# Planted Tanks > Aquascaping >  Pict Sharing: Iwagumi

## Blue Whale

After attending Iwagumi workshop by a group of passionate hobbist. No, I don't think I would want to refer them as ADA resellers. There were reference to groups like CAU (which I just found out set up the Facebook for Amano Takashi), now people have been setting up tanks. So what does Singapore have to offer. I think it's like eating cha-kway-tiao. The more you eat, the better you know which stall sells the best one. So I was browsing through the net and saw this Iwa-tank. I actually paused to look at the picture for quite some time.

I was thinking so what Singaporean can do to catch up. Normally you set up one tank then tear down and rebuilt. That is what I would call hands-on practise. Cost is a factor of course. Found the right materials is another.

Here is what I think:
Grab a picture and get the hobbist around to comment at it. It would sharpen our perception and creativitiy greatly. So what do you guys think?

I cannot tell which is the primary rock. Certainly there are a lot of secondary rocks and a lot of supporting rocks. Odd/even equation doesn't seem applying here.

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## Navanod

Saw this pic too while trying to show my fiancée what I had learnt at the workshop.

Just a few random thoughts:

1. golden ratio seemed to be observed here
2. Only a single plant type is used, I'm not sure how that'll be judged
3. Looks somewhat unnatural to me but gives a really far-away perspective by leaving the horizon opened and unblocked
4. Supporting rocks used to prevent plants from growing towards front panel glass
5. Fishes are really made to look like birds in this setup

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## Desewer

i find the use of rocks across the entire length of the foreground a little displeasing to my eye. it creates the effect of a rocky border beyond which vegetation starts to grow. IMO the plant could have been allowed to grow towards the glass more, then there would be a feeling of continuity.

the sharp background rocks on the left reminds me of a mountain range. himalayas, maybe? however, on the right side, the plants were allowed to grow and break the rocky silhouette.

p.s. i enjoyed the workshop too. iwagumi will be my next scape, but first i will follow option (b) and hunt for the right rocks before starting! all the way have been doing option (a) i.e. make the best of whatever hardscape i have...

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## Blue Whale

Come to think of it, the primary rock might have been on the right hand side, but due to overgrowth of the plants on the right hand side, the primary rock would be not visible. A symptom that was describe by Thio when he was telling us about the supporting rock.

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## ADA SG

> After attending Iwagumi workshop by a group of passionate hobbist. No, I don't think I would want to refer them as ADA resellers. There were reference to groups like CAU (which I just found out set up the Facebook for Amano Takashi), now people have been setting up tanks. So what does Singapore have to offer. I think it's like eating cha-kway-tiao. The more you eat, the better you know which stall sells the best one. So I was browsing through the net and saw this Iwa-tank. I actually paused to look at the picture for quite some time.
> 
> I was thinking so what Singaporean can do to catch up. Normally you set up one tank then tear down and rebuilt. That is what I would call hands-on practise. Cost is a factor of course. Found the right materials is another.
> 
> Here is what I think:
> Grab a picture and get the hobbist around to comment at it. It would sharpen our perception and creativitiy greatly. So what do you guys think?
> 
> I cannot tell which is the primary rock. Certainly there are a lot of secondary rocks and a lot of supporting rocks. Odd/even equation doesn't seem applying here.


First of all, this 60 x 45 x H36cm tank from Ireland was ranked 015 in IAPLC 2009. It was named Mountainscape

The overall judges comment  A very creative composition representing a scene of alpine plants growing across high mountains. The foreground of the layout is wisely constructed and gives the aquascape a good sense of perspective.

What can one gather from the comment? Applying the concept of stones layout, what can one conclude? Do you still see the powerful side, flowing towards a weaker side?

