Please do show your carved tree. And like everything, practice 'almost' makes perfect. I'm not used to having to be so precise without guides or fences lol
i wanted to through a couple of pics out for you. First is a really cool Ponderosa Pine that shows some carving on the l. side of the trunk. This is before I styled and did a bit more carving to it in Jan. I need to take a good picture of it now. I like it a lot. Lastly, another PP pic that I also got last yr. but have to wait till Aug. for delivery (too big for my car lol) Actually, I need to stop using my iPhone camera for photos lol
So obviously I too have a fondness for pines and evergreens. But, I just received recently, as March is here, some red flowering quince and an Amethyst Wisteria and see what damage I can do

So my tastes are evolving, but my love is with pines. In my youth growing up, I was very fortunate to live in heavily wooded areas at times. Hiking, fishing and hunting (though I was awful! shot my shotgun like a 100X at rabbits in the wintertime, and never hit one! LOL But it was fun to treck thru the woods with my dad.
Ah yes, patience is a virtue owning a pine bonsai. One I'm learning fast now that I have a few collected pines. When they are hundreds of years old, you better be sure what you want in the final design. Looking down the road 10-20 yrs. This is still difficult that I'm trying to develop.
And I too am always in awe when i see those vendor areas from the top Japanese shows. I'd be like a kid in a candy store

)
I hope to visit one day if I could.
"Press On"...I like that!