My contest entry "Draco the Red"

dracothered

My entry, last it may be! Though I learned many things of what to do and what not to do.

I had a hard time even finding a good piece to use let alone style it. I didn't use wire because I feared breaking more branches like the one that I broke when I started to style my tree. The Branch I broke off is the little knob at the front of it. See the two pic's, before & after. I can't wait to enter another one, but this time I will take more time to do the design work.

Attached Images

	Boxwood1.jpg (66.6 KB, 27 views)
	Boxwood1a.jpg (62.5 KB, 49 views)
	Boxwood1a-virt.jpg (49.0 KB, 40 views)

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Corbin
Draco the Red

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John Dixon

Under no circumstances should you give up on future contests. You have now experienced a difficult piece of material to work with. You are the better for it, and I congratulate you on the effort.

I'm assuming this is boxwood. It's very rough, but my virtual is an overview of angling the current trunk line significantly right, and using that main left branch as a new trunkline/apex. Using clip and grow methods, and wiring the shoots while young, the basic outline I have in red is a future possibility. It will take time, but consider it if you are so inclined.

Take care,

John

Attached Images

1134487225_image.jpg (61.9 KB, 53 views)

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John Dixon

Si vis pacem parabellum

Stay off the trails of others, that's where the booby-traps are.

pootsie

And for the next contest, you can study up with Chan's book as the consolation prize!

PM me with your address and I'll send it (plus extra goodies just for fun)

pootsie

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p.s. My cat is a bonsaiTALK Master.
Columbus Bonsai Society

Will_Heath

Corbin,

I noticed a few things that may help you in the future.

You posted your final entry almost as soon as you posted your before photographs. We give about a months time to complete your final entry, use this time in the future to design your entry.

Many people here will look at all possibilities for a week or so and some even use programs like photoshop to explore possible styling options.

Use the time to slowly style the tree, pausing after every decision to view the tree and maybe even do a few more sketches or virts.

Many may call this an instant bonsai contest but you have a full month to style, take your time and bring out the full potential of the stock.

Also, wire! I seen many entries this time that could have been greatly improved with some detail wiring. Many entries that were wired, stopped at the foliage. The detail wiring brings out the tree, look at the detail that was done on the top picks and then look at the lack of it on the others, big difference.

When you think you finally have it, take your pictures and then study them, often the movement of a single branch can make a big difference.

This was a good attempt for a beginner and for your first contest entry. Learn from it and from the others who will post their entries and then kick some butt next time. There's no place to go but up...

dracothered

Will,

That was my only regret that I rushed into styling it without taking my time. So all of you watch out I'm going for the NUMBER ONE position next time around.

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Corbin
Draco the Red

Joanie

That's the spirit!! Boxwood seems like such a good choice, (I played with the idea myself, but the ones I liked were too heavy to lift) but it's really more difficult than it looks.

You learned something very valuable here, not to rush your styling, no matter how hard it is to resist the temptation. Walking away from something, and coming back to it later, gives you time to work things out in your head. But the tree will be with you for years, and in those years the tree and you will grow together into something of harmony.


Joanie

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dracothered

John,

The virt that you did is fine for getting your thought accross to me. I take it that you are saying that the back two branches should go which I think would help. Thanks for you input also.

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Corbin
Draco the Red

dracothered

John,

Here is a Virt of what I think you were trying to convey.

Attached Images

Boxwood1a-virt.jpg (49.0 KB, 28 views)

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Corbin
Draco the Red

John Dixon

Corbin,

Yes. that's exactly where I think you should start. The hard lean will be very important too. Wiring while supple will allow you to position the secondary branching in an advantageous manner. Once set, the rest can be clip and grow for quite a while.

Good luck,

John

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John Dixon

Si vis pacem parabellum

Stay off the trails of others, that's where the booby-traps are.