ADA entry 2009 - Forward Motion

[keymaker]

Peter, your previous work - the "Irish hills" was one of my favorites. No wonder: it brought originality and something new. A kind of European approach to all this Japanese style. Which is a valuable addition to be appreciated by anyone who is open enough to new trends in aquascaping. (I did sense a bit of lack of "openness" with this particular scape. Scapes actually... But this is another story.)

No wonder, that my newest scape - still under construction - is stongly inspired by your vision. I will try to go a bit further though and combine the "big rock" and the "distant mountains" approach in one scape. In contrast with what you did... Will see what comes out of it...

However, this new project of yours is a lot more difficult to evaluate. You obviously think and design in terms of the conventional Ryuboku. It is so much harder to achieve originality with this style of composition. Looking at the "leaders" of the previous years one can easily determine what is the ADA way of evaluating winning scapes. Being in the first few is all about originality and fresh approach. The fact that you still got number 90 demonstrates that you have the exceptional scape-balancing skills and an established visual style. A trully amazing work... Congratulations!

 

[zig]

Thanks for the comments guys very interesting.

@Nick - I find just soaking it does fine, I would need a VERY large cauldron to boil some of the pieces that I find!

@Graeme - Thanks for the feedback Graeme, no you don't get any feedback /comments from the judges unless you make the top 27 and then Takashi Amano will make some comments on your winning work which is published in the competition booklet. One thing I will say though is that monotonal green aquascapes have won the last 2 IAPLC, although last years winner used a blue background so I don't know if that counts. Personally I don't get too caught up in achieveing lots of colour in my aquascapes. last year you need to go to scape number 8 in IAPLC before you see some red introduced, the first 7 winning aquascapes are pretty much all green.

@Keymaker - Thankyou very much for your post, some interesting points you have made, you have me thinking now and thats not a bad thing, thanks for your input. Maybe my approach is too conviential, I will have to give that some thought 😉 I have another couple of Ryuboku hardscapes worked out which I will work into finished aquascapes soon enough perhaps my design style will become a little clearer and easier to evaluate then. Thanks for your feedback.

Thanks George and Sam for the comments although I will say Sam this is probably as mature as this particular aquascape will ever get as I think any more mature and it will soon be overcooked!!

Thanks all

 

[samc]

congrats on the placement zig! this scape seems like one that would look much better in real life than on any photo

 

[zig]

congrats on the placement zig! this scape seems like one that would look much better in real life than on any photo

Thanks Sam, I had a video of the tank but I think I deleted it a few weeks ago as I needed space on my card, typical eh 🙁

 

[samc]

thats a shame. i would have like to see it 🙁 if you make another make sue you put it up

 

[nico]

this lay-out is breath taking , exactly the type i like the best , very natural , "simple" and efficient ...beautiful 😉

 

[hydrophyte]

I really like this one. The driftwood gives a more convincing impression of just having fallen chaotically into place like it would in nature, in contrast to the more organized arrangements that one usually sees. The plants convey a similar feeling.

 

[samd0912]

I love the way the wood gradually takes your eye across the whole tank and I feel that by having a lot of clean wood on show helps with the flow.

Congratulations on your position! I think there are many people who aspire towards your standards and I'll certainly be using your tanks as a source of inspiration.

 

[zig]

Thanks guys

nico as an aquascaper I hold in high regard you are restoring my faith in this scape, im getting mixed views/reviews here, thanks a lot for your input

Thanks hydrophyte, I have seen your name around the various planted boards probably APC where I am guilty of lurking 😳 , welcome to UKAPS you are very welcome here, your riparium project looks very interesting I hope to see it upddated 😉

 

[TDI-line]

Truly stunning, one of the best displays i have ever seen.

 

[Mark Evans]

There's an underlying theme, or something that says...british.

I personally love it. the wood is different to what we usually see, and the arrangement is first class. i can imagine seeing this in a British country side for sure.

I'd love to of seen it a few months down the road....(says the guy that rips them down for fun)

a second top 100 has to say something about the scaper and not the scape, not a one off but someone who can keep producing quality over and over.
well done peter.

 

[George Farmer]

There's an underlying theme, or something that says...british.

I'm really interested in this, as I wonder if there's a British style developing?

Even though Peter is Irish...

 

[Mark Evans]

Even though Peter is Irish...

ahhh...there you go then. an Irish theme even better.

 

[zig]

Thanks TDI-Line

Thanks Saintly 😉

No definitely irish alright but god knows I spend enough time in here to apply for a new passport 😉

Yes typical Irish scene alright, wild looking, dull and windswept, rain not to far around the corner

I cant say I see a British style developing in aquascaping myself, not yet anyway, I can't say I could pinpoint a European style either. Lots of individuals have styles though I would say I could pick out among the many good aquascapers across Europe. I don't think I have a defined style myself either I would need to do more finished aquascapes for that to develop I think.

