Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

Hi Guys,
Call me an old cynic, but...  the problem may not even have been anything to do with your bear!  The customer may not have had the money to purchase the bear at that particular moment and was too embarrassed to say so.  (You never know what's going on that you're not privy to).  Or her expectations may have been unrealistic - a 'similar' bear is never going to look identical to one you have made previously, is it?

I agree with those of you who have said that a bear can be called OOAK even if the same pattern has been used before - after all, how far can you go??  Unless you are really going way out, a bear is going to have a head, a body, two arms and two legs - there's only so much you can do with that!!

Jenny - don't beat yourself up about it; someone else snapped up the bear in a nanosecond, so your workmanship is not at issue here.  I do believe that there is a person for every bear and this one was just destined to go somewhere else
Hugs,
Chrisx

What about diluted pva glue?  I think that's how Sandra Wickenden achieves her 'wet look' bears.
Chrisx

I use natural beeswax too.  You can colour it using permanent felt pens such as Sharpies - one layer of wax, smooth it out, then add your colour (this way you can make subtle variations, maybe just colour the outer edges), and then another layer of wax.  I just work it in gently with finger and thumb - you can control the colour completely and there's no danger of messing up the surrounding fur.

Hugs,
Christine

Hi Bev,
Yes!  The article in question is my "Bear Essentials" column and this month has lots of helpful information for anyone wanting to experiment with new techniques which might involve glue or paint or sculpting.  Several extremely talented artists (Including some of our own TT-ers) were generous enough to give advice and suggestions which I am sure you will find helpful and inspiring:)

Best wishes,
Christine

Now, settle down, ladies!!  Otis found a new home on Sunday, at the Hugglets show in London.  But, in case there are any lovelorn females out there, I have almost  finished #2 in the series, who will be appearing on Ebay shortly...
Hugs,
Christine

Hi guys,
Just wanted to share one of my latest bears with you.  I am so pleased with the way he turned out - I think I am going to do a series of "Gentleman Callers"!

Anyway, This is Otis P Thurgood, and he is 12" tall.  I made him from a velvety short pile mohair and he has a sculpted nose, leather eyelids and his face has been shaded with artist acrylics:)
Regards,
Christine

I use Super Sculpey, mixed with a little SculpeyIII or Fimo for colour.  To be honest, everyone has their preference and I think they all cure pretty much the same.  You notice the differences more when you are doing the sculpting, as some clays are softer than others and some take finer detail better than others.
Hugs,
Chris

Noses last for me - always.  Whether I'm stitiching or sculpting a nose I have to get everything else in place first.  I do eyes first, then ears, then the nose
Hugs,
Chris

Hi Guys,
Lulu Tatum, from Tucson, makes the most amazing bears using a fiberglass form over which she applies deerskin or leather.  I have a few of her bears and she is one talented lady!!
Hugs,
Chris

Here's a piccy:

Hi guys,
Since I suggested using a glass eye as a former for making clay noses in my TBR Bear Essentials column (plug, plug!!) I know of several people who have tried it.  Shelli's Hiawatha is one of the best examples I have seen - and I can categorically state that, no, you don't have to prepare the glass eye in any way.  Just wrap the clay arond the eye and shape it, then bake it    The loop will definitely not come out - unless the eye was faulty to start with - since glass melts at a much higher temperature than you need to cure the clay.  I have made a few noses this way and really pulled on the attaching thread to see how secure the nose would be - and I haven't lost one yet...

Hugs,
Chris

Thanks Jane & Karen for your kind words!:))
Nice to catch up with you at Hugglets yesterday, Jane.

Having a day off today as I am exhausted from the show!!
Hugs,
Chris

I forgot to mention - the little guy in my previous post was only 4 1/2" high.  I was going through a masochistic phase, haha!:D

This panda is one of my more recent, larger open-mouthed designs.  They have surely changed and developed since my first bears!!

Hugs,
Chris

It took me years to get my open-mouthed bears to look the way they looked in my head!:D:D:D
I made the first ones back in '95/'96 and they have certainly changed over the years.  I feel my bears have evolved - but collectors have always said they can spot a Christine Pike bear, whatever style I 'think' I have created!!  These days I have learned to go with the flow and see what happens - forcing a bear to turn out a certain way always ends in tears (for me, anyway).
As others have already said, I find it fascinating that so many people can create bears that look so different - even though the pattern is roughly the same.  Creativity and individuality rock!!:D:D

Bear hugs,
Chris

Wow!!!!  Thanks, you guys:D:D  You are all so generous with your praise - it will help me get over my 'loss' as i pack Thorvald for his journey this week, hehe!

