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BONSAI STYLES
It is
important for you
to remember, as a
beginner, that no
single bonsai style
is the “right”
style. Bonsai is meant
to be a representation
of a tree in nature.
Crafting a bonsai
masterpiece is tantamount
to how YOU view that
tree. You are not
learning from a bonsai
master, you are simply
being given instruction
on how to create your
own bonsai. What you
make of it lies simply
in your own mind.
You should strive
to make your bonsai
trees look as natural
as possible. Let the
tree suggest its own
possibilities. If
the trunk bends to
the right, let it
bend that way. Work
with it to make it
a main feature of
your bonsai. You must
listen to the tree
and hear what it is
telling you. Then
you will come up with
a beautiful creation!
Bonsais should simulate
age. You should try
and project the appearance
of maturity in your
tree – just
in a miniature form.
Even if your tree
is relatively young,
you can groom it so
it looks like it has
been growing for years
and years.
Read
more ... |
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BONSAI
TREES: GROWING, TRIMMING,
SCULPTING AND PRUNING
Chapter
3
BONSAI STYLES
COMING
SOON
Chapter
4
Growing Indoors or
Outdoors
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Two features that give the appearance
of age to trees are the caliper of
the trunk and the degree of taper
of the trunk. The trunks of bonsai
(in most styles) will be very wide
at the base and taper very smoothly
to the top of the tree
There are two general styles of bonsai:
the classic (koten) and the informal
or 'comic' (bunjin). In the former,
the trunk of the tree is wider at
the base and tapers off towards the
top; it is just the opposite in the
'bunjin', a style more difficult to
master.
When you start a bonsai, always remember
that you are working with a living
plant. Look carefully at its natural
characteristics and you may discern
within them a suitable style, or styles.
Often you can train a plant into several
styles, even if it is basically upright
like a beech or elegantly slender
like a maple. Even if one style only
really suits a particular plant, you
still can interpret this in many different
ways.
More than anything else you should
not try to train a bonsai to grow
in a style it is not accustomed to.
Study the natural growth patterns
of the tree you are going to grow
and enhance on the pattern nature
gave it.
The five basic bonsai styles are formal
upright, informal upright, slanting
(or windswept), semi-cascade and cascade.
All have their own individual beauty
and serenity.
Formal Upright
A tree with a style such as formal
upright occurs when it has grown in
the open under perfect conditions.
The most important requirement for
this style is that the trunk should
be perfectly straight, tapering naturally
and evenly from base to apex. The
branches should be symmetrically spaced
so that they are balanced when viewed
from any direction. It is quite a
demanding style to achieve.
Junipers, pines, and spruces are great
to try and grow in the formal upright
style.
To achieve an effective formal upright
style, make sure that about one third
of the trunk is visible from the front.
This can be from the base to the first
branch or cumulatively, as seen through
the tracery of its branches.
Generally, the placement of branches
follows a pattern. The first branch
up from the bottom is the longest
and in proportion usually is trained
to grow to an equivalent to a third
of the total height of the tree. This
is the 'heaviest' branch almost making
a right angle to the trunk.
The second branch directly opposes
the first branch and is higher on
the trunk. As the branch structure
ascends, they taper assuming a somewhat
cone-like form.
The top of the bonsai is usually very
thick with foliage - so full and tightly
ramified that it is difficult to see
its internal structure through the
mass of leaves or needles.
The tip of this style of bonsai also
has a slight curve, to lean forward
and effectively 'look at the viewer'.
Depending on what species of tree
you are using, the whole tree does
not have to be symmetrical but rather
the branches could ascend by alternating
on each side.
The branches and trunk of a formal
upright bonsai always take on a very
distinctive taper. This is achieved
by cutting off the growing tip of
the trunk or branch with each new
year and wiring a new branch into
position to form the apex. This is
something quite hard to do, however
it produces a stunning result when
the trunk starts to mature and the
taper starts becoming prominent.
Informal Upright
In nature, such trees bend or alter
their direction away from wind or
shade other trees or buildings, or
towards light. In an informal upright
bonsai the trunk should slightly bend
to the right or left - but never towards
the viewer. This applies to all types
of bonsai. Neither the trunk nor branches
should be pointing towards the viewer
when the bonsai is viewed from the
front.
