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christinemypreciousoneHi everyone. 
I bought some different colors of Copic markers friday.
I thought it was easy to use, 
Does someone knows where I can find a tutorial with some photo's to use the markers right, so the result on a bears face is amazing!!
Thank you so much, because now I do not know how to use them for a great result.
Thanks and have a great day!! 
Hugs Chrissie
YorkshireHi Chrissie, thanks for posting this topic. I was trying just last night to use a copic pen - I took it slowly, dabbed small dots around the top of the eye and with a dry brush swept it upwards and ........... oh what a mess - could have cried 
nearly threw the head across the room but then the phone rang, it was my best friend and she said she would report me to animal protection if I did! 
I wouldn't mind but it took me ages to get to this stage and didn't want to start again. These pens should come with instructions! HELP pleeeease.....................
Hugs Ali x
christinemypreciousone:doh: Hahahah Hi Ali,
GREAT STORYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY,
Sorry but I can see you, trowing it across you're room.
Hahah,
Yes you are right, a little bit of paper with instructions was at his place. 
For the price we paid, was not to much to ask. hahaha
Maybe someone can help both of us,
I live to far away, otherwise, we could try together
hahahahahhahahhahahaha :crackup:
I hope we fix it someday hugs Chrissie 
Walnut Tree Corner Bears By GailHi Ali (and Chrissie,)
don't throw the head away yet. LOL. when you got your pens, did you also buy a colorless blender pen? I would not be without mine. You can use it to take off the pigment if you have got a bit heavy handed and put a bit too much on, or it's not quite in the right place. It wont erase absolutely all of it but it will help you a lot while you are experimenting in where to put your shading.
Hope this helps you(and saves a little bear's head)
Laurie Lou BearsI use the copic markers and I think you always end up learning the hard way by trial and error.I think that you should make sure you think about what colour and how deep a shade you will use and whether that colour will compliment the bear.Always go for a subtle shade as it looks worse if the colour is too dark.I practised a few times by cutting two small pieces of mohair(of the same mohair that you are using),shading these and tucking them behind the try eyes then if you don't like the look because the colour is wrong or it is too dark you can take those out and try another colour or shade a bit lighter.I have tossed a few bears out when the shading has been wrong and it is so frustrating as you have wrecked a perfectly good bear.Try not to cover too large an area around the eyes-you just need the colour peeping out from the eyes.
I hope this helps.
Laurie :hug:
Definitely recommend the colourless blender: using the pens will be pretty much impossible until you have that with you! It lets you use the darker colours because then you can soften the edges out and make them less obvious...
christinemypreciousoneHi beary friends. 
That is a great advise you given me Laurie .
I go for the scrap pieces of mohair from the bear I would like to shade and then tucking them behind the try eyes
I do have bought the colourless blender and with my order.
Thanks so much everyone for the great advices you given Ali and me.
I will show the results ofcause, when the bear I want to shade is ready :dance:
YorkshireThank you ladies. Must add a blender pen to my next shopping list and perhaps some lighter colours (I used black :redface: ). NOT a good look Chrissie
Is my technique right thou just dotting with the fine nib and then brushing it away? If so, should the brush be dry or nearly dry?
Many thanks Ali x
Posts: 186Great topic
So far, I have only shaded a couple of bears and practiced on scraps of mohair and it works fine with the copic markers and the blender (although one of the bears looked as if someone (me!) gave him 2 black eyes ) - but ... practice (perhaps) makes perfect 
I always thought that you start shading with the copic marker and after that use the blender pen to soften the colours - but the other day I read in the instructions to a bear that you start with the blender pen and then use the copic marker afterwards?? Have any of you heard of this before? It said in the instructions that you "wet" the fabric where you want the shading with the blender pen first and then add colours with the copic markers.
Am I doing it the wrong way adding colours first and using the blender pen afterwards??
LeftyBears by Natascha SaboNo, no, don't worry, you are not doing wrong! Both techniques are okay, you can use the blender both before and/or after the color. Just try and fint out wich way is the best for you!
Teddies to TreasureHi Girls-I love to read and discuss things from people so far away.It makes the world seem so cosy! I have always used copic markers to shade the eyes and above the muzzle.I was at a bear show in Toronto yesterday and so many people said my bears had beautiful eyes. I use the large tip and color the area as like using a crayon-a little swish over the fur and also above the nose in a triangle but always "swish" the color in a feathery stroke. I never trim the hair until after I've shaded.I use "walnut" and "light walnut" most of the time and "dark bark" if I want it darker.Then soften the edges with the colorless blender.I also use colored glass eyes-olive, smoked topaz and amethyst which really give a lovely soft look.I would love to show pictures but do not know how to make them the correct size for the forum :redface: If you email me I could send them yo you as an attachment! I do know how to do that :clap: Hope this helps.Sincerely Jane D.
christinemypreciousoneHi Tina, Natascha and Jane, :hug:
Thank so much for you're advice and I hop everyone can learn from each other this way.
