Well I have finally completed the texture of all the hair for the polar bear. To me putting the texture on is probably the most tedious and time consuming part of the whole carving process. But it is also the one that can add the most realism to the carving. When I first started carving animals I would try to do all the texturing at one setting.  I now try to limit my texturing to half hour sessions with a break in between. This gives my eyes a break, helps keep my mind on the job at hand, and helps to eliminate or keep mistakes to a minimum. It may be hard to see in the pictures the subtle changes in the texture from long hair to shorter or the way it changes direction under the legs. I have an idea I'm kicking around that I can show texturing a little clearer. I will post that up at the same time I show how I set the eyes on my animal carvings. Here are the pictures of the bear all haired and ready for the sealer and then paint.

Now on to the paint shop and we'll give our bear some real life.