Our formal upright design series wraps this week with comments on each of the 9 remaining design options.
To orient again around the options, here’s Joe’s thumbnail layout. 7 was covered at length in Part II.
1. This option has one problem that is mostly a problem of position: the bar branch indicated by the red arrow. It’s a problem here because it’s so visible being low on the tree with lots of space around it. Many bar branches that arise higher on the tree might not be an issue (visually, at any rate)—a point that relates to chapter 46 in Bonsai Heresy, how the naughtiness of bar branches is relative.
2. Here the bar branch has been removed, indicated by the circle, the only difference between 1 and 2. The key branch, indicated by the arrow, is a big question in these two options. As explained in Part I, a large branch that low on a forest tree like this Ezo Spruce would rarely last into maturity. Usually it would die off.
This leads to another question raised by several readers: what about leaving jin to indicate age?
Jin can for sure amp up the aged feeling. One reason I didn’t include this option in the first round of white-outs is that I think—while useful and a good arrow in our quiver—the use of jin can be a crutch. The challenge of this exercise was to find the suggestion of age with larger choices, such as the position of a key branch on a skinny forest tree (higher), and the crown (broader). And then one might add a jin or three later once those rough strokes are in place. I see often see jin on trees that do not otherwise denote age.
3. With the two small low branches on one side, indicated by the arrows, this tree has no clear key branch. You could make a key branch out of the large foliage mass above these two smaller branches by identifying a large strong branch within it. And maybe leaving the lower of the two smaller branches as a character branch.
4. The low back branch indicated by the arrow competes with the key branch that moves left. Probably best to remove this.
Back branches are important for bonsai though, so our trees do not appear flat.
5. Here the lower right back branch from 4 has been removed, but as in 1 there is still a bar branch low on the tree and visible. The center group of foliage is still too heavy.
6. A red circle indicates removed foliage on left middle which helps lighten the center area. Bar branch is still there on the lower right.
8. (Skipping 7 as it was covered at length in Part II.) 8 has no change from 6 except a small back branch on the left has been removed, indicated by red circle.
9. Here much more foliage is removed in the center area, especially on the right. The two higher marks highlight a number of bar branches. But notice that they have different lengths, higher or lower positions, and foliage “weights”, tricks that can help us retain bar branches where density may be desired. With repositioning to hide where those branches arise from such bar branches may recede from our attention.
10. Lowest bar branch is removed. Arrow indicates a tucked away branch that feels a bit odd, maybe just needs wiring down or repositioned back or to the front.
The crown on all but 7 is narrow. Over time any crown broadens, one consideration if you want a broader one and are willing to wait. The crown on this spruce was pointy 6-7 years ago and now it has the beginnings of a softer crown.
Hope you enjoyed this three-part series about thinking through the options! There are certainly more. For the earlier posts in the series: