Making a tear bear begins with Mulberry Paper. The paper gets its name from the Mulberry plant and is most widely used by Japanese to make paper in rice screens. Tear bears must be made from a high quality, very thick paper if it's to have a fur appearance. There are numerous places to buy paper. My favorite site is http://www.thebearyscrap.com/. Ebay is also a good place to find Mulberry paper but I won't buy paper from foreign seller.
Mulberry paper is sold in packages of 1 to 5 (8 1/2" by 11") sheets. I buy the package of 5 in the colors needed for the bears. For any other color I only buy one sheet and that can last for a very long time. I like the light colors for my bears unless I am making a panda. The cost for the highest quality Mulberry paper should be under a dollar per sheet.
The Tearbear shown was not layered so it doesn't have a furry, thick appearance. When just starting out it is easier to learn by not expecting too much from yourself. Keep it simple to begin by using one layer.
The basic shape is a round head with a round snout and 2 half circles for ears. Arms, body, legs, hand and feet can be added or you can have your bear in any outfit you can think of. The entire bear is usually 4 inches or smaller.
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