Saikei the art of

Miniature Landscapes

1

Saikei Presentation Outline

1. What is Saikei (“Sigh – Kay”)

2. How Depth is Created a. Trees

b. Rocks

4. The 5 Style Elements

5. The 9 Rock Styles

6. The Creation Process

7. Some Examples

8. The Rules of Engagement

2

Saikei the art of

Miniature Landscapes

Saikei is the art of creating a miniature living landscape. It utilizes living trees and combines them with rocks, soil, water and related vegetation such as ground cover. Saikei literally translates as “planted landscape”. The planting is done to scale as much as possible and increased depth of view is created with optical illusions such as those used in a stage setting. In bonsai one must wait years for the plant to mature and become a masterpiece. Saikei allows immature plants to be used immediately. As they age and grow to be out of scale with the saikei landscape, they can be removed, replaced and promoted to a bonsai pot. Saikei is the easiest of all bonsai related art forms to accomplish satisfactory results with a minimum amount of time, effort, and knowledge!

3

Saikei Creating Depth

The illusion of depth or distance can be created in the landscape in the same way that a painter or sculptor does – by using the size and placement of objects to trick the eye. Three vantage points – close, middle, and distant are used to create interest and personal involvement.

4

Saikei Creating Depth – Tree Placement

This is a picture of one tree. We cannot tell much about the tree because there are no other objects to use as reference points. This is a picture of two seemingly identical trees. But could one tree actually be larger and further away? Which one? This is also a two tree picture but obviously one tree is in front of the other. Why would the tree in front be the smaller tree? This is a two tree picture with the same layout only the tree on the right appears smaller. What can we say about these two trees? What can we say about this picture?

5

Saikei Creating Depth – Rock Placement

This is a picture of one rock. We cannot tell much about the rock because there are no other objects to use as reference points so it is a pretty boring picture. This is a picture of two seemingly identical rocks. But could one rock actually be larger and further away? Which one? Still pretty boring.

This is also a two rock picture but obviously one rock is in front of the other. Why would the rock in front be the smaller rock? Is the picture starting to create some interest?

This is a three rock picture with the same layout only the rock on the right appears smaller. What can we say about these two rocks? What can we say about the third rock? What can we say about the interest of this picture? Can you see the three vantage points – close, middle, and distance.

6

Saikei Creating Depth – Detail and Color

This is a picture of two identical rocks with different striations. Which rock appears larger? Which rock Appears farther away? This is also a two rock picture but obviously one rock is in front of the other. The striations amplify the perception of distance. Why? Object in the distance tend to be more blue than the same objects nearby.

7

Saikei The Five Elements of Landscape Style

Harmony – is the just adaption of parts to each other so that they create a

connected whole. The opposite is captured by the phrase, “Sticks out like a sore thumb”. The forces of nature shape the objects in a natural landscape. In any given natural landscape the rocks, the trees and the vegetation are all affected by the same forces. The prevailing wind direction, the strength of the wind or the lack of it, the amount of snow or rain, the intensity of the sun all work to sculpt the landscape in a way that is harmonious to our eyes. If a new tree or a rock, for instance, where introduced to the site it would most probably look out of place. It would not be harmonious with the rest of the scene. It would stick out like a sore thumb.

8

Saikei The Five Elements of Landscape Style Consistency – is defined as “a standing together” or “being fixed in union”. It

is the agreement of all the parts of a complex thing with itself. It is congruity.

In nature we do not find cactus and ferns growing together in the woods. Likewise, we do not see orchids growing on oak trees. To create such a landscape would violate the consistency of nature. Every natural landscape has some degree of logic. How did it form? How long ago? How old are the trees? Would you find all these plants together in nature?

The rocks also must have a commonality since they were formed by the same forces. If some rocks are striated , then they all should be. Their colors should be similar, only their size should be different. The Saikei makes sense through repetition and duplication. We reinforce the ideas in the scene by stating them again and again. For example a harsh climate should contain distorted trees, angular rocks, unpolished gravel, lots of jin and lichens instead of moss. On the other hand a wet protected area would have straight trees, rounded rocks, polished gravel, moss, ferns, and lush foliage. 9

Saikei The Five Elements of Landscape Style

Balance – is the mental act of comparing two or more elements against each other.

