Some freehand eye practice

[rockanon]

Working on control practice really, thought I'd paint some eyes. I'm going to grid out and attempt a portrait once I work up the nerve.

I'm using Createx Trans Black with 4011 reducer (around 70/30 mix).

Ran paint through 3 different brushes (infinity CR+, Grafo T2, and Micron CM-SB V1) just to get more comfortable with my brushes for illustration.

This is on large canson mixed media 18×24" paper.

 

[RK Ink and Focus]

This is a great insight, the comparisons of the different approaches are an eye opener. The top middle being a good example where the eye brow negative hair makes it look particularly hairy but there are probably less strokes made highlighted than when you have done dark hairs on others.

If you understand what I meant by that you have a promising job in translation!

 

[Kingpin]

Great practice sheet I think My favourite is the bottom right one

 

[rockanon]

This is a great insight, the comparisons of the different approaches are an eye opener. The top middle being a good example where the eye brow negative hair makes it look particularly hairy but there are probably less strokes made highlighted than when you have done dark hairs on others.

If you understand what I meant by that you have a promising job in translation!

I get what you mean.

I was testing out pencil over the eyebrow area which is what is creating the negative hairs on this particular practice eye. Pencil (at least, 2B) is very shiny / reflective on top of the paint, so i probably won't use pencil again in this way. I am curious about using colored pencil or maybe even just brushes and ink / paint.

As I do fine lines, they seem like they just soak into the paper or blur into the other paint, so I'll need to play around with some other detail paint maybe (either less reducer or use an opaque for detailing. I'm not sure)

 

[RK Ink and Focus]

Could you try white beneath and a masking fluid to remove after? Or perhaps a primer that stops the soaking in. Potentially a paper like yupo may also be