3. HARDSCAPE DESIGN
This is what I like to think of as the skeleton of an aquascape. Importantly, it serves as the framework for planting.
There is a lot of theory and many great workshops that discuss techniques on how to improve a HARDSCAPE DESIGN. None more so than Josh Sim's Green Aqua Masterclass. I won't repeat the techniques discussed in this video, but I hope to add my take on a few things which weren't covered in detail (with a focus on Iwagumi layouts!).
Firstly, for me the most crucial part of any HARDSCAPE DESIGN is the balance between the hardscape and the negative space (or what is also referred to as the open space in a layout). The key thing to avoid, is a layout feeling 'oppressive'.
What do I mean by this? Well it's the feeling of a layout being too stifling, closed or heavy in its overall impression on the viewer. Many contest aquascapers consider the hardscape the most crucial part, and it is true that it is one of the key elements in order to create a big and everlasting impact.
In order to create an impact through the hardscape, this requires large pieces of wood or stone to create a structure where the majority of the tank is filled (think of the tank as a 3-D cube that is divided into even segments left to right, front to back and top to bottom, each segment plays a role in contributing to the overall impression of a layout). However, it is very easy with this approach to add too much hardscape in the hope that this creates the desired impact. You will end up with the layout becoming too 'flat' with no sense of depth, perspective or layering! The aquascape won't be inviting for the viewer. Returning back to Part 2 of this journal on IDEOLOGY & CONCEPT EVOLUTION, arguably the sketching of an initial layout design would help to serve as a useful reference point to avoid this issue.
However, if you're like me and you prefer to work more freely, then I find it more important to focus on the impact created through the negative/ open space, rather than the hardscape itself. This is because the first thing that captures the eye of the viewer is the end point of a layout. It acts as the anchor point for where they focus their attention.
Most of your effort should therefore be around the end point, through the techniques mentioned in Josh Sim's Masterclass (such as creating perspective, depth etc through the positioning of the hardscape to enhance it's impression). Combining these techniques to find the appropriate balance of a heavy and light hardscape impression is a good way to improve your aquascaping skills.
For me, during this process it helps to think in extremes. You want to incorporate bright/dark, heavy/light, big/small and near/far aspects into your work to add interest and different layers.
I personally prefer to try endless combinations in my dojo to ensure I show the hardscapes best 'face', before transferring it to the tank. If possible, I would complete the hardscape in my dojo to make the transition to the tank as straightforward as possible.
Iwagumi
Different aquascaping styles focus on HARDSCAPE DESIGN in different ways.
For classic Iwagumi layouts, less is usually more when it comes to the stone arrangement. When I say 'less' I do not mean there should be swathes of negative/ open space (this will not create a big impact), but instead there should be an appropriate balance between the main and supporting stones.
To understand this concept in more detail, it is important to have a grasp of the stone types in an Iwagumi layout and the role they play in contributing to the overall impression:
- Oyaishi: the main and largest stone of a layout. This is generally placed at the golden ratio point and should tilt in the direction of the water flow.
- Fukuishi: the secondary stone. This should resemble the main stone but be smaller in size and used to balance the impact of the Oyaishi. It is often used to create tension in the layout.
- Soeishi: used as the tertiary stone and usually placed alongside the Oyaishi to accentuate its power. It is the third largest stone in a layout.
- Suteishi: these are supporting stones which are not meant to stand out, but can be used to bring an overall balance to the layout.
In the ADA videos of the past, Takashi Amano would place stones and then remove them from the tank to find the perfect balance. He would normally do this with the Suteishi stones once the other stones are fixed in position.
This is a great method as the best Iwagumi layouts will have just the right number of stones to create a harmony between the hardscape and negative/ open space. Too many stones and you take away from the impact/ power of the Oyaishi.
For Iwagumi, there is however a higher margin of error as every stone has its place and is contributing in some form to the overall compositional balance. For me, mastering this technique and knowing when to 'stop' adding or removing stones is aquascaping in its purest form and is a way to add a sense of elegance to the work. This is notably different for wood-heavy layouts, where there is arguably more flexibility as each piece of hardscape has less of an impact on the overall impression.
One thing which helps me to understand the philosophy of Iwagumi (and has improved my knowledge in creating them) is to refer to the 3 traditional styles. These have also been adapted to form modern variations seen in contest aquascaping. The 3 styles of traditional Iwagumi and their successors is set out below.
