driftwood for phoenix graft? styling suggestions?

B.adair

this is my driftoowd I found it seems like it has good form and shape, for a tanuki graft. I was wondering if anyone could give me some Ideas for the graft? I would probably use a juniper for the foliage.
Thanks a lot
http://pictures.bonsaitalk.com/data...00_0613-med.JPG
http://pictures.bonsaitalk.com/data...0_06121-med.JPG

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bonsaial1

B. Just what exactly leads you to believe this would make a fine tunuki. I'm not saying it won't, but I am interested in what you see in it that makes it so appealing.

Frankly I find the piece rather boring, and smooth. It seem like a branch that has rolled along in some river after a storm and been beaten smooth by the rocks.

Dead wood on a bonsai should be weather beaten while live on the tree. It will have the same basic structure as the living tree, only weathered. The grain will be open and the ridges of the harder and softer wood will be exposed and sculpted by the wind. It will have taper, and should be held accountable to all the same rules as styling a bonsai from scratch. In fact it should be held "more" accountable since you have the ability to pick and choose which wood you start out with for the project.

A tunuki should be something when done right will look more like a masterpiece or have the very good beginnings of looking like a masterpiece sooner with a few years growth. A tunuki should be done with the best possible materials to start with, to have the best possible finished piece when complete. Like choosing poor stock, choosing poor shari wood will be no different.

Now the good news, I have been where you are. I tried the exact same thing about 16 years ago. I found some drift wood, from a lake shore that had been beaten smooth. I felt that by wrapping a juniper around it, BAMMO!. Instant masterpiece. Well, it's not that simple. Check this tree out and tell me if this is what you would like to see. If it is, have at it, your on the right track.

Attached Images

tunuki.jpg (21.1 KB, 124 views)

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B.adair

I just thought the shape would give me good beginnings, I wasn't expecting a masterpeice or any kind of a show peice, just a tree that I think is amazing to me. I will carve the wood some, rough it up or open the grain more with some wood tools I have and when I think its ready I may put a plant with it. Im not sure of where the wood came from probably the lake like u said I like the wood a lot.

jarrydbonsai

who cares what other people think if you like it than thats fine i think the wood is fine and after you carve it it should look much better.

its a good peice for you to practice and learn on which is main part of what you do in this hobby.

jarryd

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B.adair

jarry those were me thought almost exactly. I can practice my shari carvong on it

bonsaial1

B. and JarryD

I don't normally comment on other people's projects anymore. I find that most people are hoping for, " Wow, thats great" or "Brilliant, what a genius!" But you did ask for ideas and help. Not all the responses you get are going to be good ones, or I mean what you may feel is good. I can only speak of experience and I feel that whether doing bonsai for show or for fun, the main thrust should be for excellence. Why would you want to learn how to do mediocre bonsai? You should be thinking, "I want to do the best bonsai possible!"

I am not against doing whatever blows your skirt up in the privacy of your own backyard. But you did ask for help on a public forum. You seem bent on using this piece of wood without regard to what anybody thinks. So.. why not just wrap the juniper around it and post the finished project.

Of course I am sure there is someone playing with this log in photoshop as we speak and will undoubtedly come up with something for you to use.

As a PS, you didn't answer any of the questions that I asked. You may feel like "You're a pompous @ss and I don't have to explain anything to you." But,... sometimes forcing one to make a self examination will unleash something inside that will make you evaluate the materials and take a second look. Read with comprehension what I wrote and then take a look at the pictures I posted. Do you really want to take that road?

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

B.adair

No pompus @ss thoughts bonsaial I appreciate your opinion though it wasn't what I wanted to hear but somewhat expected, as for the quick reply, dinner was on the table I like the log because I can see things in it I like, I would like to hollow some parts of it on the backside (assuming it has a side) open the grain (it has rough wood its not so smooth as it looks in the pic) I wont use but 50-60% of the log you see here, I want to cut and expirement with the wood and if I like the way it looks then I'll "wrap a juni around it" I like the 2 pics you posted they're very nice! I want to do something like the top one with a lot of little branches and splits in the trunk now I won't neccassarily use this log for my tanuki just asking if I possibly could? I see in an abstract view, I like misplaced things and things in my own view, I don't take offense from any disagreements from someone, I like a difference in things like opinions,we all learn that way, maybe one day I'll teach someone something and I know many people will teach me almost everyhting I will learn.
Thanks for the reply.
-Brad

Adam_MA

Brad,
How bout doing some carving, making this piece look more like the image you have in your head and post it back up for us to take a look at and make some suggestions for you?

Adam

jarrydbonsai

yeh thats a pretty good idea


its not the best peice but it can be improved.

jarryd

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