AusBonsai

AABC – SALVATORE LIPORACE - Act 2
Notes taken from Salvatore Liporace’s second demonstration at the AABC 23rd National Bonsai Conference held in Sydney in May 2010. He was working on a conifer.

BONSAI SIZES
Wikipedia lists the following bonsai sizes:
Small
Shohin – Gafu 13-20 cm
Shohin – Komono up to 18 cm
Shohin – Myabi 15-25 cm
Medium
Kifu 20-30 cm but 21-35 cm from http://www.shohin-europe.com website
Large
Chuhin 40-60 cm [Salvatore said “up to 45 cm’]
http://www.shohin-europe.com goes on to say: “these bonsai sizes are general and basic guidelines because there are no official and exact classifications regarding sizes. In the case of exhibitions it is the judges or the exhibition organiser who selects the standards”.

There is an unreasonable difference between some of the names/measurements that Salvatore quoted as opposed to the information above so I gather this is a subject open to individual interpretation and finaled by what a catalogue states for per class.

It is very important to proportion the bonsai to the thickness of its trunk. It is easy to do a basic shape because the tree has good branching. The tree as it is is too tall. Usually when we get this size we reduce the tree. In a big show you would not show 20cm trees against 45 cm trees. Big bonsai can’t compete with smaller ones. [so he acknowledges that big bonsai ARE shown!].

The second branch on the demo tree is growing the wrong way. If it were my tree I would cut the branch off and graft a branch in a more suitable position. The branch angle is not harmonious with the trunk and it has an unnatural way of bending. We have to decide if we keep the first or the second branch – we can’t keep both. It is important that when you buy a tree you chose a tree with harmonious branches.

Last 15 years things have changed in Europe – smaller bonsai is ‘in’. Australians need to retrain into doing different sizes. When you look at a bonsai think of a man or woman with really long legs – you can see they are out of proportion.

If you have jin the jin has the be in proportion to the tree. You cannot have a big jin on a small tree.

You can have beautiful bonsai from any tree as long as you cut it down and style it in proportion to the trunk thickness.

Literati must have at least seven different bends to be nice. It needs an important trunk and should show age. Jins and shari must look quite old. Branches should be very close to the trunk. Often people want to make a literati but it is not really a literati – it is just an ugly tree.

Junipers – put some pieces of charcoal on the soil surface to make the tree needles shiny and healthy.

Putting Lime Sulphur on copper wire once it is on the tree deadens the colour and it blends better with the tree. This is important for showing.

Grafting - When you are grafting a branch don’t do a vertical cut on the tree, do a slanting cut. Graft at the end of winter and then put the grafted tree in a place with high humidity and temperatures from 18-20 degrees. Usually after one year the graft has taken. In summer protect the tree from strong sun and dry conditions.

Bonsai: Strength with elegance. Compact to proportion. Proper space between branches

[quote="MelaQuin"]AABC – SALVATORE LIPORACE - Act 2
Notes taken from Salvatore Liporace’s second demonstration at the AABC 23rd National Bonsai Conference held in Sydney in May 2010. He was working on a conifer.

Literati must have at least seven different bends to be nice. It needs an important trunk and should show age. Jins and shari must look quite old. Branches should be very close to the trunk. Often people want to make a literati but it is not really a literati – it is just an ugly tree.

At the risk of starting another BUN fight. I find this statement quite erroneous. Considering he studied under Kimura. If you are fortunate enough to have access to Kokufu Books or you have some Auction Catalogs, you might even have a copy of Masahiko Kimuras book or both the Magic of Kimura.

There are quite a number of very nice Bunjingi that do not have said seven different bends.

I do suspect that something was lost in the interpritation.

Cheers Pup

Pup wrote:

MelaQuin wrote:AABC – SALVATORE LIPORACE - Act 2
Notes taken from Salvatore Liporace’s second demonstration at the AABC 23rd National Bonsai Conference held in Sydney in May 2010. He was working on a conifer.

