Ratio's Pt 2...Japanese Maple.

[anttal63]

Another day another bonsai body blow. If thats what it takes to get through to maybe even one artist, im happy to to put myself on the line!

Now here we have a classic numbers game; 720mm by 105mm ( real time measurements as far as i am concerned, the 60mm part dont work for me ) 1:7 A reasonable ratio one would think, although still too tall for my liking. So if we layer 100mm up on the trunk and chop 100mm off the top. By my standards we are getting down to 1:5. Only 2 more problems left that wont allow this better ratio to work. Ken has got the first one and most obvious correct, but still understated. The second and biggest problem for this ratio is the fact that the trunk that remains, has no graduating taper. The first third to half of the tree would still be very linear (parrallel).
So we got line character in the trunk that doesnt flow and we got a trunk with no taper. With these scenario's doesn't matter what ratio, it wont work!

Jamie nothing elegant here, clunky is a better word.


Bodhi sorry for the honesty but i know you're a big boy and this needs to be said in order to teach the young. I think the good tree is somewhere around and between these two lines. A good shohin perhaps. Then you have a well proportioned trunk with good movement and taper.

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Yea Ant, i am a big boy and what you are saying is correct. The tree needs to be changed and i have no problem with that. I have hundreds of Maples to play with so i will experiment with this one. I have decided to think outside the square and try and do what everyone has seen but nobody has given me a solution to, except the obvious,(aerial layer) The trunkline itself. I like the light coloured bark and the striking red foliage so i am going to try and create movement in the existing trunk line. This will take the eye off the taper problem and, i figure it will not need too radical a bend, just something gentle to deceive the eye. The tree was a gift a few years ago from my friend Tom. I think it was a pass on job that he had tired of, and to see if i could do something with it. I will post it up if it works and if it doesnt you will never see it again

So be it my friend; enjoy it! I still believe the best tree is in that layer i marked.