Thursday 29 October 2015

Shrinking bears again

This is becoming a regular theme.  This time I decided it was time that the six-joint standing bear should be treated to a smaller cousin.  And, as has been the case before, the shrinking process didn't go quite as far as I intended but I managed just over 9 inches; I will also try very hard to make sure that it doesn't grow with pattern revisions.

I thought that such a small bear deserved a very big name so the first one was called Hercules.
 
 
The small size has meant that I have had to revise a lot of the joint components and in particular a smaller nut and bolt set for jointing. I know that doesn't sound like much but after 23 years of the same it is a big change in my little world.  It was especially fiddly fitting it inside the neck section and I am still refining that.
 

 
I have had to use glass eyes over  my preferred vintage boot buttons too,  there simply aren't any that small.
 
 
Purely to give an idea of scale....

 
A bear has to eat, the dogs won't miss one biscuit
 
 
Hercules soon acquired a "brother" but in a rusty shade. It seemed quite an appropriate shade for Autumn so he decided to be photographed with some of the pretty leaves from the Acer in my front garden, I know, everybody else has pumpkins and I just wanted to be different.
 

 
This one is Wotan, another large name for a small bear, and I am pleased to report that, despite a few minor pattern adjustments he didn't come out any taller.
 
More information about my bears, including any available, can be found on my website at
 
 
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