Spruce is one of the most demanding species in bonsai world. If one want to keep the spruce in order, in right way developing towards perfection - it needs a LOT of work. It is difficult and time-consuming when wiring, it doesn't like to be touched, it needs sharp timing at candle pinching and shoots cutting. Not easy tree huh? But, in the other hand, it has also many good features: it is easy to collect, it has flexible branches, short needles ... So, it is still very good species for bonsai. One just need to find a good starting material. And this weeks we, at TORA international bonsai school, had opportunity to work on a really good one! Miha brought a big, more than 100 yrs old spruce in the studio. Fantastic tree, with incredible energy, as it accumulated in it in over a century time. This is a mother of all spruces!
Smreka je ena zahtevnejših vrst v bonsajskem svetu. Če jo človek hoče obdržati v formi, na pravi poti pri razvoju proti perfekciji - zahteva res ogromno dela. Je zahtevna pri žičenju, zahteva ogromno časa, nima rada dotikanja, natančni moramo biti pri tajmingu vršičkanja in rezanja vršičkov. Težko drevo, kaj? Toda, po drugi strani, ima tudi veliko dobrih lastnosti: lahko jo je izkopati, ima prožne veje, kratke iglice ... Torej, še vedno je to dobra vrsta za bonsaj. Samo dober začetni materijal je treba najti! In v zadnjih tednih smo v šoli TORA imeli priložnost delati na res dobri smreki. Miha je v atelje prinesel veliko, več kot 100 let staro smreko. Fantastično drevo z neverjetno energijo, ki se je v njej nabirala več kot stoletje. To je mati vseh smrek!
THE SPRUCE, as arrived to atelier
First we thought not to style it, just to open it and let the sun and air in to crown. Prepare it for next year. But further analysis showed that complete first styling is possible and Miha decided to go all the way! And work that lasted for many hours, days and weeks, started!
Najprej smo razmišljali o tem, da je ne bi oblikovali, ampak samo odprli in spustili v krošnjo zrak in svetlobo. Jo pripravili za drugo leto. Toda nadaljna analiza je pokazala, da je oblikovanje mogoče in Miha se je odločil, da gremo do konca! Začelo se je dolgotrajno delo, ki je trajalo ure, dneve in tedne!
We went branch by branch, Miha wired one, we styled it, then we moved forward. And along the way we cut all the unneeded branches. Miha turned them in to jins. At one point almost all students of TORA international bonsai school laid hand on it and help to wire a little bit!
Lotili smo se je vejo po vejo. Miha jo je ožičil, potem smo jo oblikovali in šli naprej. Spotoma smo odrezali vse nepotrebne veje. Miha jih je oblikoval v džine. Skoraj vsi študentje TORE so tu in tam vsaj malce pomagali pri žičenju!
At all times we keep the crown moist, also our hands weren't dry. This is the most important thing at wiring the spruce!
Ves čas smo krošnjo vlažili, tudi naše roke niso bile suhe. To je pri žičenju smreke zelo pomembno!
Miha almost there! Just one branch to go!
And then, after weeks of hard work, the first styling was done! Miha did a great job! This is a fantastic spruce with such a great future! If we think that this is only a first styling, we can imagine what a tree this will be with all jins treated and with crown matured! Masterpiece!
In potem, po tednih trdega dela, je bilo prvo oblikovanje končano! Miha je naredil odlično delo! To je fantastična smreka z izjemno prihodnostjo. Če samo pomislimo, da je to šele prvo oblikovanje in da morajo biti še vsi džini obdelani in da mora krošnja dozoreti ... Mojstrovina!
Spraying all the time!
The final result after first styling
