Oaks from Italy

Dkozi

I only pop in once in a while and today I'll be the one to stir the pot a bit.

It seems to me that many people in the bonsai community follow what's been done because that's the way it's always been done.

I actually like the direction he has taken with these it is out of the ordinaray but not beyond the possiblity of capturing the illusion he's created. I personally find them all fascinating and would love to have an afternoon gazing upon them. I can only imagine where my imagination would lead me.

If you consider some of the wonderful bonsai art created by some artists who render common juniper material to take on the illustion of a fifty or seventy five foot tree you will quickly realize that your paradime doesn't work for it either since Juniper's will never grow to be fifty or seventy-five feet tall. but wouldn't you agree it is still beautiful and lovely.

Thank you Karl, you have definitly challenged us to maybe reconsider what we may or may not value. Keep up the good work.!!!!!

-Dkozi

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weeijk

Hi Karl,


Very nice Oaks your have here, they must be very old, looking at the bark. I dont know if I have to agree with some of the remarks that your iniyial styling, looks like you'd styled a pine or juniper. What where your thoughts in this styling? Can you explain why you went for the conifer build up of the branches, is it of later use?

I have recently bought an English Oak too (Quercus Robur) as you can see in the pictures. It's probably not as old as your 3 examples. It stands 50 cm high. I've photographed it on four sides. What would you do with this one?

Thanks for your answers,

With kindest regards, Wessel

Attached Images

	quercus robur001 30-1-2006.jpg (50.8 KB, 41 views)
	quercus robur002 30-1-2006.jpg (42.7 KB, 16 views)
	quercus robur003 30-1-2006.jpg (44.9 KB, 26 views)

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Every tree can be a bonsai, but only some will be.

weeijk

last one.


thanks W.

Attached Images

quercus robur004 30-1-2006.jpg (44.2 KB, 12 views)

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Every tree can be a bonsai, but only some will be.

rockm

"It seems to me that many people in the bonsai community follow what's been done because that's the way it's always been done."

That's kinda the point that's being made about the oaks being too much like pines. The pine solution is a tried and true one that works with old trunks like this. Taking this material in a direction that doesn't rely on the layered, foliage cloud pine look would be a more "natural" for these oaks.

That would be a difficult thing to do, however, with such expressive trunks. An "oak" treatment with denser branching all over the tree might not do them justice. Hanging branches on such characterful trunks isn't an easy thing to do and not hide the trunk or obscure it. Karl's plans look pretty good to me overall.

Karl Thier

People I have calculated with that she think it is wrong the oaks as pines to Styling. However, these oaks are trunks how P. mugo or Juniperus grown, therefore I think is this pine/juniper Styling for me right. I would be interested in it, how You these oaks styled. In the future I become the treetops round styled, as in the case of oaks usual. If the oaks trunks how oaks grown, I would they as oaks styled. I hope they understand my bad English.(;0(

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Welcome on my home page http://www.bonsaiwerkstatt.at
AoB Profil: http://www.artofbonsai.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1397
Karl T.

Joanie

Karl, that is very clear. Because these oaks have trunks that are shaped like pines, you are styling them as you would style pines. That makes a lot of sense, and they are beautiful.

Joanie

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Karl Thier

A styled idea to Wessel oak

Attached Images

quercus-robur_v.jpg (60.0 KB, 38 views)

__________________
Kind greetings from Vienna/Austria
Welcome on my home page http://www.bonsaiwerkstatt.at
AoB Profil: http://www.artofbonsai.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1397
Karl T.

salt

Karl, you did a great job styling these oaks. I am otherwise a fan of the naturalistic approach, but the first rule must always be to adapt the styling to fit each individual tree. I especially like oak no. 2.

weeijk, I would advise you to cut back hard this spring and then wire the branches. Here is also a quick virt of the "final" image.
There is a nice oak growing near my home looking somethig like this (but better of cause), I might take a foto and show here later.

/Magnus

Attached Images

	quercus-robur003.jpg (31.2 KB, 15 views)
	qrvirt.jpg (30.3 KB, 30 views)

malhomme

I generaly side with the "style the tree in the style of the species" view. But in this case, I'm with you and Joanie on this one!

Cheers,
Jim