the roots will have moved.. maybe even, when finished, have a bit of empty moss covered soil to show which direction Tom B came skipping along from, to free them.
(On my way to work now, actually forgot my book. Rereading the fellowship of the ring)
In you go then, Conor. Not a willow, but it does have a hole and I frequently need to tell it off.
PS I don't skip.
rockm
Spuds Moyogi
Your picture is indeed "Old Man Willow." It was done by the Hildebrant Brothers for Tokien calendars back in the late 70's early 80's. Their work pretty much caught the Tolkien "spirit" at the time.
http://www.brothershildebrandt.com/
Last edited:
Ah. Funny. I looked to that blog for its subject matter and the main, biggest fairy tale tree idea I can think of, is the first picture WP also uses. I'd say great minds think alike but I'm no where near cocky enough!
In you go then, Conor. Not a willow, but it does have a hole and I frequently need to tell it off.
PS I don't skip.
That's a great looking tree by the way.
PiñonJ
Omono
Found this old guy among the redwoods.
Ahh that's very cool. And scary as balls. But cool.
Tidal Bonsai
Omono
I found this article if it helps the cause.
https://m.vietnambreakingnews.com/2013/02/nguyen-viet-dinh-and-figurative-bonsai-style/
https://m.vietnambreakingnews.com/2013/02/nguyen-viet-dinh-and-figurative-bonsai-style/
