Ok laughter time, J.B.pine

Nay.

There's nothing really interesting to look at. You have a basic form; it looks like a mushroom. There's no contrast other than texture of the leaves compared with the bark, and the size of the canopy compared with the trunk. There's no movement. This tree has the same effect to me as a well-taken photograph of a boring subject.

Could you share with us some of your work, James?

I just love work from humble beginnings, when time is given time to work its magic. Cheers and keep up the good work.

Yes,show us something,james-smith from nowhere.

Sure, just as soon as you explain to me how showing you my trees or my location is relevant to this thread or substantiates my opinion

james_smith wrote:Sure, just as soon as you explain to me how showing you my trees or my location is relevant to this thread or substantiates my opinion

Location is always useful in the event of you asking for advice on tree maintenance in your area. It would be good if you would share that with us please.

Fiona
Admin

james_smith wrote:Nay.

There's nothing really interesting to look at.  You have a basic form; it looks like a mushroom.  There's no contrast other than texture of the leaves compared with the bark, and the size of the canopy compared with the trunk.  There's no movement.  This tree has the same effect to me as a well-taken photograph of a boring subject.

james_smith wrote:Sure, just as soon as you explain to me how showing you my trees or my location is relevant to this thread or substantiates my opinion

it was probably the wording of your "opinion" that caused some to take umbrage...
we dont need Kumbaya and hugs all around, but you also dont need to be a dick...

unless you have earned the right to be a dick and that would be where examples of your superior work would come in handy.

just sayin'

geo wrote:Yes,show us something,james-smith from nowhere.

It's Jim Smith for chrissake! Preeminent grandmaster of American tropical bonsai who's forgotten more about bonsai than most of you will ever know.

What's going on in this place these days??

Well, "James Smith" is probably a relatively common name, so if this is the James Smith of bonsai fame, why not just say so?

I'm guessing it's not that James Smith...

beer city snake wrote:
it was probably the wording of your "opinion" that caused some to take umbrage...
we dont need Kumbaya and hugs all around, but you also dont need to be a dick...

unless you have earned the right to be a dick and that would be where examples of your superior work would come in handy.

just sayin'

Perfectly said...

Yay on the tree.  I agree with Leo's comment about moving the branches downward to enhance the perception of age but knowing you Khaimraj, you probably have great sketch or two of what you want this tree to become that incorporates such details.  I love that bark.

You would think, then, he wouldn't be so dismissive of what, to me, is a pretty good example of something grown from seed. In a tropical environment with a species that might not lend itself well to the original posters climate.

coh wrote:Well, "James Smith" is probably a relatively common name, so if this is the James Smith of bonsai fame, why not just say so?

I'm guessing it's not that James Smith...

You're basing that guess on what exactly? That someone of his stature wouldn't be caught dead on this forum?

Actually you may have something there. Okay. Goodbye.

Leo Schordje wrote:

If this were my tree, I would wire all the branches out, and adjust them down, the lowest to an angle below horizontal, middle to an angle near horizontal, and the upper to lay out a little and fill in gaps left by moving the others downward. Right now, to my eye, with all the branches reaching for the sky, the tree creates an image of a young, or middle age tree in an open field. Lowering the branches, would create a more aged appearance. Ends of branches with foliage, would turn up.

But this is my personal interpretation of the image.

Of course shorter needles would help too, but you know that and are working on it. I am not "horrified" at your cutting of needles, It is one way to "get the photo". It is just not the preferred method.

Nice tree, I'd be happy to have one like it on my bench. Good work.

Hmm...you know, I don't know if the suggestion to wire branches down would do much for this tree. It really doesn't have the basic shape/structure of an old pine tree, at least not the pines I'm familiar with. It looks more like the shape you'd see for a healthy, mature (but not aged/past its prime) deciduous tree alone in a field. That's partly the shape/structure of the branches (their horizontal or upward growth) and canopy, and the size of the needles relative to the overall tree.

It's a pleasant image as it stands, though. Not every tree needs to have twists and turns and tortured deadwood. All depends on what kind of effect the owner is trying to achieve.

Chris

redmoon wrote: Preeminent grandmaster of American tropical bonsai who's forgotten more about bonsai than most of you will ever know.

What's going on  in this place these days??