Without being aware of it, we are constantly weighing and comparing individual components in our everyday experiences. If we feel something is out of balance we feel uncomfortable and have an urge to correct it.

Although the landscape should try to obtain a mix of height, weight, size, and positions, the total result should have a balance point. This is usually consistent with the center of gravity (the balance point) of the Saikei.

When completed, a Saikei should have a center of balance about 1/3 of the way from one side of the container. This creates interest in that it is not symetrical, yet it provides the feeling of being balanced.

Besides weight, height, and size; color and visual movement also contribute to balance and must be considered. For instance if the tree has visual movement from left to right, we tend to place the balance point further to the right. Likewise darker objects carry more weight than lighter.

10

Saikei The Five Elements of Landscape Style

Scale – is the selection of objects by their comparative sizes to create an

illusion of a miniature landscape. Without this proper selection, the illusion will be destroyed. The scale of the landscape must determine the size of the objects in the three vantage points. For example, a rock in the “close” vantage point must be in scale with the rock in the “middle” and the “distant” vantage point in order to portray the correct illusion of the visual distances required.

All the aspects of the landscape material must be considered to create the proper scale. The gravel, for instance, should not look like small boulders or like insignificant sand. Likewise, If the rocks have many cracks and crevices, then the adjacent trees must show a similar amount of twigginess or the scale will appear off.

11

Saikei The Five Elements of Landscape Style

Interest – is the hardest to explain of the five styles. Some definitions

might be: to gain attention, to excite, to engage, to induce one to take part in. Interest is probably the most important of the styles since without interest, the Saikei has no purpose. An unpredictable element in an otherwise dull landscape can make it interesting. Sometimes this is even viewed as a flaw or an imperfection but it is what raises the “whole” from a nice landscape to something of particular interest.

It is the imperfection that grabs the eye and draws one into the scene. It is viewed as “ What the artist has to say.” When designing your Saikei exaggerate your statement to ensure communication to the viewer.

12

Saikei Rock Styles

Animal Stone – Some rocks look like animals. This rock has the shape of

a frog. The frog is looking up at the sky, perhaps at a tasty fly. The frog shape suggests direction by its placement and is more comfortable having the head looking over the majority of the space. Other orientations of the stone are less interesting.

13

Saikei Rock Styles

Square Stone – is characterized by square corners and a bulky

geometrical shape. The top is always presented horizontally and one end should be tilted slightly toward the viewer to give the feeling of depth. This geometry is seldom found in nature and is often presented with complimentary stones to break up the straight lines.

14

Saikei Rock Styles

Slanting Stone – by its shape, placement, and composition suggests

strong movement. It should stand without either visual or actual support. The Slanting Stone points to an object of interest in the scene such as a more important stone, waterfall, cliff, or pavilion. Trees in the scene would also slant in the same direction.

15

Saikei Rock Styles

Sentinel Stone – is a large imposing stone usually found alone and

representing legendary gods or warriors. The face of the stone should be faceted and interesting. Smaller stones are displayed at a comfortable submissive distance. Near by stones are often slanting stones pointing toward the larger more imposing sentinel stone.

16

Saikei Rock Styles

Distant Mountain Stone – Represent a far away peak and brings

great depth to a landscape. Quartz or other light colored stones are used to represent snow. The stone is mounted to be viewed from only one direction and does not have to be large or imposing to represent a mountain as it is far off in the distance.

17

Saikei Rock Styles

Flat Stone – is wider at the bottom than the top. They are used to make

outcroppings at the edge of a pool or as the basis for a small waterfall. They are also used as stands for other objects. It can also portray a sunny warm spot in the landscape. Represent a far away peak and bring great depth to a landscape.

18

Saikei Rock Styles

Stepped Stone – is a bi-level stone and functions as a transition stone.

For example the transition between sloping and flat ground. Another use is to mask an uninteresting part of another larger stone as in the photo on the right.

19

Saikei Rock Styles

Overhanging Stone – is hard to find and of limited value in a

landscape but they can be used to create a dramatic water’s edge or a cliff side for overhanging plants.

