[Woodcarver] Grizzly bear paint

[Classic Carving Patterns]

Hi Bo, Hi Mike,

Mike's suggestions are quite excellent and I wanted to pick up and emphasis
one of his points.  The black bear is not black.  In fact what we call the
black bear is only a color variation of the brown bear species.

It's fur is an extremely deep shade of brown both in nature and in painting.
Because of the dramatic contrast between his fur and his surroundings it
only appears as a black in photographs.  Often this bear is silhouetted
against pale grassy meadows, pale gray blue waterfalls and medium blue
skies.  So you have a very dark object; the bear, set against a very pale
object; the grass, sky or water and so the camera sees "black".

Bears like most animals have several different layers of fur, there is
undercoats which are often a medium gray brown coloring, then the main fur
layer which is made up of hairs that start as medium tones at the skin and
then become darker towards the outer tip of the hair, plus you have guard
hairs which are a thicker longer layer of hair usually found in areas can
receive damage from other animals. The buffalo is a great example of
undercoat fur ... ever seen that common photo of the matted, clumpy, knotty
fur of the buffalo in the early spring when he is shedding. Those shedding
clumps are the undercoat which he no longer needs for warmth. A wolf is a
great example of the guard hair layer, he has an extra thick area of hair
called a cape at the base of his neck and shoulder.  This heavy long group
of hair is to protect him from attack so that the other wolf ends up with a
mouth full of hair, not skin and muscle.

So not only will you find many shades of dark brown in your black bear if he
is turned so that one area of his body is stretched you might be able to see
some of the undercoating.  So, Bo, going with the excellent advice given by
Mike, you can use many shades of brown, black brown, and black to achieve a
realistic look to your carving.  In fact, adding more shades may well
enhance the work.

Susan

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-----Original Message-----
From: woodcarver-bounces at six.pairlist.net
[mailto:woodcarver-bounces at six.pairlist.net]On Behalf Of Mike Bloomquist
Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2004 7:27 AM
To: [Woodcarver]
Subject: Re: [Woodcarver] Grizzley bear paint


Bo,
I've only done a couple caricature black bears, but here's my  two cents
worth.  My vote would be for oil colors & linseed oil.  If you use acrylics,
use them with an extender added to slow drying.  The reason for the slower
drying time is to allow you to blend one color area into the next so there
are no hard edges between different colors or even different shades of the
same colors.  Also, if you aren't burning the fur in then pulling one
color/shade into the next with a rough brush will give the illusion of hair.

Also, never paint with pure white or pure black.  Try to stay with warm
white and raw umber (for black).  Use pure white to kick the warm white up,
and the black to darken the raw umber, but never by themselves with widlife.

Have a scrap or two of the wood you used to carve the bear handy, and use
them to test the colors and practice the brush strokes before you lay them
on the piece itself.

Before you ever wet a brush, gather as many reference photos as you can lay
hands on.  I cover the bulletin board and cabinet doors in front of the area
I'm painting at.  Thumb tacks, scotch tape.... whatever it takes until it
looks like insane wallpaper.  Actually this happens before I carve, but
black-n-whites are included at the carving stage.  You should study enough
of them, long enough that you realize that no two grizzlies are exactly
alike... then you're ready to paint your own.

If available, check back issues of your magazines or books by wildlife
carvers, they'll have the complete treatment.  Hope this helps.

Keep on Carvin'

-Mike Bloomquist->
Rome, NY
m.bloomquist at verizon.net

Wooden Dreams Woodcarving
http://www.borg.com/~bloomqum
----- Original Message -----
From: Charley & Nancy Green
To: Woodcarver at six.pairlist.net
Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2004 12:53 AM
Subject: [Woodcarver] Grizzley bear paint


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I'm carvin a grizzly bear and am getting to the point of thinking about
pain.Any bear carvers out ther that can help me?  Not sure about the type
acrilic or oil. i have done both on birds and 2 moose. Any help on the color
and mixture  ?

thanks
Bo




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