Bonsai trunk cleaning technique
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The trunk part of the bonsai tree is the most dazzling and expressive component that connects the top of the crown to the base of the tree stake. The importance of its position is like our human body shape, whether its external image is beautiful or not directly affects the superiority or inferiority, taste high or low of the bonsai work, and even becomes the key to the success or failure of the entire work.
What essential conditions should the external image of the trunk part have to make it the most beautiful and perfect? The beauty of the trunk is in the eyes of the beholder, and there are many answers. However, the author still believes that there is much consensus on the perception of the beauty of the trunk. In the author's own mind, the ideal trunk must meet the following conditions:
Firstly, the trunk part, from the tree head to the crown, should change naturally and smoothly from bottom to top. The lower part of the trunk should connect naturally with the root plate, the base明显比上部粗大, and the changes are significant, the main trunk is round and does not rot. Nature often creates some unusual trees unexpectedly, some of which are larger at the top and smaller at the bottom, with strange shapes that are also beautiful enough to make people admire, so the beauty of bonsai should not only summarize its commonality but also not exclude its individuality.
Secondly, although there are thousands of changes, turns, curves, and twists, there should be a clear rhythm and natural vitality. A straight trunk is tall and upright, a slanted trunk is elegant and graceful, a cliff-style trunk has turning changes like a dragon winding, a double trunk has changes in thickness, high and low; a forest of trees has clear main and secondary parts, with thick and thin changes, high and low discrepancies------- In short, no matter what form, the characteristics of the main trunk should be distinct.
Thirdly, from the root plate part to the trunk to the large branch support, it should be naturally formed, with no signs of artificial sawing or cutting scars. Even though it is an artificial scar, after more than ten years of planting and cultivation, it has completely healed, looking like a natural formation, with the wound mouth resembling a horse eye, very perfect, and the calcified part is natural and vivid, difficult to find traces of artificial carving.
Fourthly, the bark color should be fresh and lustrous, showing its natural color, full of vitality. Well-maintained bonsai have a bright and moisturized bark color on the trunk part, and there should be no dust, soil, or other debris on the bark, clean and refreshing.
The above points are the author's insights into the aesthetics of the trunk. However, in our practice of making bonsai, it is difficult to find a perfect trunk. In reality, we often have to face many trees with obvious defects in the trunk part, which requires us to use our brains, think of ways, and use all plant shaping techniques to make up for and transform them.
In years of practice in bonsai art creation, the author has summarized the following technical methods for transforming the trunk of a bonsai tree, which can be used to gradually transform the defects and shortcomings of the main trunk of the tree according to the material, making the unattractive parts of the trunk slowly become beautiful.
1. Clear sawing method
Often, we can see many branches on the main trunk of a bonsai that we consider unattractive, such as opposite branches, flat branches, weak branches, top branches, shaded branches, intersecting branches, double branches at one point, and multiple branches on one line... The appearance of these branches not only affects the beauty of the main trunk but also hinders the development of the tree's momentum, making the lines of the main trunk smooth. For the above-mentioned defective branches, after careful analysis and comparison, we should cut them decisively. Cut off the weak and shaded branches, remove one of the opposite branches, and take off the top branches. (Opposite and top branches are common in Japanese and (T-W) bonsai, and their pursuit of symmetrical balance has its characteristics, but our Chinese bonsai also has our aesthetic principles and does not need to imitate.) Remove the weaker branches from double branches at one point and retain the stronger branches or those with the most ideal direction and angle. Cut and compare while looking, and you will find that the originally complicated branches on the main trunk, after several rounds of sawing, have been optimized, and the main trunk is indeed cleaner and more flowing, slimmer, with contours and lines.
2. Excision to remove swelling method
In the practice of bonsai creation, we often encounter some bonsai with very flat, swollen, and stiff cuts on the wound parts of the main trunk where a thicker double branch or one of them has been cut off. Also, some bonsai trees, due to their growth in special conditions, such as a branch growing too long in one part, also make a part of the main trunk abruptly thick, making the main trunk look swollen and unattractive, and the shape of the main trunk is very unsmooth.
