AusBonsai

Rory wrote:An interesting thing about ramification is that when you ramify the branching too much, it starts to look contrived.

Its a common erk that many people feel compelled to strive for. But if you look at most trees in nature, they aren't anywhere near as ramified as what a lot of bonsai are (in ratio of course).

The best example of this is fig trees. The fact that you can get amazing ramification on fig trees, or even banksia trees for that matter, and casurina, mel etc etc, doesn't mean you should. Its completely subjective of course, but when you compare most advanced bonsai to a tree, it looks .... really contrived - and only when you stand back and compare them side by side as a photo comparison - is when you can no longer 'unsee' it.

In my opinion, the old belief that you shouldn't have any branches that are long and wavy and not without 10,000 twigs on them, or that don't look like an arthritic hand, is out-dated.

What you end up producing is not a miniature tree, but rather a caricature of a tree.

KIRKY wrote: ↑September 15th, 2021, 3:23 pm ... unusual trunks just have me stumped….
Cheers
Kirky

KIRKY wrote: ↑September 15th, 2021, 3:23 pm I sometimes find unusual trunks just have me stumped….

Rory wrote: ↑September 15th, 2021, 2:59 pm An interesting thing about ramification is that when you ramify the branching too much, it starts to look contrived.

delisea wrote: ↑September 15th, 2021, 4:10 pm

Rory wrote: ↑September 15th, 2021, 2:59 pm An interesting thing about ramification is that when you ramify the branching too much, it starts to look contrived.

Hi Rory, I'm curious which trees in particular do you find over-ramified on this site? (The site as I see it doesn't have page numbers.) Most to my eye need more ramification.

Cheers,
Symon

Rory wrote: ↑September 15th, 2021, 4:27 pm But its not just the ramification I am talking about. You have stumps with thick primary branches, with one or two off shoots, then a bazillion
"Tim Burton" type branches off of that

delisea wrote: ↑September 15th, 2021, 5:53 pm I would like to see what the Japanese would do with collected deciduous material like this. Are there any examples I wonder?

delisea wrote: ↑September 15th, 2021, 5:53 pm I would like to see what the Japanese would do with collected deciduous material like this. Are there any examples I wonder?

delisea wrote: ↑September 15th, 2021, 5:53 pm I would like to see what the Japanese would do with collected deciduous material like this. Are there any examples I wonder?

SquatJar wrote: ↑September 15th, 2021, 6:10 pm I'm glad you clarified that it's the change in taper and branch characteristic you feel is contrived and not so much too many twigs. I don't think any of these trees have too much ramification. The only time I've seen a bonsai I would label as too ramified would be a few at Kokufu, where they're so dense you can't see through the leafless silhouette.

These collected trees are relatively young, I'd guess around 10-20 years max since collection. I'm guessing the designer has over styled the branches as when the branches fill out, the curves will soften and match the older, thicker branches. Also, and probably more importantly, these trees are for sale, they need to look close to a finished bonsai to sell for higher prices.

And just to show these could all have more ramification and not look contrived, here are some trees that, well, just look like deciduous trees in winter.

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