Greatness does not exempt anyone from civilised manners. Sadly, that is what is wrong on here these days.

fiona wrote:

redmoon wrote:  Preeminent grandmaster of American tropical bonsai who's forgotten more about bonsai than most of you will ever know.

What's going on  in this place these days??

  Greatness does not exempt anyone from civilised manners.  Sadly, that is what is wrong on here these days.

I would be interested to know how, in your view, Mr. Smith's critique was uncivilized or ill mannered. After all the OP did include:
"Anyhow here it is.
Feel free to comment yay or nay.
Laters.
Khaimraj "

Mr. Smith simply voted nay and took the time to explain his view point. Great or a rank beginner does he not have the right to an opinion when opinion was actually solicited? With what I've read on this forum recently this negative opinion is about as civilized as it gets.

redmoon - are you thee mikey iler ???

We know who Mr.Smith is and what he has done. carp,current curator of the collection,has shown several trees from it on BNut more than once,redmoon.I doubt very much whether the poster commenting on the Pine is indeed him.

beer city snake wrote:redmoon - are you thee mikey iler ??? :P ;)

Huh? Twin Peaks greeting committee?  

I'm holding out hope that it is not the James Smith for the forum's sake. You and several others might be having a hand in running off a lot of knowledge. (Plus who wants to be forever known as the guy who called Gentleman Jim a dick?)

We see what happens when someone bucks the popular here. I shouldn't have bothered. Apologies to the OP. If it's any consequence I quite like this tree. I'd be proud to say it was grown from seed. Well done!

Khaimraj Seepersad wrote:

redmoon wrote: (Plus who wants to be forever known as the guy who called Gentleman Jim a dick?)

i do not believe i have ever called a gentleman a dick.
gentleman by definition are most assuredly not dicks.

redmoon wrote: We see what happens when someone bucks the popular here. I shouldn't have bothered.

mikey - as a long time viewer, you should know that there are many dissenting opinions presented here.
but the manner in which they are presented matters just as much as the opinion itself.

beer city snake wrote:mikey - as a long time viewer, you should know that there are many dissenting opinions presented here.
but the manner in which they are presented matters just as much as the opinion itself.

As a new viewer (since that is apparently relevant to you), I personally find nothing wrong with the way james_smith presented his opinions, either in this thread or this one for that matter:

https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t17255-novice-stratification-of-10-different-bonsai-species

I do, however, personally feel as though your opinions may be presented in a rather tyrannical form, beer city snake:

those sound like pretty good reasons to you, eh ? scratch

Razz Laughing Razz

I can see no rule in the sticky post stating that dissenting opinions must be presented in a way that does not offend beer city snake.  Nor do I see that a dissenting opinion will only be permitted after a viewer has first shown their own work.  Perhaps the rules should be updated to reflect their true intent!

Then again, what if the whole thing is being misinterpreted by both you and I, given the lack of context inherently available in this medium...  Beauty is, after all, in the eye of the beholder, is it not Mr. Snake?  Perhaps we should both consider that our interpretation may not be the only interpretation of presentation manner.  Maybe a few emotes will help? 

May I?
I would like to comment regarding the presumption that "james_smith" is possibly Mr. James J. Smith of the Durastone nursery.
Some years ago I had contacted Mr. James J. Smith regarding Ficus salicifolia and I can report he had responded as a real gentleman and he tried to help me eagerly.
However, I doubt that Mr. James J. Smith aged 87 years in 2012 would be interested in joining IBC in 2016 and declare his location : "nowhere"

LanceMac10 wrote:Could you share with us some of your work, James?

Works every time.......

LanceMac10 wrote:

LanceMac10 wrote:Could you share with us some of your work, James?

Works every time.......

Never accomplishes anything other than creating conflict, preventing anyone from offering suggestions on how you can improve, alienating others, and making yourself look like a jackass in general.......

kingsnake wrote:As a new viewer (since that is apparently relevant to you),

i'm glad you claim to be from vegas now, because i would go 10 to 1 that you are not a new viewer, but instead a long time viewer and poster wearing a new hat, costume beard, fake location and transparent handle

just say the word and i will place the bet... IP addresses will then decide the bet and we can settle up via paypal.

c'mon... whaddya say ?

Sorry guys, all bets are off.

Now please could we all stop ******* about. It's all getting very dreary.