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Amano Aesthetic Principals



	Roger Miller's questions about theories on aquascaping were timely for
me, as my own tank's redesign has been stalled for weeks.  Amano says,
"… if inspiration doesn't come, the artist doesn't force it, but waits
for the right moment," but being an American, I want to finish this
project, so I have actually been reading Amano's book lately instead of
just looking at the pictures.  Here's an indexed summary of the
principals that I have distilled, arranged somewhat in ascending level
from concrete considerations to wholly aesthetic ones.
-- Sherman Lovell
	Overview and Index of some of the aquascaping ideas in "Nature Aquarium
World, Book One: How You Can Make a Most Beautiful Aquarium" T.F.H.
Publications, Inc. 1996

	"The Basic Concepts of Aquatic Plant Layout" at the end of the book
from pages 154 to 166 gives a good overview of Amano theory and
practice.  Some of the principals:
* The natural style is learned by observing plants in their natural
state.
* The best way to improve one's work is to be exposed regularly to a
wide variety of influences: landscapes, paintings, etc.
* The best layouts express something of the spirit of the creator.

	AMANO ON AMANO:
"My greatest work" page 132
	FISH:
Fish as complement to waterscape 71, 86
Plant growth matches fishes' native habitat 148
Wood and plants in center because Discus like to swim laps 128
Calm fish, calm layout 82
	PLANTS:
Choose plants that highlight another specific plant 20
Native plants only 33
Using only one species, with rocks 60
(Red ) plants act as accent to keep simple layout from becoming
monotonous 52
Vivid reds 28
	GEOMETRY:
The "golden section," the harmonious ratio of two sections (approx. 5:3)
33, 156
The golden section…three growths on scalene triangle in the center 53
Ratio of three left to one right 56
Design for appreciation from two angles 40, 125
Viewable from front or back 120
U-shaped layout 106
V-shape:110 "Key… it to maintain a smooth line from level to level."138 
Simple triangular design 13
Simple layout structured around driftwood in center 82 (with off-center
element) 116
Intricate layout of rocks and plants in bold design 92
	REPRODUCING OR INSPIRED BY SCENES FOUND IN NATURE
	Aquatic --
The changes seen from bank to river bottom 29
Memory of rain swollen rivers 42
Amazon River 108
West African waterscape 122
Sea bottom 68
Reminiscent of the South Seas 48
	Terrestrial --
Savannah 104
Thick green foliage of high summer 45
Narrow road leading off into mountains 66
Old growth forest 142
Reminiscent of a jungle 18
Pastoral feeling 32
	CONCEPTUAL:
Evoke idyllic childhood memory 18
Recreate what we see yet fail to notice 21
Balance many contrasting colors  24 
Hard to strike a balance with strong colors 28
Contrast between red sand and green Anubias 136
Spring theme 32
Imitate tansai painting (use light colors) 37
Strong sense of perspective 18
Eschew formal beauty 25
	JAPANESE/ZEN AESTHETIC:
"Wabi-sabi" (quiet refinement tinged with the sadness of transience.)
25, 76
Lean vertical rock on horizontal rock. (Common arrangement in Zen
gardening)10
A standing rock and several different-sized horizontal rocks. 
(Zen gardens make good use of foreground space) 11
One of the main goals of Zen Buddhist gardening: to create a great space
in a small area 17
Zen temple 76