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Haus of Bears, Inc.My shading around the Bears eyes really getting to me,
I just cannot get the hang of it.
I tried the copic markers, it looks painted on, even with the blender.
I have a really expensive Airbrushing kit, BUT, I either do to much, or not enough, it`s either too dark, too light, I am ready to pull my Hair out!!!
After weeks of trying it, you should think that I have the hang of it.?!
I see some Bears they have really dark circles of shading around their Bears eyes and noses, and it looks nice and natural, if I do it, it looks like a comical mask
Rita
Apple Dumpling DesignsHi Rita,
I attempted that very thing just this morning. I first did a search on how others did and read a posting by Shelli where she says how she uses oil paints. I didn't want to invest in oils yet so I bought these little pots of fabric paints and three varying size VERY stiff brushes. I then dabbed a little paint on the brush and then wiped and wiped and wiped in on a napkin until almost all the paint was off the brush....then I carefully applied it to the area on my bear I wanted to highlight. This gave me alot of control over the amount of color I put on....if I wanted more I started over and repeated the process. I got too much on once and took a clean brush and just kept brushing carefully over the same area and it took away some of the paint until I got the look I wanted. By the time I was done the areas I painted just looked like it was naturally part of the fur.
Worked great...now I'll try some oils and see how that goes...it was really easy.
Good Luck
Shantell
I do use Copic markers....I start with the lightest shades and build up the colour so it blends outward from the eye, with the darkest next to the eye itself. The only way I can describe it is, it's a bit like applying make-up to your own eyes (if you use it)..follow the eye contours. The only thing to watch with Copic ...I find anyway...is that some of the colours have a reddish or pink bias which can look very obvious when used on paler shades of fabric. I stick to the more drab colours which seem to dry the same colour ...I keep away from the warmer tones...unless the fabric colour I am applying it to can neutralise it a bit.
I think the oils idea sounds really interesting too.
Jenny
Oils... so easy... not expensive. Grab some Burnt Sienna or Burnt Umber (browns) or even Van Dyke Brown. And some Titanium White. And some black; Ivory Black (softer) or Lamp Black (true jet black.) One, or a couple of these. I think the small tubes of very professional color cost less than $5 each. You'll need a few very stiff brushes, some wax paper (as a palette, and disposable!), some turpenoid for cleanup, and some paper towels (to wipe, wipe, wipe dry so you can use the drybrush technique.)
Inexpensive, blendable, so easy. Nobody believes me... 
It's the one secret nobody seems to want to test out, and I think it's the best of my offerings to date! No hurt feelings here. I'm just wondering why everyone wants to make this shading thing so hard on themselves when oils are such an inexpensive, easy, solution.
Seriously, I use, like, two colors, or three, as above, and that's mostly it. The occasional spot of red or pink for cheek color. NOT costly at all!
Have fun, hope this helps!
Haus of Bears, Inc.Shelli,
do the oilpaints have to be heatset?
I used to paint pictures and it takes a very long time for the oilpaints to dry on the canvas.
How is it on the Mohair?
I have an Artist Set of the oilpaints, but I was not sure if it smears when someone touch the Bear, or how long it needs to dry
Rita
The most important thing is to use a DRY BRUSH technique. Meaning that you load the brush lightly, and then wipe, wipe, wipe, wipe, wipe, wipe........
... wipe, wipe, wipe... get the picture?... wipe, wipe, wipe... on a paper towel. So much that for each loading of the brush, you have basically covered the paper towel from stem to stern. Seriously. And then do it some more.
... until the brush is so dry, there's almost no pigment coming off it at all. So dry, you can't believe you'll be depositing color at all.
Then, and ONLY then, should you put that brush to your bear.
It takes maybe an hour or so to dry. ??? I don't heat set. It's utterly permanent and unsmudgeable once dry. There's really just so little paint, but it's very creamy and blendable.
I imagine if you used the same amount as you would on a canvas it would take an eternity. So don't do that! 
Has anyone ever tried those rubber brushes that get used for modelling clay and such...they are pliable but stiff at the same time and get right down to the fur base /root...they are all shapes but I use the pointy wedge shaped one. Great for spreading, blending and placing colour.
I tried them as they are so easy to clean but found them really useful for painting colour onto eyelids etc. I don't think they are designed for painting with...but I don't know many bear makers that use anything they way it's intended..that's half the fun!!
I have never tried oils on fur...I do use acrylics...but oils are much more pliable...
Jenny
Kiprie BearsShelli I believe you ! 
I am using oil paint now ! :lol:
It's so easy to apply on bears and hard to make mistakes.(if I compare to copic maker but no offence to copic !) I don't have any picture to show it to you but I did use oil paint for my bear in avatar.
I painted allot but hard to see on this picture. 
Rita, good luck for shading !
Hugs/Marie
Shelli,
I bought oil paints and pastels, coloured pencils and art things years ago to do some painting and sketching. I have never had time to use them, i will open the oils if they are still useable and have a go, as the copic airbrush pens seems to come off on my fingers. :mad:
As you know i don't do many traditional brown bears mine are all colours and styles. So the bright colours will be used too. :cool:
hugs Kerren
Upstate New YorkShelli ~
When you share instructions, it's hard not to get the picture (you're so descript). I am thinking of trying the oils as an alternative ... though I'm having success I believe with lightfast acrylics ... and really need more experience with them as well.
Deb
Kim-Bee BearsI use either Prisma colored pencils or acrylics (that say they are permanent on the box).
