When to paint eyes?

[dreitman]

After flipping through some of these posts and seeing pics of different models I had to pick my jaw off the floor... there is some absolutely amazing talent here. I still have a long road ahead of me to get even half way to some of the skills seen here. So I thought this would be a good place to post this question.

I believe well painted eyes can make a huge difference in how your finished model looks (no pun intended). Its one of the things that brings your figure to life. So when is the best time to paint the eyes? Do you do it at the base coat before applying washes? Is it the last item to paint? I guess I'm asking for some tips and techniques or processes in painting lizard eyes or any kind of eyes for that matter.

Thanks.

 

[n810]

Usually next to last,
first I paint he whites of the eye.
then follow up with slightly smaller a yellow dot.
then a tiny black dot... or line.
lastly clean up all the bits i got on his face
with a touch up of his skin color.


Slightly blury Example:

 

[NexS1]

I believe well painted eyes can make a huge difference in how your finished model looks (no pun intended)..

Ha! I love puns.

People may see it as lazy, but I paint all my lizardmen (and elves, for that matter) eyes a plain colour. All my Lizardmen have yellow eyes. All yellow, no pupils, no iris, just yellow. That's not to say that in real life (yes, because lizardmen are real) don't have pupils. It's just for artistic purposes.

My reasoning is this: Sometimes i find that less is more, and the less cluttered something looks the more attention the important parts get.
Maybe that's just a justification to be lazy, i dunno... haha

But I do my eyes next to last. Right before the last very watered down wash/glaze. Roughly the same time I paint the teeth and claws.

 

[Caprasauridae]

With me, it is definitely one of the last steps, but I try to do it before the very final highlights on the face. This is so that if I mess up (which happen more often than not), I can cover those oopsies with the final highlight. When I get better with them, I would like to start adding more details to eyes as well, like the reflections n810 was describing. Good luck with your painting!

 

[Centurion]

I also do it near the end on pretty much all my minis, but that's because I'm quite untidy and use dry brushing a fair bit, so I know if I painted them earlier I'd screw them up again. My wife's theory (and apparently that of some top painters) is to paint the area surrounding the eyes black at the very start, then paint the white/yellow/ whatever the main eye colour is, then a line for the pupil, and then paint the face around it, leaving a small area of black around the eye. Looks pretty good but is a bit tricky if you aren't careful.

 

[Pinktaco]

I do it as the last step before making bases. Usually have have a line of models to finish so I just do them all at once.

 

[Dyvim Tvar]

Like others say, do it at the end.

 

[Geth]

My lizards get their eyes after i finished the skin.
1) Skin
2) Eyes, nails...
3)scales
4) weapons and golden jewelry

Worked for my and my colorscheme, but i can understand, why most people do it at the end.

 

[dreitman]

Thanks, guess i wasn't too far off from what most people do. I tend to paint the eyes very last but it then requires touching up the sockets with shadow and highlights. Was hoping there was some secret technique that would save time. I do like NexS1 ides of less-is-more and not painting the pupil... will try that on the rank of skinks i'm working on to see how i like it.

 

[Caprasauridae]

Well, if you end up not liking it, you can always add the pupils afterwards without too much of a trouble (depending on the steadiness of your hand...). Good luck with your painting!

 

[n810]

lately I have just been using a fine tip pen for the eyes.
unless it's a realy tight spot, the I use a tiny spot of black
paint in the end of a sharpened toothpick.

 

[Kblock]

Like the others, it is one of the last steps on my miniatures. Usually just before the last touch up or highlights of the skin. I have used the tip of a tooth pick before for the pupils, but have lately been using a fine detail brush.