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Raccoon and White Bunny


Steve Panner

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After wanting to give up countless times I finally managed to finish the raccoon I've been working on for a while. It is by far one of the most complex animals I ever made, it even has claws on all legs. I'm surprised that in the end it looks quite all right, I never thought I'll get the volumetry and the fur texture right.

Here are some pictures:

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I also have for sale a small white rabbit, in advance for Easter:

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You can see them both on my eBay: http://www.ebay.com/sch/merchant/dollhousepets

Thanks again for your suggestions and also thanks for looking!

The Possum is still in work. Thank you all for your replies about the size of raccoons and possums in the white cat thread. I did not replied there since I did not want to bump that thread to the top of the marketplace again.

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Thank you all for your lovely comments! I'm so thrilled you like it!

@Holly: On the bunny I used wool. I only use natural fibers on all my sculptures, part because it looks more realistic in all lighting conditions but more importantly since I value my health and especially my daughter's health.

Studies over long periods of time have shown workers in wool factories rarely suffered from lung problems from the airborne wool particles. Acrylic on the other hand is quite controversial. It was one of the first things I researched about this hobby, since I do most of the work with my daughter in my lap. That's why I like clay so much, it is a great material but it also has only natural ingredients and does not give any fumes if baked properly, while resin is really toxic. That's why I use water based glue instead of polyurethane one, which would cure stronger, waterproof and would also allow me to work faster.

But your question showed me again I need to take better pictures, since the bunny is furred not flocked. I mean it has flock on legs and face, but the rest is "fur". Looking at the pictures is hard even for me to tell. Maybe that's one reason there is so little interest in it.

Again, thank you all for your encouragements, now and in the previous threads :)

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That's good to know, since I do most of my knitting and crochet with acrylic yarns, not wool; so now I know not to clip the acrylic yarns for flocking. And looking back at the picture, yes; the tail is lovely fluffy like fur; but it looks more like flocking on Bunny's bod. I bet the raccoon's tail took forever!

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But your question showed me again I need to take better pictures, since the bunny is furred not flocked. I mean it has flock on legs and face, but the rest is "fur". Looking at the pictures is hard even for me to tell. Maybe that's one reason there is so little interest in it.

Because you mentioned about your photos, I had a couple suggestions.

Could you possibly use something in the photo to demonstrate the scale/size as a visual. Since most of us are extraordinarily visually oriented, something like a penny or dime sized coin, a pencil tip, bottle cap or such would help show the petite beauty of these lovely animals.

Perhaps using a macro lens on your camera could show more detail of the fur, paws and faces.

Also consider using a piece of miniature grass or a bush or plant might add perspective to the animal.

Creating a tiny miniature scene - but not a cluttered or busy one - keep it very simple so the animal is the focus but add just enough to help folks visualize how they might use it in their miniature scene.

For example if the bunny is to be for Easter, place it on some grass and set a tiny basket of eggs in the scene to push the theme at bit. If the bunny was a garden bunny, set it on grass with some miniature cabbage or other veggie in the background. With the raccoon, maybe a tipped over trash can or piece of fruit or veggie.

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But your question showed me again I need to take better pictures, since the bunny is furred not flocked. I mean it has flock on legs and face, but the rest is "fur". Looking at the pictures is hard even for me to tell. Maybe that's one reason there is so little interest in it.

I'll be very surprised if the bunny doesn't fetch a good price. I only gushed so over the raccoon because I'm quite partial to them and because I haven't seen many done SO well in 1/12 scale.

I think the bunny is awesome, the whiskers and the facial detailing are superb. I already knew you were skilled at bunnies ;) Raccoons however were a new adventure and you blew me away!

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How about just putting the thing on a fence trying to get in a window? :glare:

Seriously, I think your raccoon is lovely and that you, unlike a lot of other people, have actually got the rings on the tail right. Most raccoons only have 5 rings, but I have a pic of one with 7! And you've even got the opposable thumbs correct. You can tell, I miss my raccoons.

By the way, raccoons in different parts of the country look different. That raccoon is typical of the ones here in the Northwest, but in some parts of the country, raccoons can be a reddish color and some only have two black eyes for a mask.

Now that you've learned more about raccoons than you ever wanted......LOL

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Thank you all for your wonderful replies!

Selkie, thank you for the photographic tips. I do have a lot to improve in that field, my camera does not do macro very well and getting a new one will take a while since there's always something more important to do with money :) But I will take your suggestions and create some furniture, plants and other decors for the pictures.

Holly, the fish is an interesting idea, I already tried to make accessories for my pets, like carrots for bunnies so fish for cats or raccoons can be a nice addition. I'll give it a shot.

Thank you Amy!

April, thank you for your comments! I can't say I'm skilled at anything, since I only made forty something miniatures so far. It's more like a hit or miss process, some look right while others... not so great. But thanks, I can't say I'm not happy when people say my work is good. Actually I'm thrilled and most of the time it feels better than the actual selling of the item. Narcissistic me :)

Thank you too Brae!

Thanks Tony, your comment reminded me to check your blog, haven't been there in a while, and your recent work... just WOW!!

Kelly, thank you for all the info, raccoons are new to me, we don't have them in Europe and until now I only saw them in movies. Never had a clue they are so popular and so common. I always thought they are like foxes, you maybe see them in the wild once or twice in a lifetime.

In fact this mini raccoon is like a collaborative project of this forum since the idea was suggested there then so many of you helped with advice during the whole process. Again thank you all for being such a friendly community!

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You may say some are not as good as the others, but even your most criticised piece (by you) is still magnificent work.

We have a den of foxes in the back acre of my little farm and we see them fairly often. Coons drive the dogs nuts regularly, and once I came home to an entire herd of deer (about 20) in the pasture eating the round bale intended for the horses. They also feast on my poor apple trees. Coyotes are heard and seen often, too--when I kept chickens, they were often lunch. A cougar mauled my neighbor's old quarter horse a couple of years ago, so you can tell the Midwest, USA is still sort of wild.

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