Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Paula that program I linked to will put watermarks on for you - I downloaded it and had a quick look through it last night.  Would save you having to do it to every one!

Hi Paula!  I had this happen to me a long time ago as well, though not for bears.  I had a full version of this software:

http://www.softplatz.com/Soft/Web-Devel … ector.html

but don't have it anymore unfortunately.  I seem to remember that it disabled the Save page, save image as, no screenshots, no Adobe Web capture etc.  It didn't disable right clicking though, which can just be annoying when they're right clicking for another reason.  It did however disable the save options in the right click menu.  It's quite clever.  It could also split your image into pieces so when they saved something all they would get was a small useless piece of your picture.  Disabling the right clicking can be overcome by dragging the image to your desktop, so it's not very effective sometimes.

From memory you just paste the code it generates into your site code.  This trial version will let you open it 30 times before you need to pay for it.  Might be worth a look!

There's ALWAYS a way around image protection, but most people don't know how. 

Hope it helps!

My fiance looks like Justin Long (the guy from Ed, Herbie, the Mac in the Mac VS PC ads, Dodgeball and Die Hard 4) but he would kill me if I posted a photo!

Jodi - your son totally does look like Mac!! 

Love it!  It's just gorgeous :)

You've done an excellent job of reflecting your personality and the style of your bears not only in the photographs of bears themselves, but in the style of layout and colour scheme etc.

oh..my...gawd... 

Hi Ellen :)

This can sometimes happen for a few different reasons.  One of them is that computer monitors display in 3 colours; Red, Green and Blue (RGB).  Printers (both inkjet and laser) work on 4 colours; Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (CMYK).  When you see a colour onscreen made with a 3 colour process, it's often different to what a CMYK printer can mix.  Also, the screen works on projection of light through colour, while the printout represents light reflecting off the page - it's always different.  I work in the graphic design industry and I still have trouble explaining this! :S

What you can do that might be of some help, is to create your images in a CMYK colour space.  In Photoshop, you would go to: Image > Mode > CMYK.  In Paintshop Pro I'm not too sure, I haven't used it in so many years.  It should be something similar though.  CMYK colours will reproduce more true on the printer.  You'll often find that if you have an RGB image and convert it to CMYK, that the colours inevitably get duller on screen.  It's just something that happens. 

Having said that though, the quality of the ink and the paper and the printer and screen's calibration will affect it also.  If you really want to know how it's going to come out, using a professional printing house is your best bet.  Coated paper will make for more vibrant colours, and vice versa for dull papers.  The only downside to print-houses is that short run jobs are expensive.

I've also just thought of something - I have noticed that Microsoft Office software doesn't like CMYK images.  I haven't tried publisher, but I know Word just doesn't handle them at all.  See how you go.

If all else fails, I would also see if you can find some free monitor calibration software - it might just be the RGB balance of your screen display.  The other thing - which would be a last resort - is to see if you can get your hands on a Pantone book.  Pantone colours are made of one ink only, and are designed so you can take your book, pick a colour out of it, and use it in your job knowing exactly how it's going to come out.  They always look muddier on screen, but when they come back from the printer it's all good.  Pantone books are by no means cheap - something like $300 I think.  I don't own one, but there are some at work.  Your print-house might even have one that you could look at to find a red you like, and take note of the colour code and use it when you get home.

I hope I've made some sort of sense here - I am a horrible teacher!!  If there's something you don't get, just give me a yell.  I know how confusing and frustrating all this colour business is, it took me a little while to get my head around it all.

Happy colouring!

They're both beautiful!!  But I do like the little brown one the best :)

Did you see these beads on b4b?  You mentioned that you wanted the little one to be halloween themed and I've never seen beads like this before!  Even if you don't buy them, perhaps it's some food for thought?

http://www.bid4bears.com/auctiondetails.php?id=1908

Well done Kelly!

Websites do tend to take a long time.  I make them all the time at work so they aren't really an enjoyable experience for me anymore.  More of a hassle than anything!  It is however, much more satisfying when the work is for yourself.  I haven't bothered to make one for myself because frankly...I'm not that interesting and my bears are never for sale.  Mostly dust collectors and gifts for my most loved ones.  Generally I'd use Dreamweaver to create them because it gives so much freedom.  Graphics would be done in either Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and the layouts sometimes come together in InDesign.

So I can relate to all the time it's taken you!  I just hope you're not like me, and gets sick of it as soon as its done and want to do a complete rehaul!  (another reason why I don't bother with myself, I am far too fussy a client!!)

They're all lovely, but the Halloween ones are my fave!  Must be the bright colours and the fact that they have children in them

Gosh I forgot to mention the wedding!  We're young I suppose - 24.  We're looking at September/October next year and are trying to do it as economically as possible without missing out on anything we have our heart set on.  Thankfully so far our favourites have all been the cheapest (SO unlike us!).  You only get to do it once, so we figured we might as well have what we want now and regret nothing later :)

You are so right about the cost though - it doesn't really matter what you have as long as you invite those closest to you.   

