How To Choose the Right Size of Eyes For Your Bear

The most commonly asked question I get from beginners is, "What size eyes should I use for my bear?"

There really is no hard and fast rule for a creative task like designing and creating your own teddy bear. There are several factors you will want to consider when choosing the size and colour of eyes for your bear. Are you creating a classic teddy bear or a more whimsical, fantasy bear? Is he/she a young, playful bear or a wise, older bear? What kind of personality does he/she have? Here are a few thoughts to consider:

Larger eyes will make your bear appear younger. You will want to place the eyes further apart to convey a more childlike innocence. Smaller eyes, placed closer together, will give the appearance of an older, more mature bear. Solid black eyes will appear larger than eyes with a coloured iris and black pupil. At Shamrock Rose Teddy Bear Supplies, we carry an amazing variety of eyes, from the basic solid black to coloured eyes in a number of different styles and special effects: multicoloured eyes, radiant eyes, hologram eyes, spiral eyes for trolls and other fantasy creatures, cat eyes, dragon eyes with slit pupils and character eyes with many different expressions.

Eyes are measured from the outside edge across the middle of the eye. All sizes are listed in millimeters. For your convenience, I have included a conversion chart from millimeters to inches. Here are some general guidelines for choosing the eye sizes:

For a 1" to 2.5" bear:  1mm eyes (glass beads are recommended)
For a 2.5" to 3.5" bear:  2mm eyes (glass beads are recommended)
For a 3" to 4" bear:  3mm or 4mm eyes
For a 5" bear:  4mm to 6mm eyes
For a 6" bear:  5mm to 7mm eyes
For a 7" bear:  6mm to 8mm eyes
For an 8" bear:  7mm to 9mm eyes
For a 9" bear:  8mm to 10mm eyes
For a 10" bear:  8mm to 11mm eyes
For an 11" to 12" bear:  9mm to 11mm eyes
For a 13" to 15" bear:  10mm to 12mm eyes
For a 16" to 20" bear:  12mm to 14mm eyes
For a 20" to 27" bear:  14mm to 16mm eyes