Paint Your Own Buddy Bear – get creative with a bear of your own
A blank canvas… well, a Buddy Bear to paint, of course. The Buddy Bear is just waiting for you to bring it to life. Detailed scenes of your city, your favourite landscape or simply bright patterns and colours – grab a palette of acrylic paints and get started. To keep your personal Buddy Bear looking freshly painted for a long time, finish it with a coat of acrylic varnish. The 33 cm paint-your-own Buddy Bear comes on a base, the 22 cm Buddy Bear on a glass stand, so your personal work of art can find its place in your home straight away. Feel free to send us photos of your painted bears – we can't wait to see them.
Our Paint-Your-Own Buddy Bears & Painting Sets at a Glance
What if a white Buddy Bear became a truly personal work of art? With your favourite colours, creative ideas and a message all of your own, a paint-your-own Buddy Bear turns into a one-of-a-kind piece with a very personal signature. Colourful, elegant, playful or entirely individual – there are almost no limits to your imagination. Every brushstroke makes the Buddy Bear more personal and turns it into a lasting memory of a special person, a shared moment or an unforgettable experience.
As a creative "Paint your Buddy Bear" project, a personal gift, a family event or a special activity for any occasion: a Buddy Bear to paint combines creativity with the joy of making something of your own. And the best part: the finished Buddy Bear is more than a figure – it becomes a small piece of a personal story.
Join the Buddy Bear Community
Would you like to share your artwork? Then show us what your Buddy Bear has become! We love receiving photos on Instagram at @buddybaerberlin or by email to info@buddy-baer.com. Perhaps your Buddy Bear will soon inspire other creative minds and become part of our growing Buddy Bear community.
22 cm Paint-Your-Own Buddy Bear – creative, compact and versatile
The 22 cm Buddy Bear to paint is the ideal size for personal gifts, creative projects and first works of art of your own. Made from high-quality premium polyresin (cast stone), the blank bear has a specially prepared surface that is perfect for decorating with acrylic paints.
Children, families, school classes or adults who love to create – the 22 cm bear offers plenty of room to bring your own ideas to life. Colours, patterns, names, symbols and personal messages turn every bear into a truly individual work of art, making painting a special experience in which imagination and personality become visible. Once finished, the hand-painted Buddy Bear can be sealed permanently with clear varnish and kept as a personal keepsake.
Thanks to its handy size, the 22 cm Buddy Bear is particularly suitable:
- as a special Berlin gift or Berlin souvenir
- as a personal birthday present with an individual touch
- for family events, weddings and other special days
- as a lasting memory of a trip to Berlin
- as a shared creative project for children, families and adults
- as a special activity at school fairs, workshops and events
- for company parties, team building and creative staff events
- as an individual keepsake for anniversaries, farewells and milestones
- for celebrations of all kinds where something unique should be created
The 33 cm Buddy Bear to paint offers considerably more surface to work on and opens up even more creative possibilities. This model is also made from high-quality premium polyresin and is ideal for decorating with acrylic paints.
Its larger surface allows for more elaborate designs, detailed patterns, personal stories or colourful works of art. The 33 cm bear is particularly popular for group activities, schools, clubs, family projects and creative workshops – and as an exceptional individual gift.
After painting, the Buddy Bear can be properly sealed with clear varnish so that your personal artwork stays protected for years. The result is a durable Buddy Bear one-off that is not only decorative but also tells a personal story.
Design (Signature) Buddy Bear 33 cm – the ideal bear for signatures
The Design (Signature) Buddy Bear (33 cm) differs from the classic paint-your-own bears in its high-quality, glossy white lacquered surface. This version was developed specifically to preserve personal greetings, signatures and messages permanently.
With suitable permanent markers, the glossy blank bear can be inscribed individually and becomes a unique keepsake. The signature Buddy Bear is especially popular for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, farewells, company events, special team occasions and celebrations of every kind.
Congratulations from guests, personal dedications from colleagues or memories of a shared event – the Design Buddy Bear preserves special moments in an extraordinary way.
Buddy Bear Painting Sets – everything you need to get started
Unpack, choose your colours and off you go – with a Buddy Bear painting set, your creative experience starts straight away. For everyone who doesn't want to hunt for the right materials first, our Buddy Bear painting sets contain everything you need to bring your own Buddy Bear to life. The matching paints and brushes are included with the bear, so the first brushstroke is never far away.
Bright and colourful, with Berlin motifs, personal names and messages, or exactly as you imagine it – every Buddy Bear can be as unique as the person who paints it. That is what makes a Buddy Bear painting set such a special gift idea for children, families and Berlin fans: it gives not just a figure, but time to create, the joy of doing something together and, in the end, a very personal keepsake.
As a gift, something to do on a rainy day, a family moment, a souvenir from Berlin or a special activity at a party – with a Buddy Bear painting set, a white bear becomes, step by step, a small piece of personal history.
Why a Paint-Your-Own Buddy Bear Is Unique
A Buddy Bear to paint invites you to make your ideas, colours and feelings visible – and to share special moments with others along the way. Instead of buying an off-the-shelf souvenir, you create something that exists only once. Your Buddy Bear carries your personal signature, tells your story and becomes a unique keepsake that will remind you for a long time of the moment you painted it.