Hugs Chrissie
Little Bear GuyI have to agree that you need the blender pen when working with the copic system, we actually have two blender pens, one for dark colours and one for lighter colours.
I'm not sure if I'm following this correctly, but when you are doing the eyes is this before or after you have already put the eyes in the bear? We always do our colouring around the eyese prior to putting the eyes in. If it needs a little more colouring then it can be done afterwards, I just found that it was easier for us because if the eye is already in place you may not be able to get as close to the eye as you would like so you could wind up with an area around the eye that you can't get shaded.
I did see Janes bears at the TBOV show yesterday and they are beautiful, I took a a couple of picks of Jane and her table and will do my best to get those posted tonight.
big hugs
Shane
Drea's BearsHey Jane,
It was great to see you yesterday at the TBOV show........yes your bears do have lovely eyes! I have never thought of shading before trimming the fur this is very interesting. P.S. I can't make pictures small enough to post here either, if any one has any tips???
The Bears Guys: It was great meeting you yesterday as well at the TBOV show, you mentioned another thing I have never thought of....shading before putting the eyes in.....talk about living in a box eh?
For both of you I say all three (Jane, Ther Bear Guys and my own) of our bears on City TV news last night, Jane had the most coverage, her full table was shown twice and Shane your little red guy with his arms over his head and my blue butterfly bear were all shot close up and full screen! I was so excited to see them on television and Mark spoke beautifully about the popularity of the Teddy Bear, and I learned that Teddy Bears are the third most collected item in the world second only to Coins and Stamps! Who knew! So way to go Teddy bears!!!!!!!!!!
Cheers every one!
AndreaM
http://www.teddy-talk.com/viewtopic.php?id=18422
Andrea, this recent thread might be just what you're looking for! Please ask again or contact me via PM if you need more help after reading and digesting it.
Teddies to TreasureEveryone-I want you to know that this is high praise indeed coming from the Bear Guys and Andrea.They are super people and an honour indeed to be at the same show with them!Shane and Steven are international stars and Andrea is an upcoming, on the rise star who will be participating by invitation in an Artist Harvest Tour in her area of the county of Simcoe which includes a population of at least 200,000 people.Congrats Andrea. I too shade the eye area,as Shane has said, before putting in the eye.
Little Bear GuyOH my Andrea I forgot about the camera's being there , I remember them being at the table for a short time but that was it. I will try and do a write up about the show and post what few pics I actually got to take, I think I managed to snap 4 maybe 5 pics .
Jane thanks for the compliments (blushing here ) it was so much fun meeting you and Andrea, that's the fun part about doing shows is just meeting other people and matching a face to a profile name :crackup: .
big hugs
Shane
Drea's BearsWow Jane, Thanks for the lovely compliment. I have to say I came back from the show completely inspired to wrok on my bears again, it's been a struggle for a while.....work just keeps getting in the way!
Also thanks for the plug about the Images Thanksgiving Tour, it's 4 days (long) of artist opening up their homes and studios for people to see and purchace their work.
I'm going to have to try all of the new ideas I've picked up in this thread this week and hopefully sell out during the tour.
Yes Shane I agree, it was wonderful to meet everyone at the show, it helps give perspective to a lot of things and you were full of great advice! Thanks!!!!! 
Hugs,
AndreaM
P.S. Shelli, Thanks for the link to the thread on uploading pics, do I need to have a photo shop program to do all of this?
Andrea, you don't need Photoshop per se (although those instructions are for Photoshop), but you DO need a photo editing program. There are a bajillion out there and some of them are free. Do a search here for "photo editing" and see what you can find!
Drea's BearsGreat Shelli, I'll have a search!
Thanks!
AndreaM
Andrea- you will find all kinds of help in the link Shelli gave you but in the meantime if you pick up a cheap bear at a garage sale or wherever practise using the copic markers on it before using on the mohair. This will give you more confidence in using them. I might also mention that if you get together a group of other bear artists in your area( if there are any ) Shane and Steven will go to you and conduct a workshop on air brushing which included the copic markers. Our bear club had them and it was fun and very informative
Hugs
Gail
