Capturing a Moment of Love: The Bear Family

Capturing a Moment of Love: The Bear Family

July 12, 2025

There’s a quiet magic in family love—the way it shows up in small gestures, soft glances, and the comfort of simply being together. That’s what I’ve set out to capture in my latest drawing: a tender moment within a bear family, drawn not just with coloured pencil, but with heart.

This piece is unique and new for me—I'm drawing it entirely in warm grey coloured pencils. No distractions. No color. Just light, shadow, and emotion. I chose this approach intentionally, to allow the pure feeling of the moment to shine through. Sometimes, removing colour lets the soul of the scene speak even louder.

So I will admit it has been both challenging and fun. This is has been a long work in progress. It has been a work of overcoming perfectionism which then leads doubt, which leads to procrastination.. what a vicious cycle. Till I sit back down at my desk again and then fall in love with the process all over. There is magic sitting at my desk work with my pencils and bring the art to life. It is such a rush.

I know how I want it to look and there has been a lot of perfectionism and self doubt when it doesn’t convey how I want it too. and that sometimes blocks the progress. But I am persevering through; working to create the vision I see in my head down on paper. And the progress has been worth it. The project’s not done but its progressing. and I am pleased with the progress so far.

In this piece, you’ll see a father bear at the top looking out, his gaze steady and protective as he looks outward. Beside him, the mother bear is gazing downward looking on with love toward their cubs, her expression gentle, full of warmth and love. And at the center of it all—a sibling pair nestled close. One cub looking down at the other with quiet affection, while the youngest has curled up peacefully, using their sibling’s lap as a pillow. What a great bond!

This composition I created didn’t come from one perfect photograph—it came from three. I carefully pieced together reference images, not for technical accuracy, I pulled pieces from each to bring the emotional vision to life. I wasn’t after realism alone—I wanted to create a feeling. Something that would stir the heart and whisper, this is what love looks like. So the reference is just a guideline to give me an outline to work from, so I can create a feeling; to create an emotional scene that felt real. A moment you could step into and feel the love—almost like you were part of their circle.

Every stroke of pencil has been about more than just fur or form—it’s about the soul of the scene. The tenderness of a mother’s love. The strength of a father’s presence. The sweet bond between siblings. This drawing isn’t just about bears—it’s about the beauty of family connection in its most heartfelt form.

I love to create drawings that pull you into it; to feel that love in the drawing. Working from my passion of creating wildlife art that whispers love

I can’t wait to share the finished piece with you soon. For now, I hope this glimpse into the process reminds you of the quiet power in togetherness, and the love that lives in the little moments.

With love

Nancy