[TheStoriesOfTop7] Dryad's Ladder - Jin Liang / China - IAPLC 2017

Mr. Liang Jin from China was ranked 6th (Bronze Prize) with his "Dryad's Ladder". Ferns, mosses and hanging vines are major components of the aquascape, which is heavily seen in many other entries, this year. The entry itself is a great work that is meticulously created, but it is regrettable to say that there is a lack of originality. Adapting positive aspects from the past award-winning works may be a quick way to improve layout skills, yet a little more originality and creativity are expected in the contest. Mr. Sergei Kochetov (Russia) picked Mr. Jin's "Dryad's Ladder" as his Best Aquarium gave it extra 10 points, which was crucial for the entry winning 6th place. Mr. Kochetov's comment on the entry is shown below..

IAPLC 2017 Gallery - Look back history - World Ranking 0006 - Bronze Prize

Dryad's Ladder 

Author: Jin Liang / China

Aquarium Size/W120×D50×H50(cm)

Aquatic Plants

Bucephalandra sp.

Bolbitis heudelotii

Hemianthus micranthemoides

Lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae

Aegagropila linnaei

Vesicularia sp.

Riccardia chamedryfolia

Fish & Invertebrates

Hyphessobrycon heterorhabdus

Gyrinocheilus aymonieri

AWARDS

World Ranking 0006 Bronze Prize IAPLC 2017

Top Ten Place AGA Aquatic Garden, 200 ~ 320L

Comments

I like native forests covered with ivies and branches. Being attracted to the primitive and mysterious landscape, I created layout with a theme of native forest for the second year in a row. After my layout of 2016, "Origin of the Dream Forest" won the Honor prize of IAPLC, I decided to continue creating the native forest-themed series. Last year's layout represented the entrance of a native forest. This year's layout leads people to deep into the forest. This was my sixth time to participate in IAPLC. Receiving praise from judges and winning the Bronze prize is the best result to date and it makes me feel all my efforts are rewarded. I thank my family, the members of CAA, who are like my brothers, and my friends who helped me photography of the layout until late at night. IAPLC is a very attractive contest. I would like to keep creat- ing wonderful planted aquarium with my effort and participate in IAPLC again next year. I hope this art will be known and beloved by more people through IAPLC

Comment of Sergei M. Kochetov (RUSSIA)

As always, choosing the Best Aquarium out of a large number of almost equal layouts is a rather difficult task. However, every year it is necessary to solve this challenge by comparing the spatial solutions of compositions, populations of presented aquarium plants, invertebrates and fishes, and the overall impression as well as pre- sentation of natural atmosphere. As the result "Dryad's Ladder" was selected as the Best Aquarium of the International Aquatic Plants Layout Contest 2017. There are no bright or unnatural contrasts in this work and the illusion of composition's depth harmonizes well with the vertical floors of the natural pattern of the underwater canyon leading down permeated by the roots of surface vegetation. Colors and shapes of stones and driftwood are full of soft harmony, too. Mild asymmetry only highlights all the spatial diversity in the length, width and height of the aquarium. The diversity of aquatic vegetation is not large but completely corresponds to the require- ments by the author ideas of creating a natural underwater land- scape. Fish chosen for this exhibit, fit in with whole aquarium well and complement its moderate brightness.

Comment of André Longarco

What a great layout! Strong and powerful. I loved the ravine in the center. The stones looks like real scenery with perfect perspective and perfect sense of depth. The weak point is the bushes in the trees... artificial and too rounded. Take care with too much driftwood. In excess they cause a messy impression. But one of the best work with stones of the contest. Congratulations.

Comment of Kam Wong

Congrats on this impressive layout... the strength comes from great detail of the canyon walls. The only thing I did not like was the round ball like tops to the trees... great effort!

Comment of Shawn McBride

Great use of scale and perspective to set the scene and draw the eye. The left side occupies a good portion of the scape and leaves me wanting to have something more there than to occupy the necessary space needed to drive the eye down the canyon.