panda bits

Hi, i am very excited with a tiny recent making on the muzzle of a panda face.
It was based on my last visit of the Natural History Museum in UK. Initially, we were just looking fun with kids for it's popularity of exhibition on facts and skulls of dinosaurs. To my surprise, there are many aspects of specimen on endanger speices of animals. An excellent presentation in educational means and can't express much in words, worth to visit again...
Among those models and specimen, i chose this panda to post. Based on the caption they mentioned about this making, there were some fading on colors of them. That's what i love, i have a strong preference on earth tone, neutrals and fading colors. Apart from the usual way to conceive a definition of panda, this specimen shows a slender and sleek form. The fur falls next to the skin ... sorry don't know a better word to explain in English. I really want to capture this feature on my making!

Yes, i am still experimenting, a start with felting. I do try felting and rooting mohair before from the study from Forums. I go into further study from Joanne Livingston, she has a very detailed documentation on many aspects of making. This time, i try to put this into what i want under my intention.
They all start from an alpaca or alpaca/mohair based face. Felting wool on the base, and then rooting strands from either mohair or alpaca scrap.

The rooting of alpaca strands over the muzzle is really a time consuming act. I thought to pinch the top and the tail of the strand. Comes up with many possibilities. Once you try, you will enjoy it. Especially when i touch the muzzle after repetition on the rooting. It seems they are much softer than the fur on the face.
I did try rooting filaments over bear's eyes for creating eyelids, but this time, the result is out of my imagination. I haven't got the whole done, starting some heads for different colour of alpaca.

I will have more to do on panda, as based on the last show, one of the visitor sharing her interest on the 16 panda cubs, i still remember the happiness on the booming of baby panda news in China many years ago. It's not easy to give birth to a panda especially when i heard the news in US zoo reporting the loss of newborn panda last week. They are rare and precious.

Finally i attach a postcard image, is my friend's drawing of panda.
(if you wish to have one, please leave me a message)
please ask before download or want to keep this image.
thank you for your cooperation.

tutu train

Time flies, i am back now. I have precious memories this time.
First of all, the Bernard bear found a new home in London, thank you Dawn. S.
In the meantime, thanks for the support at the WSPA UK.

Another bonus is the value of knowledge from a visitor on that day, below is my main piece display on that day with a toy train bought near British Museum.
I chose this train model merely for the co-ordination with the male bear, called Benedette's outfit.
Actually, i didn't know much about the history of the code on the train. There are some abbreviation on both side of the train, coated with gold paint.
" S D J R " do you have any hints over them?
With the clear explanation of this visitor. I try to write them in short :
S- Somerset, D - Dorset, J- Joint and R- of course, Railway.
He explain how the geographical and historical reason on how it comes together and who makes this happens too.In the meantime, he recommends me to read more drawings for an artist called,
David Shepherds, i think it helps me to know more in a visual sense...
I can't imagine i was talking to a train driver at that time. Your valuable input means to me. It seems i have to extend my making with this props.

With special appreciation for those who come to my stand. I really wish to take a peek at each stand, the whole hearted efforts behind the stage and say hello to everyone. 

Ah, now i am day dreaming to go either East Somerset or West Somerset.

a 100 before Hugglets

It's my 100 blog post! I would like to give you my big bear hug for the followers, new and old ones.
Thank you for taking a peek at my page and leaving me comments and hear my bits of sharing.
Instead of the audience from our place, UK, US and Russia are my major source of audience.
Yes, i can't believe that Russian takes the most regular and high traffic source on my blog page.
Others include Europe, Australian and other Asian countries. 

Cпасибо! Is this the right word to say thank you in Russian language. Please correct me if it's not.
I like Russian design very much besides bear making industry, i adore "your" graphic design and theories behind. Maybe i will document some of my readings on their books in the later post.
But please forgive me for my poor English if i try to quote or  my reinterpretation would be quite boring :/


Apart from this, i receive great encouragement during my poor days from a Chinese lady.  Though she's not living in our city or even we haven't meet before. But i' m sure, i will visit her one day. 謝謝您
These 2 bears are gone, they lived in different Asian countries, i missed them, i have those pictures of them.
Here i print them out, reduce their size and becomes my bookmark.
When i come across one of the questionnaire, asking about the culture reference or influence from the place where i lived, my jaws dropped. To be honest, European art & design, culture and  their way of living captures all my attention. It's just a sparkling idea for me to put with the Chinese ink painting.

Handcraft objects VS machine made and mass produced, which one do you prefer?

By this coming Sunday 9th Sept, the Teddies 2012 showing in Kensington Town Hall. Hope you can come.

motivation

A month! I have been missing here for a long time, so where am i?
Still on earth, busy with my children, i think Mother nature supposed to be bearly busy when their children having a long holidays. Both my boys enjoy their water sports activities much especially things that they cannot do in usual school daysss!

I am pleased the weather was pretty good with lots of sunshine. Feeling lively. Hope both of them appreciate this precious chance to embrace the sea. I love the reservoir, lake, sea and ocean, the sense of silence which can bring one to escape from the wall of the city. I do take some pic (when you still see the clear sky ) to share with you. They are great places here in Hong Kong you can enjoy your windsurfing, canoeing and sailing. Our nature did change a lot, many places and scarce resources were pull down, disappearing and ignored.

In the meantime, we do enjoy a concert a day before, which is a popular band, TAT Ming Pair, at my teens generation, yes, many many years ago :P Instead of the hot issue at our place on questioning the education,  i am attracted not merely by the image of the lead singer, is his thought, the identity, the value and what we are facing towards anarchy, norms and rules while we are doing creating and making.

the close-up of dragon boat for Tuen Ng festival each year

teddy bears for WSPA UK

There are many bears donated from bear artist, manufacturer and shops. The aim for this event is to help  fund the Sanctuary for Rescued Bears in Romania. For more information on the adoption, please visit their website and go to the official link to know more about the bear sanctuaries.
Wish you can take time to read through. This event starts now until the 20th July. I wish we can support this.
Bernard, the sailor bear is available there. Scroll down to the bottom of this page with the WSPA banner..

a new member in the family

Hi, i just add a new member to the small family of my working tools ... it's a nail clipper!
Those hand tools helps me making the bear's head. I used to choose scissors for trimming.
While on the other hand i also need help of using hemostat or tweezer for removing the fur's root for the bear's muzzle.
By the end of the day, i was much satisfied with the nail clipper, it comes up with clean finish.
Have a happy bear making time!

O summer bear

The weather is really hot here, around 30degree celsius most of the time. Uh... i am going to melt in summer.
Here i want to share you my fav treats which is very accessible for everyone, the strawberry flavor ice-cream.
See the photo, i think of this global  ff shop, i only support their ice-cream... then nothing else.
Do you think the strawberry juice color a bit lighter than before?

 

The color and texture are always deep in my mind, will recall this economical choice to brighten up my dull days ;)
And yes, i would like to put this fantasy into action. Very pleased that Joanne from http://desertmountainbear.blogspot.hk/ did lots of wonderful experiment on dying projects, share her experience and give me some samples to try. I worked on my alpaca. Unlike the tea dye alpaca ( longer time in the pot, takes the color both the pile and the backing) on my previous experiment, this time the pile of alpaca takes color easily but not the backing.
I have the intention to remain some parts not dyeing to see the gradation of the original color.
Below are the photos collage on the making, there are some feature which fits into my desired treats. Hope you like him, Yoyo.