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Help! I want to create a standing bear and while I've done so in the past, my method is generally hit-or-miss. I'd like to find a reliable way to make my bears FIRMLY and EASILY stand.
Can anyone offer suggestions?
"My" method is to place a thin layer of polyfil in the foot and then load it with weight like glass or bb's to the ankle, while the foot is sitting flush with my tabletop. Then I stuff very, very, very firmly -- sometimes with an added leg armature for extra stiffness -- all the while, keeping the foot bottom flat on my tabletop. Kinda awkward, that.
I also make sure to joint EXTRA TIGHTLY at the hip.
Please help me out because I want THIS bear to stand, easily, firmly, and for sure!!!
Past Time BearsWell, I think I remember way back when the board was pretty new that Dale suggested putting wooden dowels or something like that in the legs. I'll have to go back to his post to accurately describe his method. It sounded rather complicated, but then I guess it would "for sure" stand!!
Past Time BearsShelli, go to page 12 (last one) in the General Discussion forum and about halfway down will be my topic "Standing Bear". Dale's instructions are on page 2 of that topic . . . but have your woodworking tools handy!!
Donna's Duin BruinsShelli,
I skip the fiberfil and start with the glass then the bb's to the ankle then stuffing the rest of the leg firmly. I tend to make the footpad a little wider than normal and the hips wider also. But you already have the bear finished so I would start with the glass then if you want polyfil so the bb's don't fall through then the bb's. On one bear the weave was really loose and I was afraid the glass would come through the fabric so I put a piece of pantyhose doubled in the foot and then filled that with the glass and bb's. I find when I have put the polyfil in the bottom so no bumps show they don't stand as well. They need the give of the glass to sit against the table. Some people put a cardboard sole inside the foot before adding the bb's so they have a flat surface.
Good Luck and hold your mouth just right!
Donna
Thanks, ladies... although I admit, I am really not up to the woodworking thing. Dale's idea is a grand one, and sounds sturdy enough to withstand most any natural disaster. If I had the tools and know-how, I'd use it in a second.
I think I'll try: 1) cardboard inserts, and 2) glass beads to the ankle, with 3) bb's at the ankle and up about one inch, for extra weight and to help with balance. I'll let you know how it turns out.
If anyone else has any brilliant and helpful ideas, please continue to post them here. I'll check back, as I always do...
Winneybears and FriendsI worked on that problem for my long legged fashion bears...adding the glass beads just to the ankle made it cave in there...Agh!
So, I line the legs with muslin, use purchased leg armatures , insert craft foam board sole liners cut just under a tad smaller than the sole...they lay in there nicely and keep the sole flat,you could put a little tacky fabric glue onto the foam down side to keep it in place perfectly.... then add BB's in the soles to past the ankles then add glass sand to mid thigh ...
if that dosn't work then nothing will !!!!...He, he. Wicked Winney here...
OhioHi Shelli!
This is my game plan on doing the standing bear. I'm still waiting on his silicone face plate to arrive, so the pattern is still on the drawing table until I know it will work. I'm definately using a foam or cardboard insert in the foot. For leg support, here is my idea:
My husband went to ACE Hardware to buy me what's called terminal insulated eyelets. They are a ring with a tube on the end. I plan to use coated gauge wire and crimp it on. I will attach the ring to my cotter pin or plastic joint which ever I use and lastly add my lock (or hard board disk) and tighten it on to hold it in place. My husband took along my plastic joint to be sure the key hole would fit, and it surely does! The wire gauge will be my inner "bone" to give the leg support.
Could I ask where I might find BB's to purchase? I live in Ohio.
Past Time BearsLinda, I buy bb's at Wal Mart in their sporting goods dept. They will be in the gun/ammunition area. At my Wal Mart they are behind a locked cabinet, and I have to ask a clerk to get them for me. I've found they are cheaper there than anywhere.
Great minds think alike; I get my bb's at WalMart too.
OhioThank you, Ladies! 
