It is called a diorama!
Dioramas are way cool if they are done right otherwise they
become cheesy!!!
You might be better off with just a fishing hut that you make out of bamboo scraps and perhaps a small short pier
that walks out into your pond. You might leave any figures or figuerines out of it though as it might make the scene look flaky. But a cool looking miniature Japanese style fishing boat would be novel. then image the daylights out of it. I want to see what it looks like when you are done!!!

Two things, (1) if a bonsai pleases you it is a good bonsai. I am about to put a red maple into a white and blue pot so I will have a red, white and blue bonsai and I don't care if anyone else likes it. (2) I saw a really good bonsai/diorama/whatever with a little shot out grown over tank under it. It impressed me and gave the artist pleasure so what more could you ask for? Zack

Check this out.

Norm

Here is a link that might be useful: A hobbit trayscape

Wow Norm, thats a great project, realy inspiring photos you found. The Idea of the twig hut and pier is wonderfull, it would also be a super way to make use of those assorted little bits of bamboo branchlets left over after the harvest for other bigger projects or thining. Now Im off to look up Asian themed dioramas. How exciting! :)

I don't think that anyone did or would tell someone not to do that, the tree/trees belong to there owner and its not our place to make descisions for them. however some might argue that it does not clasify as bonsai and as a result should not be called a bonsia, not because fo how it affects the tree/trees being used for the village, but because it affects trees belonging to other people (If I have a beautiful true bonsai and you surry the good name of bonsai by setting up a fishing scene with legomen benieth a sagopalm and then tell everyone its just as much a bonsai as mine I'm gonna be mad).

Just my $.02
Not for small children or big babies

I missed something. I thought we were discussing little mud men type things, and then it jumped to "Lego Men"? every thing so far mentioning sego palms has been nasty so I guess its to make the point that it was a nerdy idea. Im out of here, Im not a child or a baby. I do enjoy the ability to voice an opinion with out being told that my idea could not compare to your amazing and sanctiond(?) true bonsai. On another note, I cant imagine any one Ive spent time with that is from Japan being that blunt in critisism of another persons idea of art. even if they might go home and laugh thier heads off later. I wont bother or offend your sensibilities again.

It was a hypothetical situation! I haven't got any bonsai, I was just trying to think of a situation were justified criticism might arise, in order to further explore the premise by wich the origional post was made. Personally I love Lego men, and would love to see a tray scene with lego men in it, but I could certainly see how some could justfiably take exception to something like that being called Bonsai, I brought up Sago Palm to further the abstraction from sanctioned Bonsai.

Also, the "Not for small children or big babies" disclaimer only apllies to those who are Small children or big babies, if you are a small child then don't pay attention to what I said, if you are a big Baby then don't pay attention to what I said, if not then by all means my comment was meant to be read by you, I did not call you a small child or a big baby because I do not think you are a small child or a big baby zzepherdog, I think you just misread my post, which is easy to do, because it was in the wee hours of the morning and I don't really bother to type as well as I should.

Am I missing something here? I'm not sure I care what anyone thinks of my bonsai. They are for me to enjoy with my morning coffee before I face the day. Some, even I don't think are "good" bonsai but they are old friends that have been with me a long time. If I want to put in a plastic frog, plant them in a red beach bucket and name them Fred then why shouldn't I? As for hypothetical situations, I hope they are printed on soft paper. As for the Hobbit site, I don't expect to copy it, but it did demonstrate some really interesting ideas, some of which I may use in the future. Zack

Playing with other people's feelings is WRONG!
It is also a dead-end street!

I assure you playing with some ones feelings was not my intent, My only intent was to bring about a realisation of were legitimit critacism of dioramas being reffered to as bonsai could arise, and there for percieved criticism of a fishing scene.

If you look back into the genesis of this post you will find that it rose out of Jbonsais desktop lamp thread, he asked in that thread were he could find little mudmen and he was told by a member that it was generally considered hokey and not Bonsai by the current crowd; SueNY thought that that constituted criuticism of his desire to have mudmen in a fishing scene, it did not, thus the only criticism of mudmen in a diorama came from Sue, I repete, I did not criticise use of mudmen, or legomen for that matter.