Grizzly Bear

This bear was just too lovely not to feature as itself. When I was last out west, at Kicking Horse Mt., there was a compound that was home to a Grizzly. He ended up there as he had been an 

 

older, problem bear and it was decide to give him about 10 acres on the side of the mountain to do his thing,  as well as feature him as an educational resource. The ski lift passed over his den. In the winter he was hidden, but in the summer you could see him patrolling his fence. Of course he broke out several times and finally made a successful disappearance. But I remember having my sister say we had to turn back on a hiking trail as there were fresh signs of bear. They take their bear safety very seriously.

So in this picture he is lovely. Lots of contrast make this a good choice to use. So Photoshop reduced him to 4 colours for me. ( and I did it by myself and needed no help hurrah!)

 

 

After he was blown up to about 2 ft. x 3 ft., ( I use a projector) the outlines are traced for the four colours. This is then traced a second time onto a translucent reference sheet and then a third time in reverse on fusible web material.
They are numbered carefully from 1 to 4, then cut apart.

 

This bear is going to be built up, so not all the edges need to be carefully cut but forethought becomes very important. They are fused to the materials by colour.

 

 Where pieces will over lap they do not need to be carefully trimmed.

 

The base piece is the easiest. It is fused to a backing. When the reference sheet is laid over the placement of the next colours becomes visible.

 

 

 

The order of the pieces becomes a test of visual logic. What lies behind, and what is in front, Gradually the piece begins to shape up. That's it for day 1