When encountering such defects in the main trunk, we can use the excision to remove swelling method to apply the technique accordingly, removing and decorating the swollen part of the main trunk. Manual carving or electric carving machines can be used, the technique should be natural and accurate, and the bark should be injured as little as possible. After carving, it should be smooth and coordinated, achieving the effect of a deadwood trunk. (Only natural deadwood trunks are the models for our carved swollen scars.) We should not imitate some unnatural methods of overseas deadwood trunks. I think that natural deadwood trunks are the most beautiful and suggest that everyone observe the natural calcified parts of trees such as节白蜡,博兰, 榆, 三角枫,朴树, 雀梅, 榴木, etc. Although different from the natural deadwood of ancient cypresses, they will also make you admire the magic work of nature. After carving, the defect is gone. Only the new wound is not elegant and needs to heal over time. The bark part can be coated with sealant, and the carved part can be coated with a preservative to prevent decay. Given time, it will become natural and beautiful.
3. Survival of the fittest method
In bonsai trees, we often see several branches intertwined, which at first glance are difficult to distinguish between main and secondary, and it is hard to determine which is the main trunk, which is secondary, which is high, and which is low. Such situations are often seen in multi-trunk or forest bonsai. When encountering such trunks, we can use the survival of the fittest method. When the trunks are intertwined, the most important thing is to first find the most attractive, tallest, and thickest trunk with no serious defects, no thick at the top and thin at the bottom, and no rotting. Once the main trunk is determined, the secondary trunks that conflict with the main trunk in direction and angle are considered inferior. After the main trunk is identified, the viewing side is also determined, and the trunks overlapping with the main trunk are cut off. After repeated review and cutting, the remaining trunks have a relationship of front and back, thickness, height, and main and secondary, and whether you retain a single or an odd number of trunks, as long as they are coordinated and reasonable in direction, angle, depth, and front and back, the shaping purpose is achieved.
When using the survival of the fittest method to shape, the author must be extremely careful and must look accurately at the direction before cutting. Once cut wrong, there is no way to make up for it.
4. Scar excavation and carving method
For rough wood bonsai trees such as节白蜡, 溥兰,榆, 三角枫,朴树, 雀梅, 榴木, etc., it is often seen that the main trunk parts are full of scars, rotten cavities, and short stubs all over the tree, making the main trunk look very wild and rough, without spirit, and unattractive, and there is no natural flow of lines.
This kind of unhealthy state of the main trunk of a bonsai tree can be treated with the scar excavation and carving method to shape the diseased tree body. Patiently and carefully cut off and remove each residual branch and stub, dig out the decayed wood in the tree cavity, slightly apply carving techniques to make the cavity scar natural and vivid, and treat all scars and wounds with a挖剪 or carving knife, then apply sealant to the wound. For the carved tree cavity or large wound, apply a preservative. Given time, as the tree grows, the scars on the tree will gradually heal, and the trunk will look natural and flowing.
5. Tree body cleaning method
Generally speaking, many bonsai trees, as time goes by, accumulate a lot of dust, soot, and other debris on the bark. The accumulation of gray debris buries the natural color of the bark, affecting the beauty of the trunk and hindering the breathing of the bark, affecting the normal growth of the tree. In such cases, the tree body cleaning method can be applied to give the bonsai tree a bath. Use a special copper brush to carefully remove the dust, soot, and debris from the bark of the trunk. When cleaning, the brush should be used along the grain of the wood and should not be used horizontally, as this can easily injure the branches. Avoid using too much force to avoid scratching the bark. In addition to this method, a high-pressure cleaning water gun can also be used to carefully wash and clean the tree body, removing dirt and restoring the natural color of the bark, making it fresh. If you often use this method to clean trees like 九里香, (T-W)罗汉松, 真柏, 刺柏, etc., you will find that after a bath, the tree is as bright and refreshing as a person.
The above introduces the comprehensive knowledge explanation of bonsai trunk cleaning technique, hoping it can help you.