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Hi

I acquired this lovely piece of material, a privet with carved deadwood.
I am currently letting the branches thicken but I’m not sure where to go from there. How can I make it look like a ‘tree’ or is that even possible?

Any advice appreciated

I am not sure about privets and backbudding. But the middle trunk looks like it have amazing taper. But I cannot see any top growth there.

If privets are good backbudders I see a future beautiful tree in that trunk. Then remowing the other trunks would be an option. Someone else have to fill in if backbudding can occure on that old wood.

If you walk through a forest on flat ground you will see lots of trees growing straight up and yours won't do that. But, walk through a rocky area, where there are mountains and streams, and you will see a lot of trees that yours would resemble.

Go out in the woods, walk around, and look ar the trees. Take some pictures. Come home and look at your tree and ask yourself if you could do that with yours. Repeat. Next year you might have an idea. If not, repeat above. At least you will have spent a lot of time outdoors and gotten a lot of exercise.

Think smaller/shorter. When i started i also had a problem to get my trees to look like well.. trees. Took some years, but my main aha moment was when i started cutting back more, so the branches were in ratio with the trunk.
Difficult to say something from a 2d picture, but i would cut back drastically. These gray branches are almost impossible to bend, and the foliage is too far from the tree to be realisitc. So, cut back and you will see buds popping out all over, which you can start bending when they are still green.
But... dont take my word for granted- i know what i am doing to my privets,this one is yours and i'm just a guy on the internet if you know what i mean.

Thanks for the advice, I’m going to give it until late spring before I even touch it. It’s really nicely carved on the back, perhaps this could be the front?

Nice tree!

Yes, I think that would be a nice front for it, showing the deadwood, I imagine this with two levels for it's top, like a double trunk with the deadwood.

I still learning a lot, but when I see it, I imagine something like this picture I attached, however it's just an example, it doesn't mean it has to be like that nor with the same skew (even because I don't imagined with that skew), etc...

A nice way to visualize is to drawn onto this picture using "paint" or another software like that, you can even use a different color to design existing branches to a short term, and another one for the ramifications you want on a long term...
Having this "script" for the plant can help you on decisions, just have in mind that sometimes the tree has another plans...

Yes a possible front. The second trunk does not appeal to me. If it was mine I would take it away. But as usual, its your tree and you are the only one that can see it live 3d every day.