Your Place to Bonsai!

This style is to express the basic tree form growing straight and the trunk gets thinner as it goes up.

Key points to make this shape

1. the first Branch from the bottom must locate at 1/3 or 1/4 of the height of the tree.

2. the basic techniques to make bonsai look old is to slant the branch downwards because of the weight of the branch itself and the leaves

3. consecutive branches must alternate from side to side. (If the first branch is growing from the left, the second branch must be on the right side.)

4. the space between second and third branch must be 1/2 of the first branch space

5. it's better if the the first and second branch is growing slightly towards the front. (figure2) This gives the bonsai the feeling as if it's hugging the viewer.( but don't let the branches point to  the front. this is against the basic branch rules.)

6. the spaces between each branches from the third branch to the one at the top should be smaller as it goes up.

First and second branch should be slightly growing towards the front

The third and fourth branches can be located in any position.  The picture shows an example of how to place the third and fourth branches in order to create more visual depth to the bonsai.

Recommended trees for this style

pine tree, Japanese cypress, Japanese cedar

view upright style image (external site)