Teddy bear Picnic

[Mongo Mel]

I've held off posting anything on this one but I've decided I need to, if just to prove that I'm still doing something.
I picked this up at the Washington D.C. show last August and it's being done as a christmas gift for my wife. It's described as "Teddy Bear Picnic". The bears are about an inch high, the blanket is maybe 2" X 3" and everything is white metal. Not shown in the pictures are 3 tea cups and a tea pot that all get placed on the blanket.
This @#$^ thing is driving me crazy. I've stripped it a couple of times now and am now trying to paint it with acrylics instead of oils. I'm not trying do do anything fancy with it but it's just giving me fits.
Anyway, here are a couple of pictures...

 

[Mongo Mel]

da bears

Feel free to mock me at your leisure
Craig

 

[Joe Hudson]

Hey Craig,

Sorry can't knock you I think it is pretty cool. Who makes it?

Joe

BTW Looking pretty good so far.

 

[Mongo Mel]

Thanks Joe. I think she'll like it no matter how it turns out but I just don't like having this much trouble painting something.
I can't remember who makes it but I'll check tonight after I get home. I do renmember that they also make a wide renge of fantasy type figures (dragons, elves, etc., not female). And it came in a blister package where the back cardboard sheet slides off to open it, if that helps anyone identify it.
Craig

 

[Jacek Spychalski]

Sweet and lovely ! :lol:

Cheers

Jacek

 

[nagashino]

Hi Craig

That's nice. My wife would love it - she's a fanatical teddy-bear collector. The house is full of the little b's!

This hobby isn't all about battle-axes, bayonets and bazookas, is it!

Got to see this one finished

Cheers

Phil

 

[captnenglish]

Craig, Do post who makes it, my wife would love it too. BTW, looks great so far.

 

[thegoodsgt]

Hmmmm. I have to mention a few inaccuracies, Craig.

If the bear on the left is supposed to be a Steiff bear, the color isn't quite right. It should be a lighter shade of brown, with a tinge of orange. Also, the buttons are missing, which you should add using Miliput or sheet lead.

One of the tea cups appears to be a poor representation of a Coalport Pink Batwing tea cup, which wouldn't be seen prior to the 1910-15 timeframe (so I'm not sure if it's appropriate for the Steiff). You should thin the edges of the rim of the cup and rescribe the design on the side.

I can't believe anyone would manufacture something so inaccurate!

Sorry to ruin your fun, but we're all about historical accuracy 'round here!

:lol:

 

[mike23]

This set's from Thunderbolt Mountain. I bought one myself- who could resist? Bear fans should also check out the Eureka Miniatures line of teddy bears. They do Seven Years War and Zulu sets in 28mm. The Seven Years War bears carry pop guns; the cavalry's mounted on hobby horses. (And they look way better "in person" than on the website.) My only complaint is the skinny ankles on some of 'em....

 

[Mongo Mel]

Hi guys,
thanks for the feedback
Mike's right, the package says Thunderbolt on it. A quick search turned up this...
Thunderbolt
It's lists there for $20.00 but I got it for $10.00 at a show.
Steve, I'm speechless! is there nothing unknown by the folks on this site?
Seriously, I have no idea about the type of bears represented here. I forgot to place the tea cups in the pictures here. They will go on the saucers around the platter in the middle of the blanket and the teapot goes on the platter. I'm just trying to get an acceptable paint job here for my wife's gift. Things this small are way beyond my abilities to paint with much detail.
I've got a long way to go with this one and only about 2 months to get it done now.
the way it's gone so far it could be close :lol:
Thanks again,
Craig

 

[thegoodsgt]

At the risk of sounding like a metrosexual, it's adorable.

 

[Mongo Mel]

Hey Steve,
Well...I don't know what to say. When I met you at MFCA last May I had no idea that you were a metrosexual.
As Jerry Seinfeld said..."Not that there's anything wrong with that" :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[New Painter]

Craig,
I am a very amateur painter who became interested in the hobby via my husband a few years ago. I, too, picked up Teddy Bear's Picnic at the NCMSS Show in Washington, D.C. this August. I haven't had the courage to start painting it, yet! I'm afraid that it will be harder than I first thought.

I hope you keep posting progress photos and I will appreciate any suggestions and advice that you care to offer.

Thanks.

 

[PJ Deluhery]

Steve, you're too much! LOL! :lol:

 

[thegoodsgt]

Craig, actually I'm no longer a metrosexual. I had an operation and I'm now an uber-sexual. I feel much more comfortable.

 

[Mongo Mel]

Darla,
Welcome to the planet. I wish you lots of luck with your copy of the teddy bears. I doubt that I'll be of much help for you with this piece. This is much smaller than what I usually paint and it's giving me fits. But I'll keep posting pictures as I make progress.
Please be sure to do the same, okay?


Steve,
I'm afraid to ask but as long as you're happy, good for you! :lol:

Craig

 

[mike23]

The figurinistas I know are mostly into the 28-32mm scale part of the hobby. They all swear by controlled washes for shading and careful dry-brushing for highlights. That's the combo I tried on the Eureka "7 Years Picnic" bear soldiers' fur and it worked really well. Uniforms and equipment got the standard treatment.