For those who didn't know, today is a National Holiday ™ Why? because it's  tugs birthday! So for a birthday surprise, I decided to haul out Opencanvas and practice my painting skills, thus making him a nice little present!

This was also part of an overhaul I'd really been meaning to do. I've drawn Tugsie as more of a "furry" Care Bear, you know with more of your standard anthro/humanoid build, but still trying to keep that Nelvana look. But try as I might, I was never really happy with it, and the result wound up looking pretty amateurish in my opinion. the head didn't match the body, the physique was way too skinny and toony, the feet were too big, and the result looked too gangly.

So then it finally clicked. To do this right, I'd have to remember that Tugs was a bear. So, after studying the anatomy of real bears, as well as seeing how others folks drew anthro bears, I tried again, aiming for a slightly more realistic look this time, and voila! One baby blue bruin coming right up!

So that said, go over, and wish  Tugs a happy birthday, guys! And don't forget to give him a Care Bear hug!! ;)