I can't fight this "japanese styling" feeling...

thedavidzoo

Spring has sprung around here, time to repot and style. Maybe the reason most of my bonsais are not shaping up much over the years is because I am inherently indecisive. The curse of the Libra...
A suggestion by someone, and I am second guessing, triple guessing my plans. A tree that was going to be windswept suddenly will become a hollow trunk slanted.
With "rules" to follow, at least I have something to shoot for. That's why I am stuck on this branch placement concept, which I believe is strictly a Japanese thing. Chinese styles are a bit less strict, correct?

Anyway, regarding branches on a formal upright, I read long ago in Herb Gustafson's "The Bonsai Workshop" all about branch #1 facing toward a front corner, #2 facing so and so, and so on in a spiral motion into the apex. He said to carry over this principle to the other styles.
Now, it seems to apply to the informal upright, slanted tree, windswept with all branches going to one side, no problem, but I am having difficulty with some of the other styles.

I don't recall specific branch placement rules for:
Clumps, forests, how much is this rule to be followed for each individual tree? Or do I go for a basic triangle shape of the canopy and forget the specifics inside the canopy?
What about cascades?
Root over rock?
What about dead trunk(future deadwood carving) with another live trunk in a "V"? Do the live side branches follow the "rules"? If a tree conveyes having been beat up by weather, etc., should these rules go out the window all together? Or does the remaining, living part of the tree "strive" to have perfect branch placement?

I guess my question is: am I being too anal? We have all seen trees in nature that break all the rules we could ever come up with, and they are awesome. I have seen Japanese bonsai that follow all the rules and are just georgoeous, whereas those that seem to be more loosely styled just don't have the wow factor for me. I just fear, that without specific guidelines, my "wilder" trees, the ones that don't seem to fit any one style will still look like they do now in 10 years. They may all look like some new style I invented, and I'm no Chinese scholar.
Sorry this is so long...Will someone hit me over the head with a chopstick and clarify this for me?

__________________
"A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees."
W. Blake

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Cathie

Are two of the basics not specific enough for you - one which says to alternate branches (shorter as you move up the tree), and the other which keeps those on the outside of curves, but never the inside? Is it important to you to use the triangle no matter what? There are lots of 'rule' guidelines in every bonsai publication I've ever seen, so you shouldn't have that much trouble.

Mindcrime

Yes, IMO you're too anal!

Anyway, I don't like to promote my own work, but I've written this article for Bonsaivault.com that might help you if you feel too restricted by the "Bonsai Rules". Part 1 and 2 can be found here:
The "Rules" and their relation to visual arts - Part 1
The "Rules" and their relation to visual arts - Part 2

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Less is a bore...

lagunamadre

RULES SCHMOULES, ( is that a word), rules are meant to be broken. More and more people are now calling them " guide lines". More important, IMO, are things like nebari and trunk diameter to tree height ratios, ramification and leaf reduction. Also, I'm reminded of something John Naka said, " it's better to make your bonsai look like a tree than your tree look like a bonsai." That one statement carries a lot of weight with me. Larry

chansen

I would highly recommend Emil's articles above. They are very good, and give a great basic understanding in design principles. I would be willing to bet that most trees that we see as 'masterpieces' and think they break the 'rules' really don't break good design rules. If they did, we wouldn't think they look good. Good design principles (which is the foundation for basic bonsai design as we read in so many of bonsai books) are based in human perception; what we think looks good.

Christian

anttal63

larry i love that word. having said that we must learn the rules and understand why.
once you have achieved this its time to bust them to smitharines. work with your eye and your heart.

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Antonio . . .
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thedavidzoo

Wow, some great advice. So, I need to just follow the basics, good nebari, etc., etc. and go with what looks good. I'm glad I don't have to create the epitome of a tree that follows all the strict rules. I'll loosen up some and have fun, go with my eyeballs and not with a compass and ruler.

I really enjoyed the articles plus some others on that page. Thanks!

__________________
"A fool sees not the same tree that a wise man sees."
W. Blake

Jay Nolen

A wise Chinese man once said:

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"Some consider it noble to have a method; others consider it noble not to have a method.
Not to have a method is bad; to stop entirely at method is worse still.
One should at first observe rules severely, then change them in an intelligent way.
The aim of possessing method is to seem finally as if one had no method."

Chieh Tuz Yuan Hua Chuan
The Mustard Seed Garden Manual of Painting

San Antonio Bonsai Society

mike_p

Rules/Guidelines
Until you know the way, you must follow the map.

Mike

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Learning the mechanics of bonsai is a matter of rote. Over and over again the processes are practiced until the hands and eyes know the moves.
Learning the art of bonsai may be more like water wearing away a stone, or climbing a mountain where the peak is always shrouded in fog and just out of reach.
Persist, and someday you may see the peak in sunshine. You may pick up the stone and it's a thing of beauty.

MP@BBB Studio