I have started on a panda version for myself so i shan't be lonely for long!
Hugs,
Chris

Hi Guys,
Just wanted to share my new polar bear with you all.  I am one proud mummy right now:D
This is "Thorvald"; a 23" plar bear made from Intercal's ivory alpaca (plug plug!).  I am particularly pleased with his double neck joint - I have adjusted my usual pattern and I think I have now found a better shape which enables the head to sit naturally on the body.  Hurrah - it has only taken me about six years to figure this out, haha!
Anyway, this lovely guy was a commission, sadly, so I shall only be enjoying his company for a few more days yet.  I may have to make one for myself...

Hugs,
Chris

Hi Shelli,
Almost all of my bears are designed to stand and my really difficult, complicated solution is... BIG FEET!:D

Another artist I see has posted a picture of one of her standing bears with a low center of gravity - that and large feet (they don't have to be flippers!) should do the trick.  Since you make chubby bears I would think that if you adjust the leg pattern slightly to make them short and sturdy you won't have to to use dowels or cardboard inserts.  I tried them in the past and never liked the results for my own bears - I hit on the big feet 'secret' by accident when designing a vintage-looking bear and realised that he could stand up without any support.  Now even quite saggy and partially-filled bears will stand up happily on their own - make sure you stuff the ankle area really firmly.

Hugs,
Chris

Hi Guys,
I honestly don't think it would be worth your while to advertise in the guide - unless you take out the minimum lineage ad.  I really don't think the collectors read it - it's only useful for us artists to find each other, haha!:D

If you're in the UK you kinda feel obliged to be listed 'just in case' - but for you guys, I just don't know that it would be worth it.  In 11 years of advertising I have had two enquiries that came my way through the guide...

Hugs,
Chris

Hello,
I haven't posted for a few days because I'm snowed under with work AND I need to get my column finished for Teddy Bear Review.  Which is where you fantastic people come in!!  :D:D

I need a couple of US artists who work with dyeing their own fabrics/ painting/airbrushing/etc on fabrics as part of their bear-making.  Umm... and I need a couple of pictures from each of you this week - sorry it's such short notice!!

Anyway, if any of you want to get involved, e-mail me privately at; christine@christinepike.com

Thank you!!:):):)
Chris

Wow - thanks guys!!
Nail varnish - doh!  Why didn't I think of that???
Shelli - your bears are gorgeous, as always.  Thanks for so generously sharing your pictures:)

Assuming I don't mess this up (!) I'll let  you all see the results...
Chris

In my experience Super Sculpey is the best, also Cernit (but it is harder to work).  Unfortunately, SSculpey only comes in a yucky pink, so you will have to mix some normal Sculpey or some Fimo into it.  The reason I prefer SSculpey is that it is stronger than the other two and more receptive to fine sculpting.

I think there is a website called polymer clay central, which has loads of information on it.  haven't checked it for a few years so try googling it first:)

Hope this helps!!!
Chris

Hi all you talented people!!
This is related to the post on facial sculpting...
I have noticed recently that some people are selling hand-painted eyes and I thought I would have a go myself.  So... I have bought some clear glass eyes (with just the black pupil) - and that's as far as I've got!:)

I was wondering if you are supposed to use any special kind of paint?  I was going to use acrylics, then I thought maybe I should use glass paints - I don't know...

I understand the principle is that you work back to front, right?  IE, the lightest colour has to go on first, followed by the next, etc.  If I then paint the back of the eye with white will that intensify the colours when looked at through the front of the eye??

Any tips on this will be gratefull received!!

Chris

Just a thought - why don't you copy the pattern of one of your 'normal' arms onto paper, then cut it off at the wrist (ouch!) and reposition the paw as you want it to look.  It won't give you a definitve pattern, but it will help you visualise the scale and shape.  Good luck!!  Judging by the gorgeous faces of your bears, this will be a piece of cake!:)

I agree - I used to do about ten shows a year (I can't believe it myself!) - but now I'm down to about four or five.  Here in the UK some of the big shows have gone down so there are fewer that are worth doing.  Also, as my bears have become more complex over the years and take longer to make, I can only cope with about five shows.

My husband and I have just started up our own company publishing greetings cards - so a couple of MAJOR trade shows loom on the horizon, cutting down even more the number of bear shows I can attend! :)

Regards,
Chris