LuxembearsI think Shelli's way of shading is really great. I wish the word "copic' and "airbrushing' were not thought of as one. The copic system is far removed from commercial airbrushing . I have been an airbrush artist since 1984 and it is not something you canpick up and do right off the bat. Rita, you need to get lots of practice behind you before attempting to airbrush a bear. It takes time to learn to properly prepare the paint to an ideal consistencey (very watery), and to learn to control the paint flow. Airbrushing should be very soft and go on very very lightly. It should almost be dry on contact and the effects built up in layers, layers, and layers of color.
What kind of airbrush do you have?
Pandy Potter Bears
I've used Shelli's oil idea. FANTASTIC! I followed the instructions of wiping off the excess and kept thinking theres none on, it won't make a difference. It went on like dream, even on the needlefelted areas. Then use the hard bristle brush to shade out and it looks like part of the fur. Was dry the next day like you said and does not come off WHEN dry. Heres the example, Bruno.
Bumpkin BearsI also use oil paints for shading and they work a treat, the tubes of black, brown and white were not at all expensive and will last forever considering how very little you use. As Shelli said just make sure you have wiped nearly all of it off before applying, it is better to apply it gradually until you get the effect you want.
Thanks for this tip Shelli that I picked up a long time back and have used it ever since :)
Big Hugs,
Catherine
Jellybelly BearsI usually work with pencils, i don't like the copic markers too much coz they are so dark and full on. I like to layer slowly.
I'm interested in the oil paints tho Shelli and will try it out soon. Wonder if acrylic paint will do the same job? Does anyone know? We have so many paints from years of doing ceramics it will be good if they do the same job as oil paints.
I love to use my airbrush ...
I bought a new airbrush pen recently and DISASTER!!! The spray is far too heavy and it splats everywhere when used on fabric. So, I wonder if maybe you are using an airbrush pen that doesn't have a fine enough spray for the job?
I've gone back to my much trusted original pen ... (now that it has been soldered after I accidentally dropped it on the kitchen floor tiles and cracked it - eeeks!)
Kim-Bee BearsI use acrylics - never tried oils....
Apple Dumpling DesignsHere's our dear Shelli's original post...it's under Teddy Tips & Techniques...
http://www.teddy-talk.com/viewtopic.php?id=611
Now to write down what colors to buy...any particular brand I should look for?
Shantell
When I finally meet Judi in person, I will insist -- check in hand -- that she give me an airbrush lesson. I have absolutely zero experience with them, and have never even seen one in person, truth be told. But I'd love to master that bugger of a tool someday; the soft, blurry effect is really dreamy and perfect for bears.
Til then, I use my oils. I'm delighted to read that some other people are using them, too; not because I'm an ego-maniac, but because I have read a lot of people post about troubles with shading and I didn't have the sense that anybody was trying or using this method. It's super cheap, uses almost no paint per bear, and very, very easy.
I think acrylics are great, too, and have nothing against their use; I just have no experience with them because I started at oils, so I can't personally recommend them. Especially if acrylics are heat set (which I would think they do require, given that unlike oils, which have a resin base, acylics are water based), I think they're an equally terrific way to go.
And I do use colored pencils from time to time, but only for sharp detail work and lines... like darkening the area around the nose, or coloring in a few threads of floss to make the mouth stand out more sharply. For coloring the mohair "fur", per se, I haven't found pencils effective. Maybe I'm not using them "right..."???
I'm sure any medium, such as the Copic markers and system, can work wonderfully, once you've mastered them. I just figure some mediums require longer to master, and oil paints aren't one of them.
I happen to use paints in biggish tubes by WINTON, and my "set" of many colors of oils is by REEVES. I figure most oil paints are distinctly NOT for use by children, so most any you buy will be more on the 'professional' end of things than, say, a strip of Crayola watercolors would be, when you compare those paints with true "artist" watercolors. I don't think you can really go wrong.
For colors, I think a good basic set is your choice of brown, white, and black. Maybe also cream/beige, but of course you can make that from brown and white. I have occasionally dipped into purples and greens (like for my bear JOLIE, which was of mint short mohair) but mostly I prefer to make bears in the traditional colors, so let your own preferences (like Kerren's, who will require LOTS of tubes!) guide your color choices.
I'm glad it's been of help to recommend this technique; thanks for letting me know it's been useful. 
Upstate New YorkJust a couple questions ...
Shelli ~ I was thinking of giving the oil a try, and thought maybe my creme stenciling oils would work. I also have oil stencil "crayons as well. Both of these "load" nearly dry. (Maybe less wipe, wipe, wiping.) Hmm ... guess that's what I'll do with some of my mohair scraps. I'll give it a whirl.
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Rita ~ I wanted to learn to airbrush as well. Did my research, bought brush and compressor, read like crazy, and plunged in. (Then of course recently I see Michael's here offering a beginner's class!) It seriously takes a LOT of practice. I've used it on bears, but only after much practice, and even then I used it lightly, thinking less was best until I have more experience.
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Anybody ~ What is a copic marker? I've read plenty of comments that make me wonder if they're difficult to use. Do they have some redeeming quality that makes folks stick with them.
Nighty-night! 
Deb
Posts: 8,574Shelli
I do believe you. And reading all the colors took me back to lessons from my dad in the studio-(he was color blind) but he knew his colors by the values. Raw umber....uh huh....thank you honey, made me remember happy thoughts.
Dilu
Right, Shelli...I got some oil paint this morning...now can you just come over to my house and run through it with me....................!!!!
I will practice on scraps first......
Jenny
It's easy cheesy, though I admit, I wish it were harder, so I could justify the trip...! I've not seen much of the UK, despite living in Zurich for almost two years in the early 90's, and would dearly love to go explore.
