You be the Judge

[Smoke]

Some of the other trees may turn out really well but this one has it all right now.

interesting....

 

[Q-Bonsai]

I'd love to see the before pictures...

 

[Eric Group]

It would be a benifit to all if comments are more concise as to what it is that actually allows the tree to give one that impression.

What does "nice execution" mean and what is a "refined crown"?

By refined crown I was just saying it has a nice overall outline and shape, looks like they did the best at accomplishing something close to a finished product. Hard to tell from the pic, but I suspect there was significant wiring done to achieve that image.

 

[fourteener]

This tree placed second....

Why do you think that was?

This one is my first place vote. It is what a juniper is, but it reflects my personal taste in bonsai, twisted, gnarled, more death than life type of image. Too me that fits being a juniper. For me the winners tree has too much foliage on it.

As to why second place... Taking away that much tree probably made it smaller than the rest. Another personal bias for me...bigger tree, bigger impression. Maybe that hindered it. Maybe the judges like fuller trees than this one has. Only seeing these pics on my little phone leaves me to lack a feeling of presence that these trees offer and no ability to see the details that can leave an impression as well.

I voted for this one to win before the winner was revealed. Personally, I would change a few
things, but like it best.

 

[Cadillactaste]

This tree placed second....

Why do you think that was?

I liked #2 and #3.

Reasons...#2 had a refined look...#3 dramatic and caught my eye.

 

[Cadillactaste]

#2 is Peter Tea's winning tree from a few years ago....

Lol sneaky thread...still enjoyed it though. I went back to read what others thought. Not wishing to have it change my first impression.

 

[Skinnygoomba]

Seems a bit late, but my initial reaction when opening this thread was tree #2. I like the way that the canopy was shaped, the deadwood is a nice feature but not overboard. The foliage looks like it was trimmed back and placed well and the proportions of the canopy to trunk.

 

[dick benbow]

I liked #2 in both the current challenge and pastchallenge as well.

the look or design of a tree can be very subjective.....

like paterns on a koi, so much is subject to individual likes. To prove this point I offer these considerations from decades of study....

Had a friend of mine into arabians (horses). A certain judge always selected a dappled grey most of the time as #1. So whenever this judge was listed for an event, my friend took his grey to the show. After he shared that with me I got to following certain koi judges. One lady judge was
known as the tancho lady, meaning she loved a circular disk on the forehead of the koi.

What was fun to note is after word got out and fields were filled with dappled greys or tancho pattern Koi, some other varieties began to get selected

 

[Smoke]

Hard to tell from the pic, but I suspect there was significant wiring done to achieve that image.

Again...interesting

 

[sorce]

Bnut. The virts are dead on!

Thats why Peter Tea is my boy!

I picked 2 also. After looking at them again, you really can see the excellence in the canopy. Ends tufted up. Clean lines. Peeking deadwood. Smooth.

Skill.

The virts are close runners though!

Sorce

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Bnut. The virts are dead on!

You should note - I didn't move a branch. All I did was ERASE branches to get to the natural design suggested to me by the tree. Crazy, isn't it, that these designs would have been EASIER to work on than what was submitted in the competition?

 

[Smoke]

you really can see the excellence in the canopy. Ends tufted up. Clean lines. Peeking deadwood. Smooth.


Sorce

This too....interesting.

 

[Smoke]

The second one of the first five looks to present the best finished image to me. However, it's hard to see the wiring (which may be a sign of good wiring skills) so that could be an issue.

Hmmm....all of this seems very interesting to me.