Painting Resin Eyes

Above, the finished eyes for "Max", my first fursuit head, along with the reference picture I used. I wanted the eyes for my next head to be pretty much the same color,though I wanted to use strictly acrylic paint this time. I had also used watercolor pencils in Max's eyes to sketch in some details, but found the results to be unpredictable and a little difficult to control.

 It would help if I could remember what colors I had used the first time around! So I got myself a multimedia sketchbook and this time took notes on my experiments. (It's worth noting that the steps in painting eyes on paper is in reverse order to painting eyes on clear resin- on paper you paint the dark background first and work your way up to the ring of color around the pupil; on resin, you'd start with  the ring of color and work to the dark background.)

It also helps to have the big pile of reject resin eyes from my Little WIndows debacle to experiment on. The one in this picture is one of these- you'll notice the bubbles and the slightly yellow cast to the clear resin.

But in any case I was able to recreate the color scheme I used. Here's the ring of color around the pupil, Burnt Sienna, applied with a #1 liner brush. I've found it's impossible to find brushes too thin and skinny to paint these eyes.

The next color added, Iridescent Copper. God how I love metallic paints!!

Next, a mix of Iridescent Copper and Yellow Ochre. As much as I want to make everything shiny, adding a little matte paint into the mix helps break up the sheen and thus adds an interesting sparkle.

Building up the layers of color. Next, a mix of Cadmium Yellow Medium Hue and Iridescent Gold. Again, adding a little matte color into the metallic.

Now it's finally time to MAKE IT SHINY!! A layer of Iridescent Gold applied straight up, this time with a "bigger" brush, a #2 round. This picture, taken with a flash, shows how the lines of matte paint breaks up the metallic paint and adds that sparkle.

Next to last step, a layer of Interference Gold, applied with an even "bigger"  brush, a #4 round. I like just the little extra depth of color this paint adds.

Finally, a layer of black paint, applied with a 1/2" wash brush. Before this step I check to make sure there are no thin spots in the last two layers of colors  by laying the eye down on a sheet of black paper and making sure there's nothing that leaps out at me. The black adds a lot more depth to the color and helps to show up the layers of brushstrokes.

One downside of having piles of reject resin eyes, however, is that the OCD has free reign and its sufferer feels compelled to paint piles and piles and piles of experimental eyes until one comes out Just Right! The above eyes pretty much have all the same color scheme, but have slightly different styles of brush work.

And finally, the eyes I'm going to use on my next head, painted on sparkly clear bubble free resin eye blanks from Dreamvision Creations. I am pleased with how they came out and can't wait to install them!