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Progressions
Juniperus sinensis
 
At the Danish Bonsai Society 30 year anniversary exhibition in 2011 I won the
award for the best display with a shohin display, and part of the winning was
this Juniperus sinensis, Chinese Juniper.
This is a very typical Juniper seen in loads all the time, so if to bring
something out of this material one have to look for something that can make the
tree stand out. With nursery grown twisted Junipers like this (sinensis or the
more compact Japanese Shinpaku Juniper), deadwood is essential.
Deadwood added to the image improves the curled movement, and tells the story of
life versus dead, by the live vein versus the deadwood (Shari at the trunk, Jin
at branches). The live vein is often brushed removing the flaky bark carefully
to leave a clean cinnamon coloured soft live part back, to enhance the contrast
against the white deadwood - dark against white like life against dead.
2011
This Juniperus sinensis has been field or pot grown all its time on a
pre-bonsai nursery with the only aim on selling it to either an enthusiast or a
higher level bonsai nursery who brings out the beauty within.
No deadwood worked yet on this type of material also shows that this is a first level
nursery material, just using propagating and first level development as their speciality.
A tree like this may shift nursery hands two or three times before it reaches a
customer. Each nursery enhances the material with their skills and aimed for
their customers base.
The first task is to look for movement in the trunk. The key feature when
dealing with especially shohin-bonsai is movement. Often straight trunks are
avoided, especially in Japan. Around here you see more straight trunks as bonsai
because we see more of these type of trees in nature.
This trunk has its movement at the lowest part, and the upper part straight
branches are clearly left to grow straight and unchecked to enhance trunk
thickness. These branches are called sacrifice branches, because they will be
removed later on when their trunk thickening task has been fulfilled.
They will either be jinned, shortened, or removed completely.
In this case I will use one for a long jin adding a special elegant and dramatic
feeling to the image.
Late summer. The chosen front is selected. Here the base of the trunk and the
movement seems the best, having in mind the future deadwood helping the twisting
curves to stand out.
This tree is far from the heavily curled expensive Junipers one sees in Japan, so
to bring it further it must be reduced considerably in size to bring out a
visual larger trunk
(the smaller the tree is, the thicker and larger the trunk seems to be).
First step, selecting the branches to stay, and removing all the living growth
from the rest.
A good portion of the now leafless branches are until now staying, in order to
decide how much will be needed for deadwood later in the process.
Top part of jinned branches and shortening of the foliage mass. Leaving some
wood at the lower part instead of removing it to the base at the live trunk ,
secures that the remaining piece of the branch is left to dry out slowly and thereby not harming the
trunk part unnecessarily.
After a few months the dried out branch will be refined and the rest of the then
dried out living tissue and bark is removed until the
point were the former live branch is attached.
This done to avoid drying out or weaken the trunk with a hasty work.
Bigger branches are wired initially at this time, and the first move is made now showing
the potential of this tree.
All trees have their own potential and limits, and it is up to us bringing out
the best possible.
Four months later, a back side view of the tree after its initial first styling.
The front. The size of the trees is now 17
cm from base to top jin, which easily qualifies it for the shohin category, that
goes up to app. 20 cm.
The distance from base to top of the canopy
is just 11 cm.
For some reason many of my shohin ends up in
sizes between 15-17 cm. Not intended, but the material at hand seems to dictate
it to be so.
It is now time to carry out the work of
deadwood. First task is to simply remove the live wood were there are no
connection to upper branches. It is often obvious were the live vein runs full
of water providing water and nutrients to branches above, because the less
active wood is a bit sunken in and harder. Therefore it can safely be removed.
The most active veins shows by being a bit softer (can be felt by pressing into
the wood with a nail). Also the active live veins runs at the outer side of the
curves.
Here it is clear that the outwards running
live vein is thicker and therefore connected with a branch - follow the live
vein around the tree and check if it is connected with branches; it should be. The inwards parts
that lies deeper most often are less functional and can therefore be removed.
Following the live vein around the tree also connects it with the branches seen
in the picture at right.
A jin pliers is used to manually remove
wood by pulling it in the growth direction, to make natural running fissures in
the deadwood.
 "Dremmel"
powertools are used to work the harder deadwood in combinations with hand tools.
(Any other power tool may be fine too).
 First
step of the deadwood work is accomplished, finishing smoothening the surfaces
with a hard steel brush. Often I work on the deadwood several times later on to
refine it. Exposing the deadwood to the sun and environment also adds its
influence on the result, so time is not just a factor when dealing with
development of the live parts of a tree, but time also works on developing even
deadwood on a bonsai (like a tree in nature).
Deadwood first step finished. The line is now clear and next task is on adjusting the living branches.
Small branches unnecessary are removed leaving a piece to dry out slowly, to
avoid any damages on the larger branch it emerges from. Later these leftovers are pruned away or
made into deadwood branches (Jins).
Note the small piece of wire placed in the soil indicating the expected front.
The movement is shown clearly and later when the live wood dries out were cuts
have been made, a refined transition between live and dead wood can be carried
out.
The deadwood will appear better at a later time when completely dried out. That
may happen during a warm summer period within a time frame of one year or more.
Then further carving and refinements can be made.
 All
branches wired, and able to be positioned for now.
First steps finished. Now waiting for the growing season and carefully pinching
along the way, when the leafs grows and fills inn.
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