: Shepard's illustrations of Pooh were actually modeled after Growler , a stuffed bear belonging to his own son, Graham. He felt the real Christopher Robin's bear looked too "gruff," so Growler’s "pudgy" features became the blueprint for the "silly old bear" we know today.
While A. A. Milne’s son, Christopher Robin, and his toys provided the primary inspiration, Shepard brought his own reality to the drawing board: The Art of Winnie-The-Pooh: How E. H. Shepard I...
The Art of Winnie-The-Pooh: How E. H. Shepard Illustrated a Legend : Shepard's illustrations of Pooh were actually modeled