Creating the eyes can be the most time consuming aspect of painting a custom head. It takes a delicate hand and a fine sense of balance to achieve a look that is both natural & effective.
Lets look at the elements that make up a good eye paint :
TIP : I recommend using two complimentary iris colors that are straight from the paint bottle rather than custom mixed. If you need to do touch ups later, it will make things a lot easier! Also, do the eyes first before starting to do the rest of the face. Once the eyes are painted & locked down with sealer, the rest should just fall into place.
Tools you will need:
- A fine bristle brush for detail work
- Black model pen, 1mm.
- Patience!
Light Reflection : This is used to give the illusion of depth.
Inner Iris : Main color for the eye.
Pupil : Make sure it is not too large.
Outer Iris : Used to accentuate main eye
color.
Now that you have on eye completed, try to match the other eye in size & alignment. Here are some examples of proper & improper placement.
Artists have considered the eyes to be the windows to the soul. Take time with painting them as your efforts can make your custom hero look like they are focused on their mission, or that they are some whacked out pyscho who hasn’t gotten enough sleep.
Step 1
Line the eyes with the black model ink pen. Do not totally rim the eyes as it may look odd.
Step 5
Once the paint has dried, draw and fill in the pupil with the ink pen. Make sure that it is as even as possible.
Step 6
Once the pupil is completed, add a small dot of white for the light reflection. Place it so that it overlaps the pupil & iris. Experiment with different placements for effect.
Step 2
Paint the eyeball white. This will thin out the eyeliner & correct any mistakes.
Step 4
Center & apply the inner iris color. Remember to not completely cover the outer iris color, but to allow a thin line to show on the outer rim.
Step 3
Center & apply the outer iris color. Remember, not the entire iris shows. Some of it is naturally hidden below the eyelid.
Proper placement & alignment
Pupils & Irises too large
Pupils & Irises too small
Pupils & Irises misaligned “wall-eyed”
Pupils & Irises misaligned “cross-eyed”
