Teddy Bear Eyes

They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, well I’m not sure that I understand that but I would agree that the eyes are the most expressive part of a teddy’s face, and they can make a huge difference to the special appeal of a bear. It’s important to get the expression just right to create that beguiling “take me home” look.

The picture below shows how eye positioning can change the entire expression of the face. Also the size of the eyes, plays an important part in creating character in the finished bear, for example lar-ger eyes can make a bear look younger and more cub like.

Bear Eyes

There are various options when it comes to teddy bear eyes. For smaller bears onyx, agate or jasper semi-precious stone beads make perfect eyes. They are inexpensive and available in a choice of sizes from 1mm to 4mm. I wouldn’t recommend using any larger than this. Then there are hand crafted glass eyes, manufactured with wire loops in the back for easy attach-ment. They are expensive but well worth the extra expense especially for larger bears. These eyes are available in just about any size you could require and in a myriad of colour choices.

The most widely used are gloss black, but for an aged looking bear you might like to choose matt black eyes, which are reminiscent of days gone by when old boot buttons were used. If you want to add a dash of colour with your choice of eyes, then there are enamel backs. These are glass eyes with a black pupil and a glass surround that has enamel colour applied to the back.

There are some beautiful colours available to tempt you. Then there’s my favourite option, transparent coloured eyes. They have a black pupil with a transparent, yet coloured glass surround. They somehow give the teddy a pretty sparkle when the light catches the eye and they have a hint of colour to add an interesting dimension too.

So whatever eyes you choose to give your bruin, just ask yourself, are they saying “hug me” or better still “take me home”!

Don’t forget a choice of eyes are available from http://www.sambrookbears.co.uk