Bonsai Styles and Aesthetic Principles
– Bonsai styles are a set of commonly understood, named designs for bonsai trees.
– These styles describe attributes such as trunk angle, branch configuration, and number of trees in the container.
– Styles serve as shorthand descriptions for bonsai specimens and aid in designing new ones.
– The style system acts as a creative aid, not a dominating constraint, in producing a finished bonsai.
– The species, age, pre-existing shape, and the artist’s preferences influence the final shape of the bonsai.
– The aim of bonsai aesthetics is to create miniature trees that appear aged and mature.
– The bonsai designer manipulates the shape and surfaces of the tree to enhance its apparent age.
– The bonsai is designed to have a defined front from which it is meant to be viewed.
– The quality of the design can be tested by viewing the bonsai from the rear, where it may look awkward or unattractive.
– The designer’s touch should not be apparent to the viewer, with scars and wiring concealed or removed.
– The artist’s touch should not be visible on the bonsai.
– Scars from branch removal are placed at the back of the tree or covered by growing bark.
– Wiring should be removed or concealed when the bonsai is shown.
– The bonsai should leave no permanent marks on the branch or bark.
– The goal is to create the illusion of a naturally shaped tree.
– Guidelines address the balance of visual weight among the trunk, roots, foliage, and branches.
– Recognized tree styles contribute to achieving visual balance.
– Static visual balance can be achieved through symmetry, while dynamic visual balance can arise from asymmetric shapes.
– Negative spaces are shaped and proportioned to appear in balance with the solid elements.
– Bonsai aesthetics overlap with the aesthetics of sculpture in the combination of positive and negative shapes.
– The proportion of the bonsai’s elements should mimic those of a full-grown tree.
– Slender branches with heavy leaves or needles that are out of proportion are avoided.
– A thin trunk with thick branches is also undesirable.
– Flowers and fruit, if present, are not considered flawed if they appear larger than expected.
– Some rules can be bent or broken without destroying the bonsai’s aesthetic impact.
Lignification and Asymmetry
– Lignification enhances the woody-ness of the trunk and branches, giving a mature appearance.
– It encourages rough and dark-colored bark, although some bonsais, like birch trees, attain white color and exfoliating bark.
– The aesthetic technique for lignification varies based on the tree species.
– Bonsai aesthetics discourage strict symmetry in branch and root placement.
– Radial symmetry is broken by the requirement for a clear front.
– Left-right (bilateral) symmetry across the trunk is discouraged.
– Designers alternate branches among different parts of the tree.
– No two branches are placed at the same height or distance from the trunk.
Leaf Reduction
– Leaf reduction is related to the general miniaturization of bonsai.
– Leaves may be allowed to attain full size for years to encourage growth.
– Leaf reduction is desirable before exhibiting a bonsai.
– It is achieved through pruning and sometimes total defoliation.
– Conifer needles are more difficult to reduce than other foliage.
Nebari
– Nebari, also known as buttressing, is the visible spread of roots above the growing medium at the base of a bonsai.
– Nebari helps bonsai seem grounded and mature.
– It gives the appearance of a full-sized tree.
– Nebari adds to the overall aesthetic appeal.
Ramification
– Ramification is the splitting of branches and twigs into smaller ones.
– It is encouraged by pruning and can be integrated with leaf reduction practices.
– Ramification helps create a more refined and intricate appearance.
– It adds to the overall aesthetic beauty of the bonsai. Source URL:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonsai_aesthetics
