Banner Sponsors
For artists and collectors sponsored by Intercal...your mohair supplier and Johnna's Mohair Store
Would anyone be interested in a 'completely classic' challenge?
In view of all the wonderful techniques and design styles adorning the TT bears of late, I wondered if it would be a good idea for all of us to go right back to basics and design beautifully proportioned, classically styled teddy bears!
This is an ideal challenge for bear makers of all abilities! 
The bears would have the standard five joints, hand embroidered noses and either black (glass or boot button) or amber/black glass eyes. They would have classic teddy bear proportions and no shading. Paw pads would be wool felt, ultra suede (not perfectly traditional I know, but hard wearing and practical!) or velvet, leather etc with hand stitched claws - no moulded claws! In true traditional style, the bears can be either completely bare, or adorned with a simple bow.
The point of the exercise would be to take us all back to basics, focusing our attention on producing unique, no frills, traditional teddy bears with huge HUG appeal!
It will be interesting to see whether these bears all look very 'samey', or whether we still manage to achieve individuality with our design skills when our bears are stripped 'bare' of contemporary embellishments!
I don't know how to go about opening a challenge gallery, so if this is an appropriate challenge, could one of the HA please help us to get it launched! Thank you! 
DEADLINE: suggestions please!
Sounds like a great challenge to me Paula .......and could prove to really be quite difficult in the end! I would like to get in on this one......just put the deadline back a ways please! 
A couple of months at least.
Oh, that's going to be tough not adding any shading......that's my favorite part of the bear making process. Aack!
Just another thought Paula........You might want to post this in the general forum too so everyone sees it. I know I don't get to the challenges forum very often myself......TT has just gotten too big!
Good idea - thanks Tracy!
You're right about this challenge being more challenging than it sounds ... hopefully it should strip us all down to the bare bones and focus us our attention on developing a really solid design base line. 
I'll pop over the the general forum now ... thanks for the pointer!
There's no rush Melanie! We haven't established a deadline yet and I'd like to give folks enough time to really think about what they want to achieve ... maybe taking the time to study a few traditional designs and see what aspects appeal to them.
For me a traditional bear has an endearing face and quite standardised proportions ie., no great long necks, double necks, really bendy arms/legs etc. The bear wouldn't be a replica vintage bear, just a artist's interpretation of traditional, minus snazzy twiddly bits like moulded pads on paws, eyelids, handpainted twinkly eyes, shading, needlefelted embellishments ... that kind of thing!
The idea is to let the basic bear design stand on its own merit and hopefully to show that artists' creativity can produce unique bears in traditional style, without the need for contemporary techniques/styling.
Paula~ I think that it is a great idea! After seeing so many beautiful traditional bears created by TT artists I am falling in love with that style all over again. I have tried (and I am currently trying) to design a traditional mohair bear....not so easy when my style is so totally different.
When all the details are worked out I will definitely share my attempt at a traditional style teddy.
I hope that some of TT's wonderful traditional artists will share some tips with those of us who aren't very good at "thinking" traditional.
Thanks~ Kathy
Paula, I would love to do this challenge. I tend to make bears that are fairly traditional, anyway, but let's see what I can come up with... You did say we have until January, right? :crackup:
Kathy, I saw a photo of you and your daughter and a group of your bears--it's a pretty old photo!--and you had a traditional mohair bear in the grouping, so I know you can do it!
Debora
Melbourne, AustraliaTrust you Paula!
To post this after I've already posted Rupert... :crackup:
Now, I'll have to start all over again!
Oh wo is me...as if I haven't got enough to do!
Great idea for those who do contempory bears though...sometimes it's a stretch just to do something simple.
Six week deadline is probably enough...you don't want people to loose interest.
:hug: :hug: :hug:
Sandi
Tee hee! Sandi, your lovely Rupert happened to pop up at about the same time I had been talking on another thread about not being afraid to steer away from trendy techniques and when I saw him a few things about this challenge started to come clear in my head!
Okay, so here are a few more details:
I've decided NOT to make any rules about whether we should design new patterns, or develop our own existing traditionally styled designs. That way the challenge is personal and we can challenge ourselves as far, or as near, as each of us feels appropriate.
I am pleased to announce this challenge officially open! The gallery is now ready and waiting patiently for the first furry footsteps to enter!
Have fun everyone! 
Past Time BearsWendy, up at the top is a tool bar that has "Challenge Gallery". Click there and you will see all the different challenges we've already had, are having, and will be having. 
Shelli's great ted is there.
There is a great deal of interesting history with regard to how the first bears developed and the social factors affecting their production. What amazes me the most about the bears from the early 1900's, is the sheer quality! They were so beautifully made and the mohair was of such wonderful quality, it still survives almost a hundred years later!
If anyone is interested to find out more, this link will show you some of the outstanding antique bears sold through the Christie's of South Kensington auction house:
http://www.christies.com/departments/co … rketUpdate
http://www.theteddybearmuseum.com/index.htm
http://www.blueribbonbears.com/bearindex.htm
http://www.sue-pearson.co.uk/prodlist.php?cate=1
http://www.pebblebeachbears.co.uk/vintage_1.asp
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dl … +bear+book
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dl … cyclopedia
Past Time BearsI moved my classic challenge bear to the thread in the "General" forum.