I'm glad I'm not the only one suffering!  It kind of feels better to know there are more people out there like me crying out for local suppliers!  Maybe I should open one myself...hmmm....

I've mentioned a show or two to my fiance and I'm sure if I really wanted to go he would definitely take me, but by the time it rolls around I'll have forgotten about it and it'll be too late.  My fault really I suppose, but he would have a horrible time!

Sue, thank you so much for recommending loubear!  Having read it on your post I do recall seeing someone mention it before but it just didn't register.  I've just had a look and you're right - it is quite a bit cheaper!  I've emailed them for a sample kit so we'll see how I go.  Thank you again!  I'm all excited now! 

Have a lovely evening/night/day ladies, and thank you!  :hug:

Thanks guys!  After waking up this morning it occurred to me that I'd posted this in the completely wrong place.  Nice one!  :doh:

I did send an email of complaint last night, so I will let you all know how I get on.  It's so frustrating living where I do because there aren't any little shops I can go to and buy supplies.  I'm sure I'm not alone here - doesn't it feel SO much better to be able to feel and see the items in person than just looking at a photo?!  Lincraft is just pathetic even for just little bits and bobs, and I haven't tried Spotlight yet because it's further away and my fiance just LOVES craft shops 

The bears I make usually are small, but every now and then I do splurge on a big one.  Our main problem is that we're saving for our wedding so every cent saved counts at the moment!

I don't post much - a bit of a lurker!  But I am just so cranky I could scream!

For the second time now I have received an order of supplies from a supplier (I wont defame anyone yet) and one set of eyes is smashed!   :doh: They were quite carelessly packaged - just in plastic ziplock bags, in a larger bag with two sets of locknut joints and an unpadded post bag.  Is it just me or is that lazy?!

The same company has sent me locknut joint sets before and left out the nuts.  I don't really have the income for this kind of hobby and I can only buy supplies once in a blue moon - so I can't afford to keep ordering new stuff because my original order was incomplete or broken!

I doubt I'll be returning to this particular supplier - haven't been overly happy with the quality of their furs of late either.

Has this sort of thing happened to anyone else?!  Or do I just have spectacularly bad luck?!   

- Erin

I don't know about a wolf, or how realistic you'd like it to be, but what about a dog? 
I saw a couple of dog patterns when I was at my closest (an hour and a half away!!) bear shop on the weekend.  (www.gerrys.com.au - they do mail order).

I'm sure you'd be able to find some sort of free one on the internet though and modify it to be more proportionally correct if need be.

Hi Jane,

I realise this thread is pretty old now, but in case you happen to be still keeping an eye on it I thought I'd offer you my assistance!

What you're looking for is exactly as Nancy mentioned; vector drawings.  I'm a graphic designer by trade so I use that software all day every day, and would be happy to trace your hand drawn scans / digital photos for you for free   It's pretty quick and painless.  Vector, simply put, is a method of drawing that's based on a mathematical equation (not as complex as it sounds!).  This means it can be infinitely enlarged or reduced with no quality loss at all.  The software simply reduces the ratio in the equations - kind of like redrawing it for you every time you change the size.  Cool huh?

There is a free program that is not dissimilar to the industry standard software called Inkscape.  I haven't looked at it a whole lot but I've seen it used.  So if you want a free option, and the chance to learn a new skill, then that might be your best shot.

Otherwise just shoot me an email and I'll whip it up for you

There is a way to cheat - i'm a graphic designer and I have to do this all the time at work for people who just wont listen to me when I tell them I can't use an image.

The only thing is that your image will have to be quite large at 90dpi to start with.  If you reduce it to 30% and make the dpi 300, it should work.  Only thing is though that the picture gets quite small, so if it's not large to begin with there's no point.

Maybe the man was looking at the bear for someone else?  He could have been taking a million photos so he could show it to a friend or relative who he thought would really really love him!
Did you give him a business card or something in case he wants to find you later on to buy him as a gift?

BearyCheap here in Aus sells boot button eyes too - they look almost velvety in the photos.

http://www.bearycheap.com/ezimerchant/category95_1.htm

good luck!

I can't believe he's only your third!  You should've seen my third! It looks like it's been chasing parked cars.. 

He's brilliant!

That's right :)

And the beauty of it is that you'll be able to just print it at home and scale it up or down whenever you like.  I'll show you how if it comes to that.

sarahjane I use Adobe Illustrator to create my patterns.  It creates a kind of image called "vector".  Basically it means the image will be infinitely scalable without any loss of image quality whatsoever.
It is expensive software, but I have it because I'm a graphic designer.  It would be what the magazines are using to create the really neat drawings you're reffering to.
If you ever get stuck I'd be happy to help you out!  Just email me a scan and I'll trace it out in Illustrator if you'd like - it only takes a minute   Or if you can just describe what you're trying to show I could manage that for you as well.  The same can be done for hand drawn patterns. 
Just let me know if I can be of any assistance - that goes for anyone