Sculpting Eyes

[Tommy]

 

 

Howdy guys!

 

*I have a question: Does anyone here have a good method for sculpting eyes? Every sculpting tutorial I have come across is actually useless on this point, as they tend to stop at "add the eyes" rather than actually explain how to sculpt them. Do you guys have any tips on this you'd be able to share?

 

 

Tommy.

[Crusoe the Painter]

I usually wait a lil till the putty begins to get a bit more stiff. I then take a really fine point ( Needle, or or other fine point ), and push the putty in at the inside ( nose ) and outside ( towards the temple ) of where the eye would be. I angle the tool when doing this so it forms the orb of the eye as I do so. I then take one of my 'blades' and carefully push back and forth over the orb of the eye to better define the shape, and the upper eye lid.

 

You can also just make a socket, put a ball of putty in the eye, and then sculpt the upper eyelid, and blend up the cheeks to cover the socket.

 

I usually wait a lil till the putty begins to get a bit more stiff. I then take a really fine point ( Needle, or or other fine point ), and push the putty in at the inside ( nose ) and outside ( towards the temple ) of where the eye would be. I angle the tool when doing this so it forms the orb of the eye as I do so. I then take one of my 'blades' and carefully push back and forth over the orb of the eye to better define the shape, and the upper eye lid.

 

You can also just make a socket, put a ball of putty in the eye, and then sculpt the upper eyelid, and blend up the cheeks to cover the socket.

[evhorne969]

Sculpting eyes is actually quite easy...

 

1. Create an eye socket using a ball burnisher type tool. Not too deep, not too shallow, just a nice little dent.

 

2. Where you want the corners of your eyes use a pin and poke in each corner straight in to the head. This causes the putty in the socket to bulge up some and creates your eyeball.

 

3. Use a sharp small tool, I use a .032 piece of brass wire that has been pounded out and sharpened and buffed smooth. See http://www.perfect-touch.com/newpage11.htm and click on the SUPERFINE PRO METAL TIP TOOLS picutre. Look at SFP-4J Straight Spatula (fourth tool down from the top) and that's basically what I use for creating the eyelids. Take the very tip of the tool and very carefully make four marks, each starting from the holes you just poked, angling up for the upper lid and angling down for the lower lid. Pull out a tiny bit of putty from each mark you make to create your eyelids. Like this... <> I usually start on the inside upper corner and work around clockwise. Don't push in hard or you'll sink in the eyeball. It's all about pulling OUT the eyelids. Look at one of Werner Klocke's figures and you'll see what I'm talking about.

 

4. Finish off by pressing up and in lightly with either a clay shaper or a spoon type tool, a little above the eye to create the browline. If you want an eyebrow push in and down very lightly with the same tool, a hair above the browline to define the brow. You don't need to deliniate hairs on the eyebrows unless they are bushy. If they are really bushy you'll have to add putty and then texture them.

 

That's it. Hope that Helps!

 

Gene Van Horne

[Bodhi]

I use the "eyesocket and ball" method to. Perhaps a tad bit differently though. I tend to make really deep sockets while sculpting the face, let it set, add eyeballs, let it set and then add both the upper eyelid and all the skin around the upper eyelid after theface is fully set. I also add a bit of extra putty for shaping both cheekbone and lower eyelid after the face has set.

Basically there are two aproaches to making faces:

1: To make it all in one sitting - which I don't

2: To make it in two or more sittings - which I do, usually like this:

1. The silhouette shape of the center part of the face without the nose. At this stage I take care to define mouth and chin

2. The skull, cheekbones and forehead (A "sausage" at each side of the center shape which I then shape and smooth

3. The eyeballs and nose

4. The eyelids and teeth if the figure has visible teeth.

[mlavanish]

Welcome to the forum Gene! Thanks for the tips.

[Patrick]

Holy cow! Gene came out of lurk mode!!!

 

I tend to use the two techniques Crusoe's mentioned more than others. It really depends on which way get you good results fast. You may need to sit down with a lump of putty and crank out about 10 sets just to see what works the best for you.

[evhorne969]

Thanks for the enthusiastic welcome guys! Glad I could help.

 

Gene Van Horne