[Ed Redwine]

Ok folks, I'll throw this one out and see if someone can help me find a good solution.

For years I've struggled with painting eyes on everything from caricatures to Santas. Getting the iris just right (round) is difficult for me. I've seen some that are great. Nice round eye (iris) with a black outline, with pupil and highlight placed just right. Several books I have outline different methods, not of which I've mastered!

So.... how do you do it and make it look right?

Thanks for your input.....

Ed

[Claude]

I don't think the human eye iris ever shows completely unless the eye is wide open in surprise. Go in the bathroom, lock the door, and look at your own eyes in the mirror. Make a scowling face and see how the eyes squint - make a smile and see how they look. Relax your face and just look at your irises. I'll bet not once do you see more than about 2/3 of the iris - the rest is hidden by the lower eyelid.

Here's a good book I bought for carving realistic eyes: Carving Eyes: <span class="subtitle">Step-by-Step Instructions for Creating Realistic Features</span>
Claude

[Tom H]

OK Ed, I'll try to explain how I do it on small carvings. I use a round toothpick. The toothpick is tapered, from a thicker middle to nearly a point at the ends. I first determine what the diameter of the iris (Black part?) should be. I cut the toothpick to that diameter. I lightly sand the edges of the cut on the toothpick. Dip the toothpick part that you cut into black paint. Dab the toothpick onto a piece of paper to check the size of the dot/circle and also to remove excess paint. Locate where you want the iris on the white part of the eye, and lightly dab the painted end of the toothpick at that point. Wait for this to dry, before doing the next color. Cut the same toothpick so that the diameter at the cut is slightly smaller than the black dot that you put on the white part of the eye. For blue eyes dip the toothpick into blue paint and blot off the excess, then dab the toothpick onto the black dot on the eye; making sure that there is a small band of black around the new blue dot. Wait for the blue dot to dry. Cut off the toothpick yet again to a diameter smaller than the blue dot. Dab this into black paint, remove the excess, and dab the smaller black dot onto the blue dot. This creates the pupil. You can then use a pin to place a very small white highlight on the pupil or the iris. I hope this is not too confusing.

Tom H

[Ed Redwine]

Thanks for the input fellows. I had not thought about the toothpick angle and will try it for sure. Usually it is with a tiny detailer brush but I am not get ting smooth edges like I want. Carving the eye is much easier than getting the paint to look good. Maybe others will come forth and offer their suggestions too. I will experiment with as many methods as seem feasible.

Ed

[Lynn O. Doughty]

While I'm sure that the majority of carvers might disagree I like a solid black pupil with no painted highlight. When you reduce the scale of a figure down to the size most of us work at any color variance on a pupil would be hardly visable, especially if it was glossy as a real pupil is. The problem with a painted highlight is that it is stationary where the highlight on a real eye is a reflection of the strongest light source away from the eye. As the eyes move the highlights change also. Sometimes there are multiple highlights and this is what gives the natural eye it's true beauty.

Like Tom I use a toothpick to paint the pupil...first daubing a small point of black on each eye to make sure one is not looking off in a direction different than the other. Then with a little more paint on the pik I enlarge the black dot. Now, once the piece has been varnished and dry comes the step that brings the carving to life. I mix up a little bit of clear epoxy and, again with the toothpik, carefully apply just enough to the pupil to give it a domed perfectly smooth shape. Once that's dry you'd swear that somehow I've figured out a way to install glass eyes onto my figures. Just like the real eye the highlights change as the carving moves or the lights around it move. Neat!

[Ed Redwine]

Lynn: Since I am a huge fan, I appreciate your input. I've never used the toothpick approach or epoxy but that will happen tomorrow when I finish the eyes on 8 Santa ornaments that are WIP. Thanks for the tip.... I'd like to hear from anyone that might have even a different method.

ED

Ed

[Iowa Carver]

Some good info here from everyone. Lynn, what kind of epoxy are you using and where do you get it?

Thanks,
Corey

[Tom H]

I have had the pleasure of viewing Lynns carvings at the Dayton show, and the eyes on his carvings that have recieved his "treatment" are indeed special. I could (and did) just stand there and admire them. Photos are nice, but the real thing is much better. I hope Lynn will be at Dayton again this year. As I hope a whole bunch of you all will be there too.

Tom H

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Treasure Kote from wallyworld will put a nice coating on the eyes too....use it sparingly or it will seek its own level and fill up the eye cavity...I put a drop on the center of the eyeball and work it around with a toothpick.

[Lynn O. Doughty]

I just use the 2 part 5 minute epoxy. Like Dave says, it only takes a bit and only put it on the pupil not the white part of the eye.