You showed me yours, I'll show you mine!

Apparently English Elm is not so common "up norf". I think the further up you go it seems to be replaced by Wych Elm. Steve I can only speak for Suffolk and north Essex, as I know this area pretty well but if there's as much in your area as there is here, you'll have no problem finding a future masterpiece!

will baddeley wrote:Warren. The wrinckles were made with a surgeons scalpel. Push the blade in at a slight angle and draw it down the wood. repeat this action but come in from the other side and a tiny v shaped piece of wood comes out. Then soften the edges with a wire brush.

That's a very nice technique. I will try that one out.

Thanks for sharing Will.

Warren

will baddeley wrote:Tony. Here's a close up of some carving done on a Yew a couple of years ago, using the same method.

Will, did you carve the insides, I mean the hollow part? I can't seem to create a hollow look like this. I always end up removing the outer lip to widen the opening just to deepen the hollow part. Since I can't acquire beavertools or those samurais (it will just cost me a leg ) I'm using a core box router bit with a die grinder to make the hollows.

Pls. pardon my over inquisitive attitude.

Warren

Mario Stefano wrote:
This is a magnificent, respect for your work. I pray more of these photo, very educational!

Indeed it is Mario and also very inspiring. Keep it up Will

Warren

Warren. This is a lovely tecnique. After the noise of the power tools, its just right. You can sit and relax, take your time and listen to the birds. Go on, have a go!!!

will baddeley wrote:Warren. This is a lovely tecnique. After the noise of the power tools, its just right. You can sit and relax, take your time and listen to the birds. Go on, have a go!!!

It will definitely a go go go Will

Thank you very much.

Sorry Warren only just seen your third from last post. Yes I did carve the inside but you will need a cutter with a long shaft. This is the only way to leave a narrow opening. You can get them up to 4" 100mm long.

will baddeley wrote:Sorry Warren only just seen your third from last post. Yes I did carve the inside but you will need a cutter with a long shaft. This is the only way to leave a narrow opening. You can get them up to 4" 100cm long.

Now I will have to find an alternative for that long shaft. All part of the challenge.

Thank you Will.

Warren

Will, love your trees & your method, MAN what you did with that carving tools ?I can't stop watching it , both of them, the elm & yew, are fantastic example of natural looking carving , Thank you so much for sharing .keep on good work.

Hi Will,

beautiful bonsai.

Better it can not make the real nature, everything is an absolute unity, almost melancholy.

regards
Peter

______________________________
THE WORLD OF THE POT: http://www.peter-krebs.de/

Thanks Mehrdad. I'm glad so many people have been inspired by this one tree. I spend a lot of time in my local woods, observing and photographing deadwood and decay. I find it fascinating!! Thats where my inspiration comes from.
Peter. When you say melancholy, are you talking of a tree in decline? When I come across a veteran tree, full of deadwood, character and clearly fighting for survival, I find myself uplifted. The struggle, the stress, these trees have made it through all sorts of adversity and are still going strong. My Church!

Oh, Will,

I am now 66 years, I am now in decline?

No, I mean something beautiful melancholy. the experiences of life that has made the tree, I made it.

Melancholy is indeed not a depression but a beautiful state of birth and death.

regards
Peter

Here's one I put together two years ago. Collected from the same place as the raft, this was originally two uninteresting rafts. One year after collection, I decided to make individual trees and as they had both rooted all the way along, I cut them up. I now had thirteen individual shohin sized trees. I was given the fiberglass pot by a friend and decided to build a forrest using the Elms. The height was built up using Keto tsuchi Sorry about the background. My usual backdrop is too small. Length of pot 1 metre, three feet.

Hi Will,

very full of atmosphere, a beautiful arrangement.

regards
Peter

_____________________________________________
THE WORLD OF THE POT: http://www.peter-krebs.de/

cracking composition of trees will
reminds me of the trees up in weardale on the pennines here they struggle to fight the elements whilst clinging to the limestone escarpments
top stuff mate
steve

Three closer pics of the planting.

Although the trees would have been ok by themselves, I think they are quite a powerful group. At some point I will have to invest in a better pot!!

Thanks Peter and Steve, thats what I was aiming for.

Very nice Will. Do you have a photo of the composition with leves?

Will

Good luck in your search for a pot for your great group planting. The potter that makes that pot will need one hell of a kiln

All the best

Andy

I agree it would be a hell of a kin ,
my personal preference would be a nice rock slab
how long is it will ! (the planting)
steve

Sorry Nick, no pics with clothes on.
Andy, I take it by your response a Stone Monkey pot is out of the question!!
Steve, the planting is 3 ft / 1m. If a conventional kiln is out of the questiondoes anyone use an Anagama [think thats correct spelling] kiln?

Would this one qualify Will? It was a temporary display kiln built for Clay Art, a potters display convention held close to me every year. Boy, did they turn out some impressive pieces!

Hi Will

My kiln is way too small the max I can do is 22 " x 17", depth irrelevent

Anagama is the correct spelling, the nearest I know of is bonsai potter Patrice Bongrad in France. I do not know of any Bonsai Potter in the UK who has an anagama, a japanese updraft firing wood kiln for those who dont know But I will know of one within the next 18 ish months, nudge nudge wink wink if I can afford the brickwork, need to sell more pots

I know Ian Baillie can do big, but not sure if this big. Ian makes beautiful pots and its a shame he does not show his work here on the IBC. Dan Barton can also do big, bit of kiln envy coming in here, as I have seen Dan's kiln so you may have a short quest in finding your pot after all. Which ever way you go if you get an English Bonsai potter, with one big enough, to make your pot for your composition then ding dong you'll have a great tree pot combo going on there

Regards

Andy