[ark undertaker]

I've been having some trouble with this and am in hopes that somebody can help me out. Does anyone have any advise or recommendations on a nice out of the bottle color for basecoating the "whites" of the eyes on figure kits? I've tried mixing my own but can't seem to get it right. I either wind up with something too bright or too dark.

Thanks in advance for your help and guidance.

A.U.

* I do apologize if this topic has been discussed before. I'm still learning my way around the forum and did not know if there was a master list of threads that can be searched.

 

[djnick66]

I use a good, opaque, thin, Flat White paint to base coat the eye. Poly Scale has a good acrylic shade. In many cases, I paint the eyes first and then paint the face around them. Since the eyes are the hardest part of the face to paint, if you do them first, and screw them up, you just have to strip the paint off the two eyes and start over. If you do the whole face and its come out super... then you screw up on the eyes... well you lose all of that effort!


I will tint the white with a wash of brown, black, grey, etc. This outlines the eye and also tones down the white. You can use fun colors like yellow, red, pink for monster effects.

This is a big resin Power Girl figure. Her eyes were done in white and kept "bright". I think I put a dark wash on the plain, unpainted eye first, then filled in the white.

The Aurora/Moebius Monster Scenes "Victim" was painted similarly and with the same paints.

Dr. Deadly's eyes are a bit darker...

Nosferatu's yellow eyes were done with a thin wash of yellow enamel paint over the white base.

I used red on the Polar Lights Witch figure. She was painted with Games Workshop/Citadel paints and ink washes.

Dr. Jekyll's eyes were well sculpted and easy to paint. FYI I paint teeth the same was as the eyes... white base and tint with washes and/or a light dry brush.

I am sorry if some of the pics are a bit blurry... most of my figures are up on a shelf behind my counter at my shop... so I used my camera's Macro lens to take the shots.

 

[Arronax]

And don't forget Archer eyeball decals (CultTVMan has them). Makes trying to paint a realistic eyeball a thing of the past. Note that although each sheet has several different sizes and colors, there are three sets available, each with a different range of eyeball sizes.

Jim

 

[djnick66]

I have tried those... they don't help with paitning the whites of the eyes or outlining. I found that they tend to always be "in between" size for the figures. I suppose they are good if you really can't paint an eye...

 

[Dr. Brad]

I have tried those... they don't help with paitning the whites of the eyes or outlining. I found that they tend to always be "in between" size for the figures. I suppose they are good if you really can't paint an eye...

Like me...!

 

[Mark McGovern]

A.U.

We kicked some ideas around on this old thread: http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=233850&highlight=painting+eyes.

 

[deadmanincfan]

Ceramcoat Oyster White acrylic is great for basecoating the "white" of the eye...it's a very pale warm gray, which works very well as the white of the eye isn't actually white... :thumbsup:

 

[mcdougall]

A.U.

We kicked some ideas around on this old thread: http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=233850&highlight=painting+eyes.

Man I forgot all about this old thread:freak:...Hey Mark, When is that book going to be published? I'm still pretty stupid you know... and could use the help:wave:
Mcdee:thumbsup:

 

[DarthForge]

I've been having some trouble with this and am in hopes that somebody can help me out. Does anyone have any advise or recommendations on a nice out of the bottle color for basecoating the "whites" of the eyes on figure kits? I've tried mixing my own but can't seem to get it right. I either wind up with something too bright or too dark.

Thanks in advance for your help and guidance.

A.U.

* I do apologize if this topic has been discussed before. I'm still learning my way around the forum and did not know if there was a master list of threads that can be searched.

I usually use Testors Model Master light ivory with a kinda medium mauve
color as a thin wash that seeps down to around the eye ball to replicate
the darker pink shade around the eye.

 

[Mark McGovern]

...When is that book going to be published? I'm still pretty stupid you know...

I'm not that bright, either, mcdee. :hat: Been slogging away at it slow but sure; the Chateau DeBris has been gobbling an inordinate amount of my time. And I'm trying to get a couple conversion kits done to coincide with the book. Don't worry - as soon as I have something substantial to show, everybody hear will be the first to know about it.

 

[painter x]

I've been having some trouble with this and am in hopes that somebody can help me out. Does anyone have any advise or recommendations on a nice out of the bottle color for basecoating the "whites" of the eyes on figure kits? I've tried mixing my own but can't seem to get it right. I either wind up with something too bright or too dark.

Thanks in advance for your help and guidance.

A.U.

* I do apologize if this topic has been discussed before. I'm still learning my way around the forum and did not know if there was a master list of threads that can be searched.

I have found that the whites of the eyes are not white at all. I use gray primer from testors model master acrylic line. Works really well alot better than plain white. This is just my opinion.

 

[Mark McGovern]

Another trick I use on smaller scale figures - smaller than 1/8 - is to basecoat the flesh tone and maybe dab a little thinned white on the eyes. If you look at folks from a distance, so they are an apparent 6" tall (around 1/12 scale), you'll see that their flesh color appears to bleed into their eyeball color.

 

[ark undertaker]

Thanks everyone for the help, guidance and encouragement. The pics posted were a really big help. After studying what everyone had to share, I think I might be able to get a decent result.

A.U.

We kicked some ideas around on this old thread: http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=233850&highlight=painting+eyes.

Mark, thanks for the link to the other thread. It was very informative. The book you mentioned. How might I get a copy? When I went to the IPMS Region 6 convention (my first time to go) someone there mentioned to me that you had written a series of articles specifically for beginners in building and painting plastic kits but couldn't remember when or where. I haven’t been able to locate them. Are copies available?

Once again, I really appreciate the willingness from everyone to teach a beginner like me some new techniques to try. I’ve learned so much from all of you in the short time I’ve been here in the forum.

A.U.

 

[Arronax]

I have tried those... they don't help with paitning the whites of the eyes or outlining. I found that they tend to always be "in between" size for the figures. I suppose they are good if you really can't paint an eye...

No, they don't help with whites and outlining but most people forget that the top and bottom of the eyeball are covered by the eyelids. The decals work great if you paint the white, apply the eyeball decal, let it dry, apply any washes and then paint the eyelids.

Because you're painting over the top and bottom of the eyeball, getting an eyeball decal the right size is easier.

Jim

 

[Mark McGovern]

...When I went to the IPMS Region 6 convention (my first time to go) someone there mentioned to me that you had written a series of articles specifically for beginners in building and painting plastic kits but couldn't remember when or where. I haven’t been able to locate them. Are copies available?

A.U.,

Those articles formed a series called "Modeling Basics 101" that appeared in the now sadly defunct Modelers Resource magazine. The publisher, Fred DeRuvo (BatFanMan on the forums), was kind enough to permit me to incorporate the articles into my book. The book is a work in progress, but is coming along steadily. When it's available I'll announce it on the appropriate HobbyTalk forum first.