For this style, try a Japanese maple,
Trident maple, or almost any conifer
and ornamental tree. You’ll
have a dramatic result with a pomegranate
or other flowering tree.
An informal upright bonsai basically
uses the same principles of the formal
upright bonsai only that it is informal.
The style still requires a tapered
trunk, however the trunk direction
and branch positioning is more informal
and closer to the way a tree would
look when exposed to the elements
at an early age. The trunk usually
takes on an unexpected curve or series
of twists and the branches are thus
positioned to balance this effect.
As with formal upright, the crown
of the tree is mainly very full with
foliage and despite the informal trunk,
is most always located directly above
the base of the tree. This is an attribute
of the informal upright style, if
not done like this, the tree would
be slanting.
Jin (carved remains of dead or unwanted
branches to look like dead and rotting
limbs of a tree) is also more appropriate
and effective with the informal upright
style.
Slanting Style
Trees that slant naturally occur as
a result of buff setting winds or
deep shade during early development.
Whether curved or straight, the whole
trunk leans at a definite angle. The
stronger roots grow out on the side,
away from the angle of the trunk lean,
to support the weight.
Almost any type of tree will work
well with this style.
This style bears a great similarity
to the informal upright. The trunk
can be either curved or straight,
but must be on an angle to either
the right or left (never to the front),
with the apex not directly over the
base of the bonsai.
This style is quite a simple one that
can be achieved by many methods. At
an early age, the bonsai can be trained
to an angle by means of wiring the
trunk until it is in position. Alternatively,
the tree can be forced to grow in
a slanted style by putting the actual
pot on a slant, causing the tree to
grow abnormally.
With formal upright, informal upright
and slanted styles, the number three
is significant.
The lowest branches are grouped in
threes, and this grouping begins one-third
of the way up the trunk. The bottom-most
three branches almost encircle the
trunk, with two branches thrusting
forward, one slightly higher than
the other. The third branch, emanating
from a point between the first two,
is set at such an angle as to make
the foliage appear lower than the
other two.
This pattern presents an easy way
to tell front from back and sets the
tone of the entire composition.
Cascade Style
The growing tip of a cascade bonsai
reaches below the base of a container.
The trunk has a natural taper and
gives the impression of the forces
of nature pulling against the forces
of gravity. Branches appear to be
seeking the light. The winding main
trunk is reminiscent of a stream meandering
down the side of a mountain.
There are many types of trees that
can be used to achieve a cascading
bonsai. The key here is to make sure
the tree isn’t naturally straight
and upright. You should not try and
coax a naturally straight trunk tree
into a cascading bonsai.
If done right, this style of bonsai
can be quite aesthetically pleasing.
The trunk, which is tapered, grows
down below the container and gives
the impression of the tree being forced
down by the forces of gravity. The
tree trunk usually also twists as
if to emulate a meandering stream
with elegant alternating branches
protruding from it.
All that is required to create this
style is a tall, narrow pot which
will enhance the style and accommodate
the cascade and a species of plant
that will willingly adopt this style
if trained.
The main trunk should be wired to
spill over and down the edge of the
pot, with the main focus on the major
bend (forming an upside-down U shape).
Emphasis should also be kept on keeping
the branches uniform and horizontal
to the almost directly vertical trunk.
Another major aspect to remember is
that both cascade and semi-cascade
should be positioned right into the
center of the pot, the opposite to
what you would do for any other style.
Semi-Cascade
The tip of a semi-cascade, like the
cascade, projects over the rim of
the container, but does not drop below
its base. The style occurs in nature
when trees grow on cliffs or overhang
water. The angle of the trunk in this
bonsai is not precise, as long as
the effect is strongly horizontal,
even if the plant grows well below
the level of the pot rim. Any exposed
roots should balance the trunk.
Flowering cherry trees, cedars, and
junipers work very well in this style
of bonsai. Many people feel this style
of bonsai is the epitome of beauty
in the art.
In general, bonsai cultivation is
considered an outdoor art. Since bonsai
is the miniaturization of trees and
means tree in a pot, one may wonder
which is better – outside or
inside bonsai gardening. The opinions
vary.
To
be continue ...
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