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The eye is not a perfect sphere. The cornea bulges out in front of the iris (the colored part), so that the while the iris looks flat, reflections from the front of the eye show a curved surface. The drawing above illustrates this.
• Note that when viewed from an angle, the pupil sits in the plane of the iris, and being in perspective is oval rather than circular.
• The iris is not a solid tone, but has streaks of color, dark around the edge.
• At this angle, the rim of the lower eyelid is visible. Use the lightest hint of tone here, except where shadowed.
• The 'whites' aren't really white. They have slight color and often visible blood vessels, and are frequently shadowed. Reserve pure white for highlights.
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The shape of the lids changes as the eye moves. We tend to think of the eyes as being mirror images of each other, but when gazing to one side, they can look very different.
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Expressions can drastically alter the shape of the eye. Pay attention to the lines and wrinkles around the eye, not just the lids themselves, otherwise the eyes will just look mis-shapen.
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Pay careful attention to placement of the eyes. If drawing without any aids, refer to the key 'landmarks' of the face, checking the angle and distance of the inner and outer points of the eyes in relation to the ears and nose.
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To begin with , I use construction lines to indicate the planes of the face, place the pupils and draw in main lines of the lids and brows. Including wrinkles and lines at this point can help provide reference points. I don't usually get too detailed at first, but work up the whole face, adding further reference points and ensuring that everything fits together. Some people prefer to focus on a single area at a time.
Careful observation is the key. Observing the tiny details of light and shade in the eyes will bring the subject to life.
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Tips:
- Sometimes a little artist's licence is needed if light is poor or when working from a photo. Adding a little curved highlight cutting across the pupil and iris, a shadow under the lid, or detail to the iris, can brighten flat eyes.
- Don't automatically outline the lower lid - often the lower rim is highlighted and needs to be lightly indicated.
- Observe the subtle changes in tone which indicate the eye socket, and the planes of the nose and brows, which help to sit the eyes into the face.
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