october
02-19-2009, 09:18 PM
Here is something that some of you might find interesting. It is another one of my passions (besides exotic animals). It is Bonsai. Bonsai (pronounced bone-sigh) is the Japanese art of creating small versions of trees that resemble large scale trees in forests, on cliffs or mountains. Bonsai basically means shallow tray plant. I am not Japanese (French and Irish). However, the art struck me so hard even though I am a westerner, that I have been involved with it for about 9 years now.
Bonsai is close to 900 years old. Basically the premise of the art is to make the viewer feel like they are looking at a full size tree in nature. Bonsai are usually anywhere from 4 inches to 30 inches tall on average.
It tends to be a very misunderstood art. It takes years to master the art. A tree needs to be trained to become a bonsai. Wire is used to set and form the branches to pre-planned styles that have been in place for decades/centuries. Also, constant trimming of the tree and its roots will keep it small.
Although it is called an art. Bonsai is actually made up of many pre-set rules and principles. In other words, you don’t just get a tree and style it to look good. Bonsai has 5 main styles. These being Formal upright, Informal upright, slant, Semi-Cascade and Cascade. There are also many sub styles. Basically, a tree has to subscribe to one of these styles for the tree to be considered highly credible or show worthy.
Upright style bonsai are basically in the shape of Christmas trees..The large outdoor trees like pines you see growing on hills.
Informal upright is a tree with a slight curve to the trunk. Essentially a subtle S like shaped trunk.
Slant style is a tree where the trunk is leaning toward one side.
Semi-cascade is a tree that overlaps the edge of the pot, but does not go below the base of the pot.
Cascade is when the tree grows down further than the base of the pot.
Basically, any species of tree can become a bonsai. However, some species are better suited for it than others. You can use juniper, pine, cypress, maple, ficus, hemlock, azalea etc…
Usually in Spring, I will check out all the Lowes and Home Depots. Once in a while, you will find a tree, just a regular landscape tree that you would put in your yard, that could become a good bonsai. However, even if you find one, which is maybe 1 or 2 out of their entire stock. It probably will take about 3-5 years just to get it looking good.
The first thing you do is find a tree that you think would lend itself to one of the styles, then you spend anywhere from 2-20 years training the tree to conform to that style. Yes, sometimes it takes close to 20 years to train a tree. This does not encompass the age. Many bonsai are 200-400 years old and still alive today. The prices of these trees are astronomical, that is, if they are for sale.
As far as training a tree. You would wrap wire around the branches and bend them according to the style you are creating. You can also wire the trunk, if the tree is young enough to get some nice curves into it. Also, since you are trying to create an old looking tree. There are certain techniques that are employed. One is, if the style calls for it, is to wire the branches so they swoop down. In nature, tree branches are so heavy and carry so much weight, that they begin to hang. We try to mimic this in bonsai.
Carving a tree is also a good technique. If you are familiar with a trees anatomy, you can actually carve quite a bit on a tree. You can use knives, chisels, power tools etc. One carving technique is to strip the bark off a branch. It is called jinning. This technique is used to represent old, weather beaten trees. If you have seen very old trees in nature, sometimes, the bark has been stripped away from certain parts of the tree due to the harsh elements over several decades.
Here are some of my bonsai. They are listed by species, style and appox. height. I hope you enjoy them.
Rob
Shimpaku juniper, Informal upright, 12 inches
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_48511.jpg
Shimpaku juniper, semi-cascade, 11 inches
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_4722.jpg
Shimpaku juniper, Literati style, 24 inches
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_3590.jpg
Japanese garden juniper, Informal upright style, 11 inches tall
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_5620.jpg
Hinoki cypress, Informal upright style, 14 inches tall
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_5582.jpg
Pyracantha, Informal upright/semi cascade, 5 inches tall
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_1488.jpg
Arborvitae, Literati style, 14 inches tall.
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_54412.jpg
Chinese elm, Cascade, 4 inches
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_5033.jpg
Shimpaku juniper, informal upright/literati style, 7 inches tall.