Since this picture was taken from an international contest, one has to see from the following: 
1)	Artistic Impresssion (100 marks) 
2)	Aquatic Plants Condition and Time Progress (20 marks)
3)	Creation of a Natural Atmosphere (20 marks)
4)	Harmony of Fish and Layout (20 marks)
5)	Total Composition and Plants Balance (20 marks)
6)	Creativity (20 marks)

It collected a total of 2999 points ( the grand champions tank had 3177 points). Out of 18 judges, Mr Amano gave a highest of 199/ 200 points. His comments were: 
I selected this layout the best, because it is an elaborately-crafted layout. The Iwagumi layouts I saw in the past contests, has a drawback somewhere in the layout, but I did not see such drawbacks in this layout. The foreground was not filled with plants, and the stones characteristics were expressed well, and here I see innovative design as if green alpine plants are growing in the rubbles in a high mountain. The foreground is skillfully designed and I see depth in the layout. The balance of foreground rubbles, and background mountain skylines are excellent and green Hemianthus callitrichoides is also very well organized.

A German judge, however, awarded only 121 points.

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## Blue Whale

*Judging Criteria & Guidelines*

*ARTISTIC IMPRESSION POINT(Maximum 100 points)*
Evaluate the beauty and sophistication as a piece of art. 

*TECHNICAL POINT* 
*Creativity (Maximum 20 points)
*The overall completeness of the layout and its originality are evaluated.The use of house plants or emerged plants, which hardly survive under water, becomes a subject of point-deduction.

*Composition / Arrangement of plants (Maximum 20 points)*
Is the composition of the layout well developed?
Are the aquatic plants appropriately positioned within the aquascape?
Is there a balance within the layout in terms of the colors and shapes of aquatic plants?

*Balance between the fish and the layout design (Maximum 20 points)*
Creators choice of fish for his/her layout is evaluated.
Do the color, size, swimming method and ecology of the fish match the layout?

*Natural atmosphere (Maximum 20 points)*
Does the layout clearly tell you the creators idea of nature? 
How is the methods and techniques that the creator uses to render a natural feel in his/her layout?

*Aquatic plants conditions and Time Progress of layout (Maximum 20 points)*
The condition of the aquatic plants in the layout is evaluated.
The time progress of the layout based on the types of plants used and their conditions are evaluated.
Is the layout maintainable over a long period of time?

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## Shadow

IMHO this is not a typical iwagumi scape that Amano introduce. If you ask me, this more like Taiwan style aquascaping where the scaper try to reprouce the exact copy of what he/she saw. Is different than Nature Aquarium style where the scape is more abstract.

Thus, I do not think that the idea of main rock supporting rock apply in this scape.

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## Blue Whale

Rank 1
Nguyen Tien Dung (Vietnam)
W120xD45xH40 cm
Score: 3107


Rank 2
Chan Shin Hsien (Taiwan)
W180xD60xH60 cm
Score: 3105


Rank 3
Yuuji Yoshinaga (Japan)
W90xD45xH45 cm
Score: 3062


Rank 4
Josh Sim KH (Malaysia)
W90xD45xH45 cm
Score: 3054

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## Blue Whale

> IMHO this is not a typical iwagumi scape that Amano introduce. If you ask me, this more like Taiwan style aquascaping where the scaper try to reprouce the exact copy of what he/she saw. Is different than Nature Aquarium style where the scape is more abstract.
> 
> Thus, I do not think that the idea of main rock supporting rock apply in this scape.


Shadow, you left your digital signature all over the internet. From MAC to AquaScaping World. This picture most likely originated from MAC.

How about changing the thread title to IAPLC 2009 Scaping Sharing instead?

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## Blue Whale

> First of all, this 60 x 45 x H36cm tank from Ireland was ranked 015 in IAPLC 2009. It was named Mountainscape
> 
> The overall judges comment  A very creative composition representing a scene of alpine plants growing across high mountains. The foreground of the layout is wisely constructed and gives the aquascape a good sense of perspective.
> 
> What can one gather from the comment? Applying the concept of stones layout, what can one conclude? Do you still see the powerful side, flowing towards a weaker side?
> 
> Since this picture was taken from an international contest, one has to see from the following: 
> 1) Artistic Impresssion (100 marks) 
> 2) Aquatic Plants Condition and Time Progress (20 marks)
> ...


>"< I don't see this picture in 2009... was it 2008?

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## Shadow

yes it is 2008 entry

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## ADA SG

Yes, it is 2008. Apologies for the mistake.

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## Blue Whale

^^Y No worries, I have access to 2009 entries. You people still need to bring out photos and show the rest what was the judging criteria said. I hyperlinked the above picts so you can take the blown up version for explanation.

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