Art Of Bonsai
by Futaba Ling
http://www.futababonsai.com
Bonsai is the art of planting and cultivating trees in a pot
and shaping for a selected color, texture and shape.
"Bonsai" translates from Japanese to mean "tray planting",
but bonsai has evolved over the centuries to an art form.
The tree is shaped in very intricate styles over a period
of time until the desired shape is achieved. Once the
initial shape has been obtained the tree is continually
trimmed and shaped to keep the designed shape. Bonsai is
an interesting hobby that takes some time to perfect but
once you get the general idea you can make some wonderful
bonsai creations.
Before you start trimming and shaping your tree, you should
have a good idea of what you want to end up with. Even the
most experienced in bonsai creation start with a picture in
their minds. It's important to start with a good conceptual
design. Remember that your goal is to create a tiny,
beautiful tree. As you increase your skills you'll be able
to let some of your own personality show.
If you decide to try bonsai, prepare yourself first. Read
all the information you can find and look for pictures to
help you decide which designs appeal to you. You might even
find bonsai shows or nurseries to visit. Purchase your
supplies for as little as possible when you get ready to
start your first project. Since you may have to make several
attempts before you learn it correctly, you won't be
throwing away a lot of money.
There are two basic bonsai styles that you want to get to
know. The first is the "koten", or classic bonsai. The
second is the "bunjin", or informal bonsai. The classic
bonsai has a tree that is wider at the bottom and tapers
off at the top, while the informal bonsai works in the
opposite way, with the bottom of the tree being more narrow
and the top wider.
Once you have an understanding of these basic bonsai styles
you can move on to the many variations that have been
created over the years by other bonsai hobbyists. As your
experience with the basic bonsai structures develops, you
can add some style of your own to your next creation.
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