Some More Freshly Potted Work

whidn

Today I have potted up 2 more into bonsai pots.
Here is the first one, Procumbens Juniper

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small-juni.jpg (20.7 KB, 222 views)

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whidn

Here is the second one.
Its a Lantana Bush. obviously windswept.
Has anyone heard of Lantana as bonsai?
If so could I get some info on it. My wife told me that they like poor soil so I just mixed 1/2 miracle grow and 1/2 finly crushed hard clay from a pot.

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bonsaial1

This little lantana could make a fine shohin someday. Work the roots down so it will go into a suitable container. Then give us an update.

Bonsaial

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Carl_Bergstrom

I just had to chime in here, because Clay is offering exactly the sort of advice that I love to see on this forum.

To the point, no BS, straight-shooting - and combined with taking the time and effort to give really excellent and clearly layed out advice. I love seeing posts like this! It's perhaps the best thing about this forum.

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Terrific point about the visual mass, Clay. I didn't see what it was about the original that bothered me until I saw your sketch. Just potting in this shape of pot would do wonders for the composition!

(Oh, and I'll second those book recommendations. Both are awesome design texts. Peter Adams' "Successful Bonsai Shaping" is also a gem, though admitted not as essential as either of Clay's recommendations.)


All the best,
OMC

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Carl_Bergstrom

Clay,

I'd love to hear your comments on a possible alternative explanation for why both of your compositions "work"

The taller pot together with the tree form a right angle, the upper right corner of a rectangle. This angle creates an implied rectangle and in doing some, frames the negative space below the tree. That negative space is thus incorporated into the design as visual weight and serves to stabilize the composition.

The shallower pot, by running beneath the tree, again defines the negative space below the tree (and here above the pot) as part of the visual weight of the image, again balancing the composition.

In a shallow pot that doesn't run under the tree,
the negative space below the tree is not brought into the design (by either visual mechanism above) - thus the composition seems to be off-balance.

Comments?

Old Mister Crow

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stephentoddpope

omg, omc, you have quite a way with words that exactly as i comprehended it, but i wouldn't be able to put it in words like you did

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salix

IRT OMC:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but at least part of what you're saying is that the unbalanced lantana seems unbalanced because it moves outside of the 'frame' of the piece. By expanding the pot, either vertically or horizontally, we extend the mental frame around the bonsai, providing a context in which the tree's form makes sense. The tall pot provides that context by giving us a traditional form to draw on, since going outside of the lines is commonly seen in cascade or other tall-pot styles. The wide, shallow pot provides that context by providing a piece of ground over which the tree can be seen to hang, providing context by means of the mind's natural expectation that a tree is anchored to a piece of earth. Both pots balance the piece by providing an explanation, by providing our minds with a function to explain the form.

Treebeard

Hi all,

In reading this discussion two things spring to mind ... sledgehammers and nuts.

also the apocryphal tale of nasa spending millions of dollars and hours developing a space pen, when the russians just used a pencil...

finally occam's razor. Cut all the complicated stories. go for the simple explanation..

The lantana looks wrong because the pot tips to the left. . Simple as that.


Whidn, Al said: I totally agree.... this could look real good someday in the not too distant future. Follow his advice

Also Whidn, the juniper has come in for some stick... is this the same one that you've shown before, or do you have several with these opposing foliage pads I must admit they look a tad unusual, but if that's what you like then go for it... but I would personally try to bring the right pad up and over, to be over the base of the tree.

Regards,

TB

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Treebeard

also my caveat: what you guys are saying about balance etc. is fair enough and all, but just does not apply to the lantana... it is just the camera angle...

here's the same tree at a slightly different angle, with the boards going the other way.

Regards,

TB

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