Banner Sponsors
For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
Posts: 8,574Someone out there has to be a pro in synthetics. I have a hard time with the fur doing what I want it to....I should put a mouth on the Peta Princess but I got frustrated because the threads disappeared in the the fur.
I trimmed a lot around the eyes, but that was easy because I could the hide the trimming with the eyes.
but it is different with the mouth -if I make a mistake trimming there well......and can you trim all the way down the the cotton backing......this is Schulte synthetic- (Oh I wish I hadn't bought 4 pieces of synthetic!)
any advice will be appreciated..
dilu
Canna Bear PaintI've been on a big synthetics kick the last few months, I can get such realistic bear and bunny fur that way. I can honestly say I've never tried bright purple... though if grizzlies and bunnies ever start coming naturally bright purple, one day I may have to :D
Anyway, not all synthetics are created equal. I have some that do very well trimming short, my avatar bear is one of them. I have another brown synthetic that for some unknown reason has WHITE backing. Blech. I like the fur fine, but I do not trim that one short! I would never, ever trim all the way down to the backing as you could with mohair as synthetic backing can have an odd appearance, but as long as the color of the backing is not an unusual color compared to the fur you can get close to it without ill effects.
I think either trimming or shading may be the way to go with her to make her mouth noticeable. With your trimming do smooth scissor cuts, just make sure you don't start / stop halfway through where you want a curve to be. I would figure out where your mouth will lie, then do a sweeping upwards curve back away on either side to give some shape to the lower cheeks. You may be able to get away with just that as far as trimming goes, it will help give definition to the location of her mouth. If you're not happy with the thought of trimming, try some subtle shading in a straight line down from the nose where the septum and mouth will lie. Start LIGHT with the shading, if it is not what you want go progressively darker a little at a time. Biggest mistake would be starting too dark. Do not underestimate the power of shades of grey for shading, it can soften the effect of just about any color. But start very, very pale in color. You can always add more, but you can't take away.
Hope this helps!
Kelly
Back Road BearsGreat suggestions/advice, Kelly!!
May I add one thing I have found... if and when at all possible cut in the same direction the nap goes. Fur will lie better and cut night not be as choppy looking.
Oh, Dilu, won't you be glad when this bear is absolutley, positvely, completely DONE????!!!:lol:
Kim-Bee BearsI dont really put a mouth that shows...i just do some needle sculpting and trim his fur aruond his mouth so it looks like a "soft "W" and i think it turns out good... i will post a pic monday...
Posts: 8,574Kelly
Thank you for such clear and consise advice. I will put it to test. The fur did not come purple- my son told me The princesses favorite color is purple so I went to Beary Cheap and got synthetic dye. The instructions said to boil it for something like 30 min. I only gave it five.....yikes! Fortunetly for me I only did enough of the fabrics for her bear...
Kelly I am so impressed with your avatar- and find it hard to believe it to be synthetic- it, the fur, lies so beautifuly. Very impressive and well done.
Dilu
Daphne......you and everyone else here has surely had to put up with my grousing about the princess.....I will be so incredably glad when I have finished this bear and sent her off.....I feel like I did before graduation.....let's get this over with already! :o
I will reread your advice several moire times and try to follow. 
:D
Hi Dilu,
I like to work with synthetics and sometimes they just don't get mouths! Depending on the fur sometimes a nose to smell is all they need. (that way they can't talk back) I trim my fur very carefully and yes going with the nap is a great tip. I do love the color of Peta and once your done she will be just fine.
Kelly,
Im not sure if I should ask this but here it goes. Where you get your synthetic fur from and is it a French Velour? The shop where I used to buy French Velour from isn't in business anymore and I have searched the internet with no luck. I was on your website and you have some great bears. Henry's fur looks similar to the French Velour that I was buying. If you can, any info would be greatly greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
Bear Hugs
Jane
Kim-Bee BearsI would like a place to get good synthetics.... any suggestions?
Posts: 8,574Edinburgh has Schulte synthetics but they are pricey- I would try Beary Cheap in Australia- they have a lot to choose from...and a lot of colors as well.
Dilu
PS The Schulte synthetics are as or almost as expensive as mohair. Go figure.:/
Kim-Bee BearsReally? Crud, then I will just go for mohair then! LOL 
Posts: 8,574If you are looking for a cheaper fabric just to play around with and try out patterns etc try CRcrafts.
They have a phoney berber for 10 bucks......I want to make this huge 5 foot bear, can you imagine him out of mohair?
Talk about YIKES!!
Dilu
Posts: 1,153
Dilu...The fabric that I made my maltese out of is Schulte's 4" pile.
It is truly beautiful and what makes it so nice to work with is that there is a short pile underfur..almost like a fuzzy cushion under the long fur. You can cut down into it a lot further than a normal synthetic.
The maltese did not have to be cut anywhere however, so it works perfect for the long furred critters.
When I use synthetics, I don't really like to buy 'yardage' fur. I prefer to purchase a coat because the quality of the fur is just so much better. The name Terry Lewis comes to my mind when I think of a quality coat.
I may be wrong, but I think that was the name. Sold on QVC or HSN.
I purchased a coat of his with the intentions of making bears. When the coat arrived it was so beautiful, I didn't have the heart to cut into it. I purchased a very large one and it was too big for me to wear and besides I would look rediculous in the this small town running around with a faux mink coat on...so I sold it on ebay.
Any ways this fur I used for the maltese was 90.00 a yard, but it is beautiful, and I think worth it...(if it sells:/)
Posts: 8,574Oh Nancy you are so right- your little one is so cute. and the fur is beautiful. in the application you have used it.
So I will bite the bullet and after Patsikins gets herjeans and vest I will tackle the Peta Princess once again and give her a mouth.
BUT LISTEN UP ALL YOU GUYS.....if she starts being mouthy, or complaining about sharing shelf space with mink and seal; and mohair I am sending her to your house and you can listen to her...:lol:
Actually if it doesn't look too bad I will just send her to my son and be done with her.
Hip hip Hooorraaaaaay
Dilu
4" white.....i wonder if 4" black is avaiable? I might have to try again if I find 4" black....good golly hair
Dilu
Canna Bear PaintI buy most of the synthetics we use from Edinburgh (including Kirby the avatar bear and Henry who was mentioned above), and unfortunately yup they can be as pricey as the mohair. They are very nice quality and I think easy to work with though, you don't have to worry at stretchiness or knit backs at least. If anyone wants to know a specific item # on any of the synthetics I've used that interest you, I should be able to look it up. But I have seen very nice results with many varieties of synthetics, so it's worth a shot to do some experimenting! I've recommended two other places to buy synthetic furs before, just in case anybody wants to check them out here they are again (Jane, the one place carries Tissavel which I think is French, could this be what you were looking for?) These are both less expensive than much of what Edinburgh carries, though I have samples and some yardage from them and they are actually quite nice.
Fabulous-Furs: http://www.fabulousfurs.com/search.asp?t=c&c=9
PreFurs (carries Tissavel brand): [url]http://www.prefurs.com/10Browse.asp?cat … y+Tissavel[/url]
Hope this helps!
Kelly
Thanks so much. I will try both of those.
Jane
Great references, Kelly; thanks!