20

Saikei Rock Styles

Curved Stone – is utilized to enclose an area because it is more

interesting than straight sided blocks. They are also used to make a transition from one direction to another, for example from north to east. Another common use is the entrance to a water-formed canyon. The curved stone acts as the guardian to the entrance. Two curved stones side by side provide a very interesting canyon, gorge, path, or stream because the end is not visible. A curved stone can also be used to portray a natural bridge.

21

Saikei Rock Styles

Combinations of Stones – The four photos below are combinations of the 9

Stone styles we have just seen. Can you identify the component stones?

22

Saikei The Creation Process

A. Getting the Idea What is the story you want to tell – the message that the

landscape will deliver. Examine the materials you have on hand. Place the stones in various combinations and positions. What scene comes to mind? How can that vision be enhanced. Develop several ideas. Work with the materials to find the best portrayal of each of the prospective landscapes. Chose the one you most would like to create.

B. Drawing the Plan Put your idea on paper. Sketch what you have envisioned.

Make it to scale. Do it in pencil because you will want to change it as you see flaws during the creation. Place the objects on the plan (in the pot) and see if your idea takes shape the way you envisioned it. Check that you have the three vantage points. Make changes to your plan as you go. When you are satisfied, go to the next step.

23

Saikei The Creation Process

C. Constructing the Saikei a. Arrange the rocks in the pot according to the plan. Use cement where necessary. b. While the cement is drying, prepare the trees by reducing the roots and wiring

them for shaping if necessary. c. Place them in the pot according to the plan. Use a temporary object underneath

them if the plan calls for an elevated position. If they will not stand by themselves wire them in using epoxy putty or the holes in the bottom of the pot.

d. Put a layer of coarse bonsai medium on the base of the pot. e. Remove the temporary objects and fill in under the trees where you want higher

elevation with muck. f. Add micronutrients, chelated iron, and rooting compound under the trees. g. Fill in around the trees with bonsai soil and chop stick it in. h. Water in the trees. i. Add accessory plants and mosses. j. Add in any ornaments you wish to include. k. Water the whole planting.

24

Saikei Some Examples - Rocky Plateau

25

Saikei Some Examples – The Outcropping

26

Saikei Some Examples – Shelter Cave

27

Saikei Some Examples – Lava Bear Cave

28

Saikei Some Examples – The Mistake

29

Saikei Some Examples – Wind Swept Rock

30

Saikei Some Examples – Rocky Outcrop

31

Saikei Some Examples – Natural Bridge

32

Saikei Some Examples – Mountain Island

33

Saikei Rules of Engagement

Today

Five club member volunteers will be selected for each of the three project teams. First come first served. The volunteers must commit to being present at the March 16 meeting to be on one of the teams.

the teams will be organized and will be assigned a Saikei pot to design their project around (there are two round pots and one rectangular pot). The teams will then do the preliminary work of idea generation, and design, and then will draw a scale plan of what is to be done. Sample trees and stones are available for inspiration and selection.

34

Saikei Rules of Engagement

On March 16

The three teams will create their Saikei landscapes from the plans made at today’s meeting.

Items such as trees, ground cover, stones, pebbles, gravel, bonsai soil, mud figures, cement, epoxy, wire and other ingredients will all be available.

The finished Saikei landscapes will either be sold at auction, raffled off, or given away pending a decision by the club officers.

35

Saikei References

1. Most of the material in this presentation was taken from Making Bonsai

Landscapes, The art of Saikei by Herb L. Gustafson. The book is available in the Club Library.

2. Florida Bonsai, the 1989 newsletter number 4 of the Bonsai Societies of Florida, Inc. Page 13 – 19. Available from Nanci Strickland

3. Saikei from Wikipedia at Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/saikei is a good background source.

4. A Bonsai Close Up of Saikei by Pauline F. Muth on the internet at pauline@pfmbonsai.com. Lots of good information.

5. A 7 minute video of David Penny creating a Saikei on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cH01T1OqesQ

6. Saikei World, A Blog for the world’s saikei lovers, on the internet at http://internationalsaikei.blogspot.com/

7. Saikei, a website by Diane Miller at http://www.bonsainz.com/btarticles/saikei.html . A brief description and some examples.

8. International Saikei Assn at http://saikei.co.uk/getting_started_in_saikei.html has some good information and some outstanding close up photos.

36