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Thu, Jul 23, 09 at 19:51
| I was reading about and admiring some Marc Nolanders trees. Many of his bonsai have beautiful Shari and jin.
How does he get the gray, white, or beige driftwood color on his bonsai. When I apply Lime sulfer all I get is a yellow color. Paul |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Paul, your lime sulfur will weather out to a dead white in a few weeks. You can make it more silver grey by adding India ink or black water color pigment to the lime sulfur. Another trick is to paint black water color pigment into any cracks or depressions before applying the lime sulfur. After the lime sulfur has dried and weathered blend the darker colors with a wire wheel on a dremel. |
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| Some of them are 2 years old with no change. I have been using "Bonide" lime sulfur. Does that make a difference? Is there a special bonsai lime sulfur? Do the tree's have to be in the Sun? One of the Bonsai focus mags said use a diluted water paint. If true would that be mixed with the lime sulfur, or Put on before, or after? Is it applied more than once to get a driftwood color? How often? Am I being a pest or what? Paul |
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| I'm surprised that they haven't turned white by now. I don't think the brand of lime sulfur would make a differenct but the amount of sun probably will. Bonsai are best grown outdoors and should get at least 3-4 hrs. of sun a day, more for some species like junipers and pines. I mix pigment with my lime sulfur and apply about once a year. It is a preservative also and keeps fungus from rotting the wood. Try wetting the wood before you apply the lime sulfur. I have heard that that will speed up the bleaching process. |
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| Jack I think my big problem is lack of sun. My back yard is a small condo yard running east and west with a big pine and a small 2 story family home in front blocking most of the sun. I have had to put my pines and tropicals on top of a small shed roof in order to get enough sun. Most of my plants get an hour or two of sun and 2 or three hours of filtered sun. I will now wet before the lime sulfur is applied What color pigment do you use and how much? That might be a big help. And thanks for your help. Paul |
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| Hi Paul, Pour 1/2 inch of straight lime sulfur into the bottom of a tea cup and add 5-6 drops of India ink. Start with that and check in a few days to see if the color looks ok. If not adjust until you get the effect you want. If you can't find India ink any acrylic paint from a hobby store will be ok. It comes in small bottles of different colors. I keep black, and brown around for this kind of thing. I should mention something else at this point. You can also get a grey color by scorching the jins and shari with a small propane torch. Be sure to protect the live bark with wads of modeling clay. Branches and foliage should be protected with wet toweling covered with aluminum foil. That can all be held in place with string or rubber bands. The colors can all be blended with a wire wheel on a dremel. |
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| Is Indian ink Black? My Wife has plenty of acrylic paint. She uses it in her hobby. Can White be used as well as black and brown? Do you choose pigment by the color of the drift wood you want? And I wont bother you any more. Thanks again. Paul |
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| Yes, India ink is dead black. I think it is made using carbon black. You could use any color of acrylic you wanted to mix with the lime sulfur. It all depends on what color you want to end up with. Most old weathered dead wood is pale silver grey or pale yellow brown. Most bonsai artists aim for silver grey because that is what junipers and pines age to. |
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