Bear eye angle

[boarhunter67]

I noticed that most of the bear forms have the angles set so that the eyes are looking outward (the opposite of cross-eyed).  I thought they were supposed to face straight forward (90 degrees) and I take a flashlight and try to have them looking a little over the nose which puts them straight.  To do this I have to drill out the sockets and replace them with clay.  I noticed John Bellucci listed the angle at 67 degrees, but I have a clear sheet that came in a packet that has lines for all animals and the angles for bear and predators on that are 90 degrees.  Am I putting the eye at too little of an angle having them too stright forward?  I went back and looked at the forms without hide pictures and some have them at an outward angle while others have them straight ahead at no angle/90 degrees.  Are the forms correct or should they be more straight forward?

[Jim B]

Just because an animal has both eyes facing forward doesn't mean they are 90 degrees.Al bears and predators that I'm aware of have an angle to their eyes.If you mount them square,the rear corner of the eye will be way forward of where it should be.

When the Buckeye guys studied and measured 150 or so black bears to make their line of bear forms,they came up with an average angle of 72 degrees.I'm positive every animal can't be exactly the same.the best we can hope for is to choose an angle that pleases us and make both eyes the same.

If you make them 90 degrees,they will look cross eyed.

If you buy a quality,commercial mannikin,I wouldn't change anything without my own personal measurements,reference and data to back up what I'm doing.

[boarhunter67]

That's what I thought, but when I put the eyes in the mannikin they looked like Marty Feldmen eyes.