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_3111.jpg
Azalea, Broom/informal upright style, 4 inches tall.
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_2694.jpg
Shimpaku juniper, Literati style, 11 inches tall.
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_4984.jpg
Bonsai is close to 900 years old. Basically the premise of the art is to make the viewer feel like they are looking at a full size tree in nature. Bonsai are usually anywhere from 4 inches to 30 inches tall on average.
It tends to be a very misunderstood art. It takes years to master the art. A tree needs to be trained to become a bonsai. Wire is used to set and form the branches to pre-planned styles that have been in place for decades/centuries. Also, constant trimming of the tree and its roots will keep it small.
Although it is called an art. Bonsai is actually made up of many pre-set rules and principles. In other words, you don’t just get a tree and style it to look good. Bonsai has 5 main styles. These being Formal upright, Informal upright, slant, Semi-Cascade and Cascade. There are also many sub styles. Basically, a tree has to subscribe to one of these styles for the tree to be considered highly credible or show worthy.
Upright style bonsai are basically in the shape of Christmas trees..The large outdoor trees like pines you see growing on hills.
Informal upright is a tree with a slight curve to the trunk. Essentially a subtle S like shaped trunk.
Slant style is a tree where the trunk is leaning toward one side.
Semi-cascade is a tree that overlaps the edge of the pot, but does not go below the base of the pot.
Cascade is when the tree grows down further than the base of the pot.
Basically, any species of tree can become a bonsai. However, some species are better suited for it than others. You can use juniper, pine, cypress, maple, ficus, hemlock, azalea etc…
Usually in Spring, I will check out all the Lowes and Home Depots. Once in a while, you will find a tree, just a regular landscape tree that you would put in your yard, that could become a good bonsai. However, even if you find one, which is maybe 1 or 2 out of their entire stock. It probably will take about 3-5 years just to get it looking good.
The first thing you do is find a tree that you think would lend itself to one of the styles, then you spend anywhere from 2-20 years training the tree to conform to that style. Yes, sometimes it takes close to 20 years to train a tree. This does not encompass the age. Many bonsai are 200-400 years old and still alive today. The prices of these trees are astronomical, that is, if they are for sale.
As far as training a tree. You would wrap wire around the branches and bend them according to the style you are creating. You can also wire the trunk, if the tree is young enough to get some nice curves into it. Also, since you are trying to create an old looking tree. There are certain techniques that are employed. One is, if the style calls for it, is to wire the branches so they swoop down. In nature, tree branches are so heavy and carry so much weight, that they begin to hang. We try to mimic this in bonsai.
Carving a tree is also a good technique. If you are familiar with a trees anatomy, you can actually carve quite a bit on a tree. You can use knives, chisels, power tools etc. One carving technique is to strip the bark off a branch. It is called jinning. This technique is used to represent old, weather beaten trees. If you have seen very old trees in nature, sometimes, the bark has been stripped away from certain parts of the tree due to the harsh elements over several decades.
Here are some of my bonsai. They are listed by species, style and appox. height. I hope you enjoy them.
Rob
Shimpaku juniper, Informal upright, 12 inches
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_48511.jpg
Shimpaku juniper, semi-cascade, 11 inches
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_4722.jpg
Shimpaku juniper, Literati style, 24 inches
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_3590.jpg
Japanese garden juniper, Informal upright style, 11 inches tall
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_5620.jpg
Hinoki cypress, Informal upright style, 14 inches tall
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_5582.jpg
Pyracantha, Informal upright/semi cascade, 5 inches tall
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_1488.jpg
Arborvitae, Literati style, 14 inches tall.
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_54412.jpg
Chinese elm, Cascade, 4 inches
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_5033.jpg
Shimpaku juniper, informal upright/literati style, 7 inches tall.
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_3111.jpg
Azalea, Broom/informal upright style, 4 inches tall.
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_2694.jpg
Shimpaku juniper, Literati style, 11 inches tall.
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj58/rcarreau/IMG_4984.jpg