This Japanese hornbeam (Carpinus laxiflora) is from Bonsai Art Magazine (issue 129). I’ll let you provide your own superlatives. No artist’s name is provided for either of the trees shown here, but I’d bet they’re Japanese. I cropped this one for a closer look. The original is below

Our last post was on ramification (aka branching). Now we've got a couple more examples to further illustrate just what a difference good ramification can make

Taking cues from the Japanese once again...  The thing that most separates Japanese bonsai from much of the bonsai in the West is refinement. With deciduous trees this is most obvious when you look at ramification. Particularly the fine almost filagreed branching you see on the tree above
Continued below...

This superlative Crabapple (Malus toringo) is also from Bonsai Art issue 129. If you squint just a bit, you can see a profusion of little apples 

Continued from above...
Deciduous trees develop rapidly but they also lose their shape rapidly. In other words, with the application of some precise pruning and pinching, you can create excellent fine branching on deciduous trees in just a few years. But it’s an ongoing process that requires continued trimming and pinching to maintain. A labor of love, precision and patience

 The original uncropped photo

The other original uncropped photo

 The cover of Bonsai Art issue 129 

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