One Polar Bear As Requested ~ minus fur!

[Eddy-Smiles]

Awhile back I asked about fur for a polar bear and got a lot of great suggestions. However, I decided that any attempt on my part to add fur would only succeed in having the polar bear come out looking just like another one of my caricature bears so I decided to go without hair and leave it plain. I also decided that the acrylic finish along with the natural color of the basswood comes pretty close to the color of polar bear hair so I didn't paint it, instead I wood burned the eyes, nose, mouth and ears with my Colwood Burner using an "M" BU-100 Tip. The wood has a burl in it which I didn't bother trying to hide. I just left it naturally dark as part of the art. The bear was a request from a very good friend of mine and I plan to Polar Bear.jpg get it into the mail to him later on in the month.

[Eddy-Smiles]

Dog gone it! I just notice that this bear has six toes! Bet you never seen that before? Well, we'll have to send him to the Vet before he gets mailed off!

[Merle Rice]

Hi Eddy, Even with the 6 Toes you did one Heck of a Job. You brought put the Character of the Bear and has great Eye Appeal , Good Work Eddy. Merle

[joepaulbutler]

Who's counting, I'm just looking a fine carved bear

[sappy]

Very nice bear, I like him a lot. Only you would of noticed the toes, I think he is just right.

[Eddy-Smiles]

Well, I've been thinking this thing to death all after noon. The original idea was that each mark was supposed to have been a claw. But when I look at it, instead of a nail I see a space between a claw. I don't know whether to leave it alone or to re-burn each one and make them a hair wider so they look more like claws. If I was just carving this for the heck of it I'd leave it alone but I really need this to be right. Any thoughts?

[Brian T]

I would stop right now. You can credit any viewer to make up all the missing bits. It's a bear. By color, probably a Polar Bear.
Yeah, claws would be nice, but, when they walk around in snow or low summer veg, you don't get to see claws and sometimes not even feet, when they stand still.

I met a native artist, William Atkinson, works in Canada's Yukon Territory. I have a pyrographed leather moose hide, Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep, about 22" x 15", they show no feet.
In about 1975 or 1976, I asked him about that and all he said was: "Never see those."

[Claude]

I agree with Brian - leave as is. It looks great!

Claude

[JoeVM]

That's a cool looking bear Eddy. I like the simple clean lines.

[Kadiddle]

I like it the way it is and the color is great. It is a well carved bear and I did not notice the six claws. Can you sand down the claws to remove them?
Carve On,
Kadiddle

[Nomad]

With 6 toes on each foot, he can count up to 24!

That's a beauty of a bear Eddy. Great ivory look. Very nice work! Quite different from your other bears.

[Tom-H]

Wow! That's one fine looking polar bear...Very well done.

[Tinwood]

Geez Eddy, I "bear"ly noticed the toes at all. All I could see was the great movement you captured and the spot on figure of a polar bear. Super little carving.

Tinwood

[Ron T]

Hi Eddy, it looks like I picked the right time to come back for a visit. Yes, I know, I've been away for a long while. But now that I'm back, my opinion is you need to leave him just the way he is. He's as awesome as all of your other bears have been and I'm sure he will be treasured and truly appreciated.

By the way, it's really good to see all of you regular members still here and posting.

[Merle Rice]

I agree withRon Eddy, leave him just like he is. Welcome back Ron, glad to see you posting again. Merle