It is not easy to create a bonsai from a long and thin piece of material. One way is to use some heavy wire and shape the limber material to your desires. Be creative and try many different shapes. Some will be exciting and some will be losers.

In this case a root cutting of Ficus ‘Mystery’ was used to create an interesting bonsai.

On the left a root cutting of Ficus ‘Mystery’, center is the cutting wired for shape, right is the bonsai design beginning to take shape