RETUSA FICUS BONSAI DEFOLIATION

Hey CZcamsrs, this is a 3 to 4 year-old rooted cutting of the parent plant sitting next to it, which I defoliated maybe two months ago. By cutting off 2/3 of 3/4 off the leaves near the stem the new growth comes back considerably smaller. Sometimes half the size or smaller.. The smaller leaf helps considerably to re-create an image of the tree you saw on the side of a mountain. Which is the whole Art of bonsai?.