bonsaial1

But I just can't picture what the tree would look like, and what I should "keep".

This could be the holy grail of bonsai. When you know what to keep and can find that in your head or draw it to paper, you will be well on your way to becoming more of an artist in bonsai design. Wonderful pieces of material should not be worked on till that criteria is etched in your mind. There is no reason that with the proper knowledge one can't build the tree in ones head and see its conclusion.

I have had people ask me why I am cutting off so many branches. I have the plan in my head before I even pay for the stock, or pick up the pruners. The tree is envisioned before I even start.

Spend some time drawing the trunkline of the tree. Add some shapes of canopies that look pleasing on the trunk. See if the branch structure is such that the branches present can support the canopy wanted. After being satisfied on paper, then one might rough style to suit said design. Working with random abandon, to "see what I get" may ruin an otherwise great piece of material for years while waiting for branches to catch up to what was pruned off inadvertantly.

I hope you realize what ever you plan for your tree. Al Keppler

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I been kidding the last seven years.
no.... really!