Radial
Traditional
An Iwagumi where the stones are arranged radially from the focal point to the four corners of a layout. Can be used in both the 'underwater' and 'landscape' styles.
Successor
Not regularly seen or interpreted in modern contest aquascaping. Closest evolution of this style is Luca Galarraga's arrangement below used in a Brazilian-style contest aquascape. It creates a dynamic layout with a strong sense of perspective towards the end point. I also adapted this style for 'Closing' (something I will cover below!).
Sanzon
Traditional
Literally meaning 'three-pillared rock formation'. This utilises the Oyaishi, Fukuishi and Soeishi stones. Closely resembles the rock formations of river beds and therefore has an 'underwater' feeling.
Successor
The evolution of this style is seen in many ADA aquascapes. It utilises two or even three groupings of Sanzon to create a Iwagumi composition which flows left-right or right-left with a strong sense of water flow.
Hilly
Traditional
An Iwagumi where the substrate is banked up high on both sides in line with the golden ratio to create the sense of a vast landscape. Smaller stones are usually placed to resemble mountains in a distant and panoramic view. Used for the 'landscape' style.
Successor
The Brazilian-style is a modern take on this and is used commonly in aquascaping contests.
Although it is important to understand these traditional Iwagumi styles and use them as guidelines, it can be a bit of a 'red-herring' to restrict yourself to their strict compositional arrangements as you will likely end up creating an Iwagumi that has been done before. You will notice the 'successors' are similar to the 'traditional' styles but add an element of complexity which creates more of a unique layout design. This is important to achieve the top rankings, as you need to showcase something different.
Instead, I therefore find it useful to focus more on the following 3 elements (whilst using the traditional layout styles as guiding principles):
1. Impression of the two main stones (Oyaishi and Fukuishi);
2. Direction of flow; and
3. Gravitational position of the overall stone arrangement.
The order I have listed them in is also the order of importance. For example, the third element is less important if you are creating a Sanzon Iwagumi, where the direction of flow is from left-right or right-left and so the gravitational position of the stones is relatively similar along a horizontal axis.
I find that focusing on these 3 elements helps me to decide the size, shape and direction of the supporting stones which balances the overall HARDSCAPE DESIGN.
To explain these diagrammatically, let's take a closer look at my HARDSCAPE DESIGN in 'Closing'.
Spotlight on 'Closing'
My IAPLC 2024 layout this year was based on the guiding principles of a Radial Iwagumi.
Due to the aspect ratio of a 90p, I felt this IWAGUMI style best suited the tank size as it is most similar to a U-shaped composition (and provides less of a panoramic view which is suited to larger tanks).
The downside with using a 90p for a Radial Iwagumi is the end point will inevitably be more central. This has the tendency to create a symmetrical layout, which doesn't look natural as it more closely resembles a 'man-made' structure.
On reflection, I struggled with this aspect in 'Closing' as you will see the Oyaishi and Fukuishi were very similar in size and created a form of symmetry in the HARDSCAPE DESIGN (with the position of gravity being very similar along a horizontal axis).
In an ideal world, an Iwagumi should incorporate Oyaishi (A) > Fukuishi (B) > Soeishi (C) and not Oyaishi (A) = Fukuishi (B) = Soeishi (C).
The positioning of the Soeishi however helped me to create a heavier impression on the right side of the tank. I tilted this stone backwards to create a sense of tension, to ensure it was positioned in the opposite direction to the other stones (which were all tilted towards the front corners to create a dynamic perspective pointing away from the end point).
The diagram below shows the overall impression of these elements in a visual sense, whereby:
- Red circle: End point
- Green line: Height of the stones (positive correlatation to the overall impression of the stones; higher the stone = more impression /impact)
- White arrow: Direction of flow (larger arrow = stronger sense of flow)
- Blue dot: Gravitational position of the stones
The final HARDSCAPE DESIGN and transition from the dojo to the tank can be seen below.
1. INITIAL LAYOUT AND VISION
2. TRANSITION TO THE TANK & AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT
3. FINAL HARDSCAPE
Part 4 on PLANTING, MAINTENANCE & ADJUSTMENTS coming soon...