Winneybears and FriendsMe tooo. They are Daisy zinc coated BB"s..wont' rust... Winney
Flying Fur StudiosYou gals are lucky. I'm told that because I'm in Canada and we have different gun control laws I need a licence to buy BB's.
Too bad for me. I've actually just felt my 1st bear with BB"s inside, and boy are they heavy. I want some soo bad.
Heather
Oh my goodness!! Hmm... maybe you can find steel ball bearings? If they are zinc coated they won't rust. Just a thought....
Donna's Duin BruinsHeather,
Check where they sell sandblasting supplies. That is where I buy my glass beads plus my place has steel spaceships. They are too large to use in the feet but work great for in the body. They can order regular round beads for me but since I can get them at Wal-mart I have never had them get them for me.
Donna
Irenours-bears
Hi Shelli. For a standing bear, you must also take care about the design( proportions, positions of the joints and the measurements of the footpads). Look at the bear on my avatar, he's standing alone. You must also fill the footpad flatly, not round. When i fill the footpad, i hold it my hand with the sole facing up and pusch the fiberfill with the hemostat. Hope you will understand something ):
Here are photos of some bruins. The bears upload in my website are the firsts i've made, but i'm working to update it with many new ones.
Just Us BearsShelli,
Something to think about....we lose points in Aussie comps if our standing bears feet have inserts of any kind in them. It's quite an art to put insert in that either can't be seen or felt.
I find just flling with glass beads to just below the ankle is enough to make my bears stand where I plonk them. Just make sure the ankles aren't too skinny. I hold the foot flat on the table whilst pouring in the beads...and sometimes when posing the standing bear, you need to roll the feet back and forth a bit to adjust the beads beofre they'll stand.
ontario, canadaHeather - pshaaaaaaaaa!! walmart here sells them to anybody over 18. they ask for i.d. and they're locked up - but you can buy them. good ole walmart!
*bleckkkk*
ontario, canadaoops, i'm in ontario.
Country BearsOne of my bear designs is a standing up bear, hopefully a pic below..............!
I use nut and bolt joints (which are NOT my favourite things:mad:) in just the legs on this bear, which are done up really really tight. Of course, this bear isn't intended to sit down, the proportions look hilarious when it is!!! :lol:
I always weight the legs and the lower body well to let gravity do it's bit too!!
Help! I want to create a standing bear and while I've done so in the past, my method is generally hit-or-miss. I'd like to find a reliable way to make my bears FIRMLY and EASILY stand.
Can anyone offer suggestions?
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
Heather, I have no problem getting the BB's ( copper coated) at Walmart or Canadian Tire. They are in a locked cabinet, but I just ask for them. I did feel compelled to tell the clerk what I wanted them for , he looked at me a bit odd but did give them to me :D
Check it out.
Bear Paws by RoxanneWow, you know what? Here in Odessa TX I can pick up the box of bb's right off the shelf and put it in the buggy. hmmmmm.... I dont know if that is a good thing or not :/
Oh, and you know what I have used for the standing bears? At the beauty supply store, They have permanent rods for long hair, that are long wire coated with like a foam rubber. They come in all different lengths and diameters. I cut it to length. And where the wire is cut, I use my needle nose plyers and make a loop to attach it then to the cotter pin on the leg joint. It gives the leg strength to stand, plus when it sits the legs can be possed in different possitions. But it helps if the leg is stuffed a bit on the firm side, plus the weight in the feet. I guess they kind of work like the flex limbs.
Hugs,
Roxanne
"Bear Paws by Roxanne"
Some great new pointers; thanks so much to Chris, Clare, and Roxanne. Chris, I'm wondering... do you find that big feet in any one particular shape (oval, circle, football shape with pointy ends) works better than others?
And Clare... that bear is absolutely darling. Wonderful colors. I've not yet been brave enough to try something like that. So cute!
Winneybears and FriendsRoxane...Do you remember to diameter and how much you paid for those rods ?Winney
Bear Paws by RoxanneWinney,
I do not have any of them left now, but I will be out and about this afternoon and will check it out for you.
No prob ;)
Roxanne
