Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Michelle, I use the powder as it is...the tricky part is when you dip the brush in the powder, if you take too much of it then you need to get rid of some, and sometimes brushing on a towel gets it all away. With oils you have more control on the quantity (very little but enough) you want on your brush. One of the reasons why I chose oils over pastels in the end...this is my experience, but others might do it differently!

Leslie, there is a lot of info about shading techniques in the library (look at the top bar). If you have any doubt, feel free to ask! 
I have tried some markers shading, pastel shading and oils. In the end I feel comfortable with oils and I think I will stick to them for a while. In the library there are a lot of suggestions on how to use them with a dry brush technique.
With pastels I used the art pastels (the square ones with no wood around), they are called Carre' pastels. I obtained pigment powder from them, mixed the colours to get what I liked, then applied with a brush, very gradually and gently.I have not tried airbrushing.

As for the best shade to use...I suggest to try some colours on scraps of fur from your bear and see what you like. Normally black, white and a variety of shades of brown are my average colours.

Hallo everybody! I have finally found the time to get my latest creation finished.
Here is Toto, I hope you'll like him!

For more pictures or info, he is now available on Bearpile:

http://www.bearpile.com/item/59300

Thanks for looking!

He's very cute, I love his fur/furs!

They are the cutest hedgehogs ever! What a wonderful group, you must be really proud of them! Fantastic!    

I also find Bearpile to my taste. I have no website or blog for the moment, and I feel that my Bearpile space is a nice way not only to sell bears but also to have a gallery with your creations as you can keep all your adopted creations on it for show. For me it has worked fine.

Nan, I've had so much useful input from this site that when I can be of help it makes me happy. It is only fair!   I love to share info!
Let us know how it worked out!

Nan, I sew the suede disk on the neck opening. Here is a couple of pictures of my 'work in progress'. As I haven't attached the head yet you can see what I mean. It is a dog, but it works with bears also!  

Nan, there are no stupid questions, don't feel shy to ask!
I don't know about Jenny, but what I do is actually design the top of the body, where the head sits, with a round insert that is the base where the head is attached. It needs some precise measuring, but the effect is very even, especially if also the head has a flat base. To have a flat base in the head you also have to close the head opening with a disc (I use felt or ultra-suede) instead of gathering the material around the cotter pin.
It might be difficult to understand without pictures...I hope it makes sense to you.

I'm curious to know if also Jenny meant this, or something else altogether!

You might also try designing your body shape a bit differently. A pronounced 'pear' shaped body will give you a narrower area where you can attach your arms. You can obtain that shape through design, or with darts in the neck-shoulders area. Also you might add some more neck in your head design.

Another wonderful bear!  

He is very cute!

Yes, I think oils might work better with sparse mohair. I'm also using oils lately and they really work well.

He's ADORABLE!      

Jenny, no wonder he sold so fast, he is lovely!

Hello!
I think it is difficult to give an answer, as it may be personal. Some people like mohair and don't like faux fur, some people love faux fur...I have worked with both materials, and sold creations made with both. I think the important is not which material you use, but that the material you are using is of a good quality.
Good luck!

Thank you Donatel!  

Lisa, I understand what you mean. Sometimes I know what my bear is going to wear  or what accessory I want him to have even before he is finished, but sometimes I just stare at him and keep mulling ideas in my head. And the problem is that when you are so close to being finished, you just want to see him ready, it feels you are loosing time with something and maybe it is not worth it....
I love working with felt, so I kind of found my 'brand', at least until I get bored of it!   In a sense it makes it easier for me because the material and the style are kind of set....but you can really do so many things with felt that it isn't easy anyway!
Every time I say to myself that next time I will keep it simple....but when the time comes I just can't do it! 

Thank you Joanne!

A really wonderful bear! I love his happy face and his round belly!  

Welcome back!
Your bear is very cute!

Thank you Pink!
I'm happy that I still have more of that kind of mohair left, I bought it thinking of minis....but ended up enjoying it for bigger sizes also!

Peter, Thelma, thank you for your kind words!  

I'm pleased to present you Arturo, my latest creation. It is the first time that I use such a short mohair, I enjoyed working with it, how it shows the bear design so well.
I hope you'll like the result.

He is now available on Bearpile:
http://www.bearpile.com/item/58864

Thanks for looking!

Congratulations Berta!
I also have three finalists in the URSA...it is so exciting! I still can't believe it!