Page 128 - Tài liệu cây cảnh Bonsai4me Bonsai Basics

Chapter 18 Styling:The Basic Forms

of Bonsai

The basic Japanese tree forms have evolved over the years as a way of
categorising bonsai and also helping to establish basic guidelines for styling
trees. These form definitions are helpful to the beginner to help develop an eye
for different tree shapes and to help define different trunk and branch patterns. It
is very useful for the beginner to start his or her bonsai styling education by
learning these basic forms. However, once learnt, the enthusiast must not make
the mistake of being bound by these definitions either.

Forms Vs Styles
In many textbooks, the following forms are described as bonsai styles,
however there is a strong movement, instigated by Walter Pall, to make a
distinction between the form (according to the predominant feature or direction
of the trunk) and the style (the manner in which the form is displayed), and for
this reason this article follows this re-categorisation by listing bonsai forms.
In summary: The form describes the basic shape of the tree as defined by
trunk, the style describes the the way in which the tree has been styled (for

instance windswept, near or far away from the viewer, naturalistic, classical,
modern or abstract).
Bonsai Forms Described
This is a list of the basic bonsai forms but is by no means a complete list of
all bonsai forms or the many variations of the different forms that exist.
Informal Upright Form

This form is the most commonly seen in Bonsai and in nature. It can be used
for most tree species. The trunk can twist, turn and change direction with a
number of bends along its length though the growth is basically upwards.
Branches tend to emerge from the outside of bends. Branches emerging
directly from the inside of bends often look awkward. The overall silhouette of
an informal upright is often irregularly triangular but does not have to be.
Coniferous species such as Pines and Junipers are often styled with largely
horizontal branching and clearly defined 'clouds' of foliage.