Max

This is Max - whose face is my second [official] attempt at needle-felting!

I had trouble with this one because - being a beginner - I have only a limited range of colours of felting wool.  I had brown and white, and bright, luminous orange, but nothing in a similar shade to this blonde mohair.  So the results were never going to be subtle, and he does look a little like he's sporting two black eyes.  I have tried to stylise it a little - the 'eye patches' are deliberately uneven because symmetry would look unrealistic.  Ditto with the white patch.

I do think he is sweet (albeit slightly chinless), but I'm not sure this way of needle-felting works as a way of creating realistic looking faces.  The difference in texture between the felted wool and the cotton backing of the mohair is far too marked.  I think, possibly, the whole muzzle needs to be felted.

I'm also finding the process of felting around the eyes quite difficult.  Actually building up the layers around the glass eye is simple enough to do - but then bringing the felted wool over the surface of the glass, is more difficult.  I think I need to go at this in a different way.

I do like the fact that you can felt over the top of the mohair - that works really well.

I think I've been making too many serious-looking creatures recently.  Max in particular, looks rather pursed-lipped.  Whatever happens, the next bear must have a big smile!