Literati must have at least seven different bends to be nice. It needs an important trunk and should show age. Jins and shari must look quite old. Branches should be very close to the trunk. Often people want to make a literati but it is not really a literati – it is just an ugly tree.

At the risk of starting another BUN fight. I find this statement quite erroneous. Considering he studied under Kimura. If you are fortunate enough to have access to Kokufu Books or you have some Auction Catalogs, you might even have a copy of Masahiko Kimuras book or both the Magic of Kimura.

There are quite a number of very nice Bunjingi that do not have said seven different bends.

I do suspect that something was lost in the interpritation.

Cheers Pup

Could it be possible that your right with the lost in interpretation and he actually meant 'several bends'?
Like when people say they have several bonsai, they don't specifically mean seven but a couple more than a few
One of those kind of statements possibly?
I personally don't mind either way what he said (seven/several) but it could be something along those lines..

Thanks for act 2 Lee. I too recall the "at least seven bends for literati" statement. Cheers.

Watto wrote:Thanks for act 2 Lee. I too recall the "at least seven bends for literati" statement. Cheers.

7 bends is correct with one being a major feature! Thats what the man said.

I know he said 7 because I bolted out at interval to count the bends in my literati juniper and the beast has 8... so 'Dragon Rising' is legit and 'not ugly'!!

Oh well, there goes that idea.

Literati must have at least seven different bends to be nice. It needs an important trunk and should show age. Jins and shari must look quite old. Branches should be very close to the trunk.

With the Literati Contest 2009 still running, I wonder if the above definition is going to be used as a criterion for judging the contestants' trees. Anyway, I bet that all who entered a tree are now frantically counting the bends in it. No kidding, that's what I'd be doing if I was in that position.
I never heard of the canon of 7 bends before and wonder who came up with it, and how he or she reached that precise number as the ideal one. Anyway, it seems to have been set as an unbendable rule.
When one looks through the many images of classical Chinese and Japanese landscape paintings, one notices that generally the trees are depicted with quite curved, sometimes twisted or tortured trunks. However, I found in my bonsai pics file the image below, which was used once as an illustration for an article on literati. I also add a photo of a jack pine literati that belonged to a friend.
How do they sit with the rule defined above?

Lisa

G,day as one of the three Judges in the said competition. I have not been to fussed at that remark as I stated I believe it to be erroneous. As I stated, but I might cop flak for that remark as well.
It will however have no influence of my interpretation of what is and what is not pleasing as a Bunjingi Bonsai. As I stated I have seen many nice Bunjingi bonsai without the said seven different bends.

One that was awarded the Best classical in the 1st national bonsai exhibition of American Bonsai in 2008. Was a bunjingi JBP by Mike Page that tree caused a lot of controversy. I must admit it does nothing for me, JMO though.

The Judges were from Japan Seiji Mormae, Peter Warren USA Pedro Morales.
It does not have the bends maybe that is why it caused the rukus

Cheers Pup

Ease off guys... we all agree... a lot of what Sally said doesn't seem to cut the mustard. If he rules that the only bonsai that are bonsai are under 45 cm... fine for him. We will believe what we want. If he says a literati has to have 7 bends to be attractive maybe his does but that's not what a lot of us feel. So we learn a bit and shrug our shoulders a bit.... well every man is entitle to his opinion whether the majority agree or not.....

Maybe he is playing mind games with you all.. A bonsai with one big bend could have several small bends within the overall larger bend, so it would all be subjective of the viewer..

30 triangles

23???

Hey Lisa My Literati entry does looks quite similar to the one you show there.
it is a Callistimon and most definitely does not have 7 bends in it. Does that mean I should withdraw it from the comp seeing as it does not adhere to the "7 bend Rule" of Literati ?

Like pup said, I have never heard of this either

Scythe I count 27

Ken

I agree with Ken - 27

Gee - I got to get a life !