Another advantage: you paint directly onto the finished 3D bear – no firing is needed, as it would be with porcelain or ceramics. That keeps the creative process flexible and straightforward. Once painted, the bear can be displayed or given as a gift right away.
Paint-your-own bear, bear to paint, Buddy Bear painting set or signature bear – every model offers a special way to design your own individual Berlin souvenir and create a lasting memory. 5% of all sales in our online shop are donated to children's charities.
How It Works: Paint Your Buddy Bear in 5 Steps
With our step-by-step painting guide, decorating your bear is pure fun. Whether you are an adult or a child aged 3 or over – our paint-your-own Buddy Bears are already primed and can be decorated with acrylic paints straight away. For a result that stays beautiful, we recommend sealing the finished bear with transparent acrylic varnish.
1. Unpack your materials and prepare your space
Protect your work surface with newspaper or a painting mat. Lay out your white Buddy Bear, brushes, acrylic paints and a cup of water.
2. Plan your design (or just get started)
Berlin skyline, floral patterns, favourite colours or a heartfelt motif for the person you are giving it to: your Buddy Bear is a 360° canvas. If you like, sketch your design lightly in pencil first.
3. Paint with acrylics
Start with light colours over large areas and work your way towards the details layer by layer. Acrylic paints are easy to paint over if something doesn't turn out as planned. Let each layer dry in between.
4. Leave to dry
Leave your painted Buddy Bear to dry completely for at least 24 hours before varnishing – longer, depending on the room temperature.
5. Seal with acrylic varnish
To keep your personal Buddy Bear looking freshly painted for a long time, finish by sealing it with transparent acrylic varnish (matt or gloss, as you prefer). Done.
No Time or Not the Artistic Type? Have Your Buddy Bear Painted
Not everyone wants to paint a Buddy Bear themselves or has the time, experience or artistic confidence for an individual design. Sometimes, though, a Buddy Bear should express something very special: an exceptional corporate gift, a personal wedding present, a unique ambassador for a company or a lasting memory of a special occasion. That is exactly what the professional "Individual Buddy Bears" service from Buddy Bear Berlin is for.
When you have a Buddy Bear painted, a white blank becomes an individual art object designed exactly to your wishes. Together with experienced artists, we develop a personal design that brings your wishes, ideas and messages to life on the three-dimensional Buddy Bear. Brand colours, personal symbols, special places, life stories or creative themes – the artists realise your ideas with great experience, artistic flair and a love of detail.
Every individually designed Buddy Bear is a work of art that is unique in the world. Thanks to the elaborate handwork and individual design, no two bears are alike. The artists work directly on the bear's three-dimensional surface and use its distinctive shape to show off motifs, colours and details to full effect. The result is not a mass-produced item but a genuine one-off with its own story and personal meaning.
Individually designed Buddy Bears are particularly popular as:
- a personalised wedding Buddy Bear with names, date and personal symbols
- a corporate gift from Berlin for customers, partners or employees
- an extraordinary brand ambassador in your own corporate design
- a farewell gift for long-serving employees
- a special anniversary or event piece
- an individual work of art for companies, hotels, institutions or public bodies
- the highlight of any celebration
For companies and organisations, the service offers special opportunities: an individually designed corporate Buddy Bear can combine company values, brand identity and a personal message. As a showpiece in the reception area, a gift for an anniversary or an eye-catcher at events – an individually painted Buddy Bear attracts attention and stays in people's minds.
The basis is our high-quality blank Buddy Bears, which can be designed in various sizes (22 cm, 33 cm, 1 metre and 2 metres). Professional painting and a final protective seal create a durable work of art that keeps its special character for many years.
Having a Buddy Bear painted gives you much more than a personalised keepsake: it creates an individual art object that brings together professional creativity, personal stories and an individual message. Have an individual Buddy Bear designed here.
Painted Buddy Bears from the Community
Every painted Buddy Bear tells its own story. Get inspired and discover Buddy Bears painted with creativity and passion by our customers and by artists.
Have you designed your own Buddy Bear? Then become part of our Buddy Bear community and share your artwork with us. We love receiving your photos on Instagram at @buddybaerberlin or by email to info@buddy-baer.com – perhaps your Buddy Bear will soon inspire other creative minds.
Share your painted Buddy Bear with us – @buddybaerberlin on Instagram or by email to info@buddy-baer.com.
Frequently Asked Questions about Painting Your Buddy Bear
A Buddy Bear to paint is not only a creative pastime but the basis for a high-quality, individual art object. That is why carefully selected materials are used for the different models – they allow professional decoration and ensure long durability.
The 22 cm and 33 cm paint-your-own Buddy Bears are made from high-quality premium polyresin (cast stone). This material stands out for its sturdy, high-quality build, its pleasant feel and its particular suitability for creative designs. The robust surface is an ideal base for acrylic paints, so colours can be applied evenly and fine details, patterns or personal messages really stand out.
