Page 33 - BSAM 2015 Q1

Branches are directed towards the front, the rear and sides (see direction of the arrows in Figure 3) to create an unobstructed view of the forest inside.
Following this simple plan, as described above, avoids serious mistakes in the construction of a forest. However, there are endless possibilities to adapt this approach, keeping in mind a forest can be “open” or “closed”, seen from a distance or up close, and depict either a young forest or an old one.
A “closed” forest means that the miniature bonsai provide no image other than what we actually see.
An “open” forest, instead, planted on soil or stones with mounds and depressions, with moss or sandy areas, with or without plants in the understory, and branches and trunks properly placed, allow the viewer to imagine rivers, lakes, cliffs, moraines.... which, al- though not present are emphasized and evoked by the composition.
We must also consider that the forest expresses a personal feeling and is an interpretation of nature, and therefore, there are infinitely many aspects in its con- struction that appeal to the sensitivity of the bonsai artist and are not possible to list.
Top; The first step was to find the material suitable for the styling. The plants are well matched for size and quantity.
Middle; A natural sandstone slab was worked a little to improve its profile, visible in the photo as the lighter parts of the stone.
Bottom; After removing trees from growing pots I arranged and rearranged them over and over again on the slab, until I saw the solution that was close to what I had in mind.
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