Deadwood Tearing v Carving
Bonsai Time Podcast
Guests Will Baddeley & Rob Hoffman
Trees and styles may follow Highland or Lowland deadwood. Highland created by harsh climate, snow, and wind. Lowland may be due to rot and age.
Can use both techniques on the same tree if done well.
Tearing is possible on greenwood or softer wood like junipers or pines. Must be live wood and not dead. Gives the appearance of a recent tear or break.
Chiseling, followed by tearing off the wood along the grain.
Softer or rounded grains depicts more age.
Deciduous prefers carving with power tools. Otherwise it looks too torn and fresh. Chiseling can create cracks and fissures that lead to wood rot. Carving prevents that.
Deciduous must not let water sit inside or it will lead to rot, so ensure that waters freely drains or runs off the tree.
Carves straighter wood without much movement or innate texture. Can shape the exterior shape with the grain and some variation, but always in the direction of the grain.
Scale can be considered as well: you can carve creatively on a straight branch more on a large tree but a small tree will magnify any difference in grain.
Boxwoods, Elms and some deciduous may be more spongy or can be torn when green—but generally carves deciduous.
Don’t carve every tree. Not always necessary. Carves a handful out of his collection of 50, for example.
To clean up scars or branches, does not always require deadwood—can smooth out and encourage it to heal over—depending on the species. If it calluses fast, may heal over well.
Wood preservation
Especially for deciduous, can use resins or Wet Rock wood hardeners can give deciduous longevity, but most important to ensure water runs off.
Lime sulfur—leaves a white finish, that is too stark for his taste. Prefers to water down 50% to get a silvery patina. Don’t apply just before a show, give it time.
Never uses lime sulfur on deciduous. He does not prefer using dyes or coloring. Carve deeper to add shade. In nature it is rare to see a dark inside, other than differences in light.