All bears to paint have a white, slightly textured surface that is ideally prepared for brushes, acrylic paints and suitable markers. The Buddy Bear's three-dimensional shape makes especially creative designs possible: unlike a flat surface, the bear can be painted all the way round and becomes a genuine 3D art object.
Another advantage over classic porcelain or ceramic blanks: paint-your-own Buddy Bears do not need to be fired after painting. That keeps the creative process flexible and straightforward. You can put your design into practice straight away, and the finished Buddy Bear is ready as your personal work of art without any firing.
Thanks to the high-quality materials, the Buddy Bears to paint are robust and durable with normal handling. That makes them suitable not only as a creative project for children, families and schools, but also as a high-quality gift, keepsake or individual art object for special occasions.
Blank Buddy Bear to paint, paint-your-own bear or personalised art project – the combination of high-quality material, distinctive 3D shape and individual design makes every self-painted Buddy Bear a unique Berlin souvenir and a personal one-off.
Our paint-your-own Buddy Bears are made from high-quality premium polyresin (cast stone) and are available in 22 cm and 33 cm. Unlike light, hollow plastic figures, our Buddy Bears are solid, so they feel pleasantly heavy and substantial in your hand. You can sense the quality the moment you pick one up – it makes the bear a durable, high-quality art object. The robust surface is ideal for painting with acrylics and the perfect base for designing your very own Buddy Bear.
The white, slightly textured surface ensures excellent paint adhesion and brilliant results. The Design Buddy Bear (33 cm) is also made from premium polyresin, but has a glossy white lacquer finish and was developed specifically for writing on with permanent markers – ideal for collecting signatures at weddings, anniversaries, birthdays or company events.
With the Buddy Bear painting set you can get creative right away and design your own Buddy Bear. The set contains six high-quality acrylic paints in the basic colours red, yellow, blue, green, white and black. Acrylic paints are also very easy to mix: as they are water-based, you can create different shades and adjust the consistency with water or a special acrylic binder.
That gives you a versatile range of colours to paint your Buddy Bear exactly the way you want – from colourful Berlin motifs to a very personal work of art.
The painting set also includes a 22 cm Buddy Bear made of solid premium polyresin, a separate glass plate for mixing colours and three brushes in different sizes. The robust surface of the Buddy Bear is ideal for acrylic paints and gives you plenty of freedom for creative details.
As a creative gift from Berlin, a special souvenir or a shared painting experience with family and friends: with the Buddy Bear painting set, one of Berlin's best-known figures becomes your very own Buddy Bear.
Yes – creativity has no fixed limits. The standard Buddy Bear painting set contains six versatile acrylic paints and gives you a good basis for your design. If you would like to paint your bear in very specific shades, you can easily add standard acrylic paints to the set – in gold, silver, metallic, pastel or neon, for example.
For workshops, company events, team building or larger projects, custom colour sets are also available on request. Corporate colours are particularly interesting when the Buddy Bear is to be designed to match a company, a brand or an event. Just get in touch – together we will find the right solution for your project.
For your Buddy Bear we recommend high-quality acrylic paints like those included in the Buddy Bear painting set. They work well on the premium polyresin surface and allow both broad areas of colour and fine details. Alternatively, you can use high-quality acrylic paints from an art supplies shop.
Then leave the painted figure to dry completely for at least 24 hours. If you would like to protect your Buddy Bear permanently, we also recommend a transparent acrylic varnish in matt or gloss. Sealing the bear helps protect your artwork against scratches, abrasion and light soiling, so your individually designed Buddy Bear stays beautiful for as long as possible.
The Buddy Bear painting set is a lovely creative activity for children aged 3 and over, teenagers and adults. Painting together is particularly enjoyable: every family member can choose their own colours, patterns or motifs and create their very own Buddy Bear.
For children, we recommend painting the bear under adult supervision and using suitable, non-toxic acrylic paints according to the manufacturer's instructions. Important: the finished Buddy Bear is a decorative item, not a toy. That is exactly why it makes a wonderful self-made keepsake, a special Berlin gift for children or a shared family project.
Acrylic paints dry relatively quickly. Depending on how thickly they are applied, painted areas are usually touch-dry after about 1 to 2 hours. To dry through completely, however, your Buddy Bear needs at least 24 hours. With particularly thick coats, several layers or low room temperatures, drying can take longer.
If you want to seal your Buddy Bear with a transparent acrylic varnish afterwards, the paint should be completely dry. If you are planning to give your painted Buddy Bear as a gift, we therefore recommend allowing some extra time. With about a week's lead time you will usually be on the safe side and can finish your personal work of art at leisure.
Yes. Would you like an individual Buddy Bear but don't have time to design it yourself? Then you can have your Buddy Bear painted professionally. Together with you, we develop an individual design – for example as a personal gift, for a wedding, a birthday, an anniversary, a farewell or as a special present for customers and business partners.
With our "Individual Buddy Bears" service, we accompany you from the first idea through the design to the professional hand-crafted realisation. Experienced Buddy Bear artists bring your wishes to life on the figure in fine detail. The result is a unique Buddy Bear made to your ideas – not simply a souvenir, but a very personal work of art with its own story.