Cheers guys

 

[George Farmer]

I cant say I see a British style developing in aquascaping myself, not yet anyway, I can't say I could pinpoint a European style either. Lots of individuals have styles though I would say I could pick out among the many good aquascapers across Europe. I don't think I have a defined style myself either I would need to do more finished aquascapes for that to develop I think.

I think you're right mate.

Is it even necessarily a good thing to have you're own style? By definition, doesn't this imply a kind of creative limitation?

 

[LondonDragon]

Great entry Peter and good to see you tried something totally different from last year.
Personally I prefer this tank, much more my style of tank, congrats 🙂

 

[zig]

I cant say I see a British style developing in aquascaping myself, not yet anyway, I can't say I could pinpoint a European style either. Lots of individuals have styles though I would say I could pick out among the many good aquascapers across Europe. I don't think I have a defined style myself either I would need to do more finished aquascapes for that to develop I think.

I think you're right mate.

Is it even necessarily a good thing to have you're own style? By definition, doesn't this imply a kind of creative limitation?

I would say as an aquascaper Takashi Amano has his own style. So given that he is the most successful and most famous aquascaper in the world perhaps it is not a limitation by itself.

I think an easy analogy would be to look at the art world and some of the most famous painters. Paintings by Monet, Rembrandt and Picasso are all distinctly recognisable, each painter has their own style, but within each style many masterpieces will be produced by the artist. So in the right hands having a distinctive creative style will not be a creative limitation IMHO.

I do know what you mean though George, why limit yourself one style when you can try many, it is a hobby for us afterall.

 

[zig]

Great entry Peter and good to see you tried something totally different from last year.
Personally I prefer this tank, much more my style of tank, congrats 🙂

Thanks LD appreciate that 😀

BTW I have taken down the competition entry picture from the first post, I will leave the finished aquascape picture there. Yes I know, I'm complying 🙄 there is a debate on a different forum about compliance with ADA's wishes in removing the competition pictures, some think its a bit much of them to ask you to remove your pictures or they will remove prizes etc, "they control the hobby" . Personally I dont agree, I will do it out of respect for the organisers who afterall organise this great competition and have asked me to do so. I have no problem with that. I would have removed it sooner but the email ended up in the spam folder, you have all seen it by now anyhow 😉

 

[nico]

Do you mean that ADA found out that you posted this picture on this forum and complained about it?

anyways , there is still the 2nd picture 😀 😉

i could not develop so much my thinking in my last comment (it was hard to see the keybord with all the tears in my eyes 😉 )

the use of the wood is really original , very natural , in the choice of the pieces and the disposition , that is the first thing that kept my attention , it doesn't look like anything i've seen before ....and i really like it the way wood "moves" in the plantation is simply great , it doesn't seem complicated or over thought (yet i am sure it is ... 😀 😉 ) , and i think that the natural look really comes from this , from it's "simpliciy" (and i use " " 😉 ).

As for the plantation , it is really perfect , matches perfectly the lay-out , many interesting points there too , especially in the mid-ground where i like a lot the use of the microsorum (in the right part under the wood) , it integrates perfectly the hardscape in the scene , the use of crypts is great too!!! (could you specify what varieties you used here?) , fore ground in eleocharis matches perfectly with the hardscape too , and i like how the wood on the foreground appears out from it ...here again very natural also very good choice of plant for the background , here again very simple and exactly in the "ambiance" of the scene .

As for the fishes , i like those ones (even though mine always swim on the top of the tank and give me a hard time for the pictures) , maybe that a few more fishes could have been added , a very small school that would swim in the lower part ....but i am not even sure it is necessary after all ... 😉

anyways , i think you get that i really like this tank , as for the ada contest i think that it deserves a good place ....even better than 90th from the other tanks pictures i have seen in the top 100 here and there , still the place doesn't do the quality of the tank , this one is great 😀

Nico

 

[George Farmer]

I would say as an aquascaper Takashi Amano has his own style. So given that he is the most successful and most famous aquascaper in the world perhaps it is not a limitation by itself.

I think an easy analogy would be to look at the art world and some of the most famous painters. Paintings by Monet, Rembrandt and Picasso are all distinctly recognisable, each painter has their own style, but within each style many masterpieces will be produced by the artist. So in the right hands having a distinctive creative style will not be a creative limitation IMHO.

I do know what you mean though George, why limit yourself one style when you can try many, it is a hobby for us afterall.

Excellent points, Peter! Thanks.

I have to agree with you. And maybe even one's style could actually be that they've a very diverse style...

From your previous three ADA entries, and knowing you're previous works (winner of the PFK Aquascaping Contest and older forum contributions), I would say that your style is diverse. That's a good thing IMHO. 😀

Keep up the great work mate!