Just Paint It: How to paint a Teddy Bear

Before we get started with the painting instructions, I have to tell you how excited I was to be interviewed on

This gal is uber creative, let me tell you. (I’ve already shared two of her projects here – sshhh) But her talents go beyond arts and crafts. Her blog is simply one of the most creative ideas I’ve ever seen. I’m not gonna say anymore. You just have to go check it out yourself.

Ok. Let’s get painting!

Are your kids already bugging you for Valentine’s Day cards and crafts? This cute little teddy bear and heart is perfect for them.

Of course, If you’d like to try it yourself, I’ll never tell!The step-by-step painting instructions are here with the paint pattern.

Here’s your paint list -

Light Pink
Wild Rose
Bamboo
Bambi Brown
Burnt Umber
Dark Burnt Umber or Black
White (optional)
Plaid Floating Medium (optional)

Do these colors look familiar? Yep! The same colors as the Cupcake.

So when your kids are done painting Teddy, you can paint the Cupcake!

The teddy bear paint pattern is super simple.

Hey, why not let your kids color it after you’ve transferred the pattern? In fact, all of my paint patterns work for coloring pages, don’t they?

After I drew the pattern, I did a wash of Light Pink. All that means is I used a damp paintbrush to moisten the watercolor paper and then I added the pink paint.

Do this in sections so your paper stays moist and the paint will flow easily.

Paint the heart Light Pink, starting with the edges and working to the center.

Paint the teddy bear’s body with Bambi Brown.

Use Light Pink for his ears, nose and feet.

Then paint Bamboo for his muzzle and Burnt Umber for his eyes and mouth.

You could call it quits here, if you wanted to.

Or decorate the heart however you want.

Or . . . .

. . . you could pour a dab of Floating medium on your plate, load some on your brush and then – on just a corner of the brush – pick up some Wild Rose pink. Work your brush a few times on your plate to blend the Medium and paint together.

And go around the edges of the heart, the ears, and the feet.

If you’ve never floated before, this might take some practice. Just practice! Do it a few times and you’ll have it, I promise! The Floating Medium really, really helps.

If you try it and you just can’t get it blended, then simply cover the Wild Rose with Light Pink – just like in all the other painting instructions I write. The darker pink will show thru just a bit, but won’t look blotchy.

But try the float. I think you’ll surprise yourself.

Paint a smaller, darker circle (black or dk. burnt umber) in the center of Teddy’s eyes. If you have some White on hand, add a couple of dots.

You could call it quits here, too. And you’d have a cute little Valentine.

Or . . .

. . . use your oldest, scruffiest brush to give Teddy some fuzzies. (Or buy one of Donna Dewberry’s from Plaid.) Or a little piece of sea sponge would work too.

Then pounce Burnt Umber all over the body, ears, hands and feet.

Tap, tap, tap . . . . tap. Load your brush and tap some more. Your kids will love it.

One tip – after you dip your brush in paint, smoosh (technical term) the brush onto the plate so the paint isn’t all on the tip of the brush. Otherwise you’ll have Blotchy teddy, not Fuzzy teddy.