Aquascape Rank 1 & 2 IAPLC 2019, Studying Josh Sim & Takayuki Fukada after the Nature Aquarium Party

A quick study of the IAPLC 2019 Grand and Gold prize layouts by Josh Sim and Takayuki Fukada. It is a real privilege to know both of these layouters personally-- Josh is a close friend who visits Japan almost every year, Fukada-san is my personal teacher. With that as context, I thought this look into what I think of their layouts would be useful for my audience.
If you like the vid, please like, subscribe, share on Social Media, and leave me any links in the comments to layouts you'd like me to help on in future videos.
Aloha~

[@0nly1wyll]

This is one of the videos that i repeatedly watch to inspire me in Aquascaping

[@klebberbrazilian.theprofessor]

Great explanation!
Congratulations for your #2 in IAPLC 2020, by the way!!!
Cheers from your brazilian fan!🇧🇷👍🏽

[@Ducati368]

Many magical reflection at the back of the two trunks in Josh aquascape made the whole image very broad until it gives a sense of wilderness of the nature ! Besides that, all the elements placed in the aquarium looks so natural unlike a lot of aquascape which have a lot of unsuitable elements unfit to the natural settlement! I think this is the reason why he get 1st place!

[@LongshotLennox]

Thank you for the video, it's very informative and I enjoy listening to your thoughts on these two amazing tanks! Josh's tank is just so damn stunning. I never realized he place the stones behind the wood to follow the flow. I dont know, I just never noticed small details like the reflections. It's totally next level. Fukada's tank is lovely as well. I enjoy the dark areas he created, they make me feel calm in a way. 2020 is gonna be insane! Very excited to see what people create.

[@SteveScapesYT]

Thanks bro! Yup, the purpose of these vids is not to instruct on technique, or be a “how-to” channel like most of the other major Aquascaping channels... but I hope I can inspire by giving folks a flavor of how the competitive layouter approaches it. 😁

[@AquaMooh]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and analysis on these masterpieces. It is very much appreciated 🙏

[@SteveScapesYT]

Glad you like it man!

[@Ducati368]

Congratulations for getting 2nd place in 2020!

[@yuri9205]

Awesome video
Love your videos!
I was waiting for a top rank aquascaper to start TH-cam!
Thanks Steven!

[@SteveScapesYT]

Thanks man! will try to make a new one soon!

[@The_Nameless_Entity]

Aloha Steve!. Domo Sumimasen for sharing your thoughts about these 2 masters in aquascaping. I just started following your channel and been slowly getting into freshwater aquascaping for about a year now. Im coming from a saltwater reef hobby and find in my opinion that freshwater scaping takes much more thought into the design. Ive never thought of using Illustrator. Pure genius braddah. Look forward to your next videos. Aloha and Mata Ne!!

[@SteveScapesYT]

Mahalo brah~ and sorry for the late response. Always fun to see people coming in from the hobbies running parallel like Salt, terrarium, etc. Everyone brings their own wisdom. Thank you following the channel! Much Aloha~

[@phatp4206]

Here are my thoughts on these two work (maybe it could inspire your future projects): For Josh's work, the placement of the rocks has to do with the vantage point. I think that what is unusual about Josh's work is that there is maybe two vantage point of view with the two broken logs. His color choice really blends well. For Fukada's work, I think the vegetation on the cliffs make it unnatural and that his work has less detail than Josh's. Also Fukada's work has an odd vantage point.

[@n.o.a.h.-northernontarioaq7991]

Pfft... you dont know. 😂
Kidding of course. I always appreciate your insights.

[@SteveScapesYT]

Thanks man ;)

[@NigelAquascaping]

Cool vid again 👍

[@SteveScapesYT]

Thanks man!