Scots Pine Restyling

My Bonsai teacher, William Valavanis askind me to wire and style one of his Scot's pines under his supervision.   The early development of this tree can be found in Bill's recently published book, "Classical Bonsai Art - A Half Century of Bonsai Study."
This is the before.


This is after the bottom had been wired.  The tree was very open in the front.  The bottom right branch was removed and branching and foliage was moved around and forward.



I then photoshopped the top.  I liked the third, taller version.  Bill liked the shorter first version.

     

Here is the final result.  The height has not been changed.  The appearance is closest to the first Photoshopped version.  This is because the foliage could not be brought in any more.  The foliage pads were also very bushy and a lot of thinning happened though it is hard to tell from the final photo.

As a Scot, I love your Scots Pine. It's a very nice Scots Pine.  You have done a great job with this Scots Pine so far.  I, too, prefer the third photoshop image of this excellent Scots Pine.   

Interesting comparison of which image Bill and Fiona each liked. I presume the shorter image that Bill liked is closer to the Classical Japanese bonsai pine while the taller image that Fiona liked is closer to how Scot's pines grow in nature. Nothing wrong with either image or preference, but an interesting comparison from my perspective.

Marty Weiser wrote:Interesting comparison of which image Bill and Fiona each liked. I presume the shorter image that Bill liked is closer to the Classical Japanese bonsai pine while the taller image that Fiona liked is closer to how Scot's pines grow in nature. Nothing wrong with either image or preference, but an interesting comparison from my perspective.

Bill is a very classical bonsai fancier. I preferred the taller version because it matched the trunk thinner better, imho.

It's probably more like how Scots Pines grow in nature.  

Very tame now.

I mean, it's beautifully done, but looks a bit like a Japanese-nursery-like juniper though: do you plan to have empty spaces between the branches to give it some sort of perspective?

It's got a very impressive root base, and to me, the top part is too conventional.

(OMG, how gifted I am to make enemies!  )

Who is this chap "Scot", anyway?

Rick36 wrote:Who is this chap "Scot", anyway?

Thank you. Users of the Internet are solely responsible for the death and decline of the apostrophe as a useful punctuation mark.

Sadly not its death so much as its inappropriate use.  My sarcasm was obviously wasted in my earlier posts. Where's Iris when you need the blunt, tell-it-as-it-is approach?   Lots of smileys to indicate that I am leg-pulling.  In part, anyway.     

"Great Scottt"   that is stunning....... was that appropriate?   

and again         to show the obvious.....

Love and light

Probably setting myself up here, but I like the second image. The initial pruning and shaping before the photoshopping seems to me to accentuate all the good traits of the tree, without looking too worked.
Crazy talk?

I personally like the last image in the sequence (i.e. the one of the tree as it is now rather than the last photoshop image) as to me it is very natural and ties in with Judy's comment about not looking too worked.

I think the "final" version is fine, though if it were mine, it wouldn't be quite so rigidly triangular.

fiona wrote:It's probably more like how Scots Pines grow in nature.  

Actually, as I've thought about it the unwired version is how Scot's pine grow around here. They are very tall and the branches are leggy.

AlainK wrote:Very tame now.

I mean, it's beautifully done, but looks a bit like a Japanese-nursery-like juniper though: do you plan to have empty spaces between the branches to give it some sort of perspective?

It's got a very impressive root base, and to me, the top part is too conventional.

(OMG, how gifted I am to make enemies!  )

I hate you now. The tree is done for now. We will see what Bill has in mind for the future.

fiona wrote:Sadly not its death so much as its inappropriate use.  My sarcasm was obviously wasted in my earlier posts. Where's Iris when you need the blunt, tell-it-as-it-is approach?   Lots of smileys to indicate that I am leg-pulling.  In part, anyway.     

You made a joke? 

Merely trying to point out, as were several others, that the tree is called Scots Pine and not Scot's Pine.     But I still think it is a good job you have done with your Scots Pine.

Good to see everyone is focused on the important thing's that will help all of us do a better job growing and styling our Scott's pine's.

FWIW, I like the third photoshopped image best, but the last image (actual tree) is pretty close behind. Looking forward to seeing the tree next time I'm at Bills place.

fiona wrote:Merely trying to point out, as were several others, that the tree is called Scots Pine and not Scot's Pine.     But I still think it is a good job you have done with your Scots Pine.

So it's Bill's Scots Pine?

Exactly so. Or if you wanted to be more formal, it would be "Bill Valavanis' Scots Pine" or even "Bill Vala:oops: vanis's Scots Pine". (But nobody likes a smarta...   -   or is that smarta..   ?).

But back to the tree; what do you see as the next step(s) in its development, Twisted Trees, or are you happy with this as the final image?

fiona wrote:But back to the tree; what do you see as the next step(s) in its development, Twisted Trees, or are you happy with this as the final image?

We did a few tricks to bring the foliage in and hide the long leggy branches. The next few years will be needed to bring the foliage in closer to match the trunk. Also the back, not pictured, needs some more cleaning up but again that will require a few more years to allow for more growth.