Mountain and Water

Author: Ma Wenqi (Compiler)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-06-01
Features: If you use a large piece of stone to carve several peaks into a bonsai, you should first consider the main peak. Choose the most beautiful part of the stone as the main peak because the main peak is the core of the landscape bonsai, and its quality is the key to the success or failure of the bonsai. Of course, the secondary peaks and supporting peaks cannot be ignored. If the secondary peaks and supporting peaks are well-handled, they can better complement the main peak, but be careful not to let the supporting elements overshadow the main one. The guest should follow the host.
2. Carving: When making a landscape bonsai, whether it is "carving according to the stone" or "selecting the stone according to the idea," generally speaking, soft-stone materials rarely meet the needs of the shape. Even for most natural-textured stones, there are still some undesirable parts, so carving is necessary. Cut a piece of soft-stone mountain rock into several pieces. The cut surfaces are very flat, and long straight lines are not aesthetically pleasing. Except for the side that contacts the pot, the other surfaces should be carved and processed to be uneven, showing a natural appearance. In the process of making a landscape bonsai, carving is used less frequently than cutting (because hard-stone materials are rarely carved), but carving techniques require more precision and are harder to master. Without certain practical experience, it is difficult to achieve a skillful and refined level. Therefore, bonsai creators must not only have some theoretical knowledge but also practice diligently, with relatively rich practical experience, to carve the textures of various mountain rocks.
(1) Carving mountain rocks can be divided into overall carving and local carving. The first is overall carving. This means that all the textures on the mountain rock are carved. Using floating stone to make a landscape bonsai is basically this situation. During overall carving, use a small mountain knife to first lightly carve the general outline of the peaks and ridges. This step is very important because it will affect the overall shape of the scene. Carving mountain rocks is similar to painting rocks in Chinese painting, at least three sides must be carved, namely the front and the two sides. If the landscape bonsai is to be placed in the middle of a hall or if a high-quality landscape bonsai is being made, the front, back, left, right, and top of the mountain rock should all be carved. When carving, start with light cuts and then deepen them, first carving a rough shape and then refining it. The Yuan Dynasty painter Huang Gongwang wrote in "Writings on Landscape Painting" that "the method of painting rocks starts with light ink, which can be corrected and saved, gradually using thicker ink." Carving the textures on mountain rocks should also be done this way, from light to deep, gradually completing the work. When carving the textures of the nearby peaks, it should be finely carved with deeper textures; for distant mountains, it is not advisable to carve too finely, just rough-cut to outline the shape, with lighter and blurred textures, rough and round, which is better. The ancient painter Jing Hao wrote in "On Landscape Painting" that "distant mountains have no rocks, subtly like eyebrows." This means that when painting distant mountains, the rock veins are not painted, just draw the shape of the rocks as faint eyebrows. This artistic principle also applies to carving distant mountains in bonsai. The second is local carving. This means that only part or most of the textures and ridges of the mountain rock are good, and only some parts need to be carved. For example, reed pipe stone has natural textures, and the cut surfaces are very flat and not aesthetically pleasing after cutting. In this case, the flat stone surface should be carved to be uneven, as close as possible to the original textures of the mountain rock.
(2) There are many methods for carving textures on mountain rocks, and the commonly used methods are as follows:
① Carving textures with a small mountain knife: Hold the small mountain knife steady and aim accurately. Depending on the needs, sometimes use the knife-shaped end for carving and sometimes use the pointed conical end. The commonly used soft-stone material, reed pipe stone, has an uneven hardness, and different parts of a single mountain rock may have different hardness levels. When starting to carve, gently test a few times to understand the hardness before applying moderate force. If you use too much force, it is easy to break a large piece of mountain rock. Large pieces of mountain rock should be placed on a workbench or table before carving with a small mountain knife; small soft-stone materials can be carved with one hand holding the mountain rock and the other hand holding the small mountain knife. As shown in Figure 5-14(1).
② Carving textures with a small hammer and small steel rod: Some beginners in making landscape bonsai may not aim accurately or control the force well when carving textures with a small mountain knife, often chipping off a large piece of the mountain rock. To solve this problem, you can use a small hammer and small steel rod to carve textures on the mountain rock. The size of the small hammer and the thickness of the steel rod should be determined according to the desired texture thickness and the size of the mountain rock. It is better if both ends of the steel rod are the original cross-sections. When carving textures, most people hold the steel rod in the left hand and the small hammer in the right hand, with the lower end of the steel rod at a 45° angle to the mountain rock. Use the hammer to strike the upper end of the steel rod. This method ensures accurate aiming and better force control. As shown in Figure 5-14(2).
③ Carving textures with a hammer and steel chisel on harder mountain rocks: Carving textures on harder mountain rocks is difficult, and large-scale texture carving is generally not done. Sometimes, it is used occasionally to repair certain shortcomings of the mountain rock. The size of the steel chisel used should be appropriate and must be sharp. Most people hold the steel chisel in the left hand and the hammer in the right hand, striking the upper end of the steel chisel. The force should be moderate, and strikes should be made one after another. Otherwise, the mountain rock may easily break. As shown in Figure 5-14(3).
④ Carving textures with a steel saw blade: On softer mountain rocks, such as a stone type produced in Danyang City, Jiangsu Province, which is dark gray and mostly strip-like, except for the softer parts, the texture shape is similar to that of fangpi stone. On this type of stone, you can use a steel saw blade to carve textures. When carving, the force should be heavy in some places and light in others, so that the textures vary in thickness and depth, appearing natural. This method can also be used to carve textures on floating stone. As shown in Figure 5-14(4).
⑤ Carving textures at the base of the mountain: In a landscape bonsai, the base of the mountain refers to the part where the peaks and ridges meet the pot surface. When carving textures on the peaks and ridges, it is generally from the peak upward and the base downward. Use a small mountain knife to carve from top to bottom. However, when carving textures near the base of the mountain, if you still carve from top to bottom, it is easy to chip off a piece of the mountain rock at the base, making it unattractive. When carving textures at the base of the mountain, the base should be upward, and the peak should be downward, so that the carving can be done gently. As shown in Figure 5-14(5). When carving textures on mountain rocks that retain natural textures, if textures are carved in areas without natural textures, it is essential to ensure that the newly carved textures match the natural textures. If a mountain rock has a variety of textures, it will not only appear unnatural but also unattractive. The textures on the inverted parts of soft-stone materials should be carved before cutting and processing the inversion. If textures are not carved before processing, it is easy to break the inverted part after it is made.
(3) Carving caves on mountain rocks: Caves on mountain rocks are divided into two types: one is for viewing, and the other is for planting plants in the future. Both types of caves on soft-stone materials are completed during the carving process. Hard-stone materials are difficult to carve caves. If the viewing cave is expanded, it is also done in this step. The caves for planting plants in hard-stone bonsai are often completed during the bonding process.
(1) Carving caves for planting plants on the peaks of soft-stone materials is often done at the lower part of the peaks. This is because soft-stone materials themselves have poor strength. If large caves are carved at the waist of the mountain, the peaks are more likely to break. The caves for planting plants should have a large belly and a small mouth, so that more soil can be placed in the cave, which is beneficial for the growth of plants. The mouth of the cave should be appropriately small to facilitate viewing. As shown in Figure 5-15.
(2) Carving viewing caves on the peaks of soft-stone materials is often done at the lower part of the peaks. Sometimes, it is also done at the middle of the peaks. The shape of the caves is varied (avoid circular or square shapes). Caves can not only adjust the center of gravity but also enhance the beauty of the mountain scene. However, there should not be too many caves on the peaks, generally 1-2 are sufficient. Too many caves will make the scene fragmented and lack a sense of unity. The caves on the peaks are often irregular and have certain curves, giving the viewer a sense of depth and mystery, deepening the artistic conception of the landscape bonsai. As for where to carve the caves on the peaks, it should be flexibly determined according to the idea and the shape of the peaks. As shown in Figure 5-16.
(3) Carving viewing caves on soft-stone materials is generally done first by using a small chisel to drill a small hole at the center of the cave, which can fit a steel saw blade. Place the steel saw blade in the small hole and saw outwards according to the design, expanding the cave to meet the requirements. Alternatively, a drill can be used to drill a hole at the center of the cave. Then, place the steel saw blade in the hole and saw outwards to the design requirements. Carving caves with a steel saw blade is less likely to shake the mountain rock and is more accurate than using a small chisel.