Here’s a dwarf alberta spruce from a garden center after I tried styling it.
I think it’s “not horrible”. The base is nice and chunky and has potential for the future. I wasn’t sure how and where to stop the jin at the tip, but it looks like the bark is dying back to the node, and can be made to look a little more natural. Biggest mistake is the gaping empty spot on the bottom back right of the tree and lack of a defining branch. Next year I might take off some of the lower branches, and generally prune it back tighter.
Styling was done 11 May 2023, and the tree is showing some back budding. Overall, I’m happy with this for now, and I got some hands-on experience. Watching YouTube videos and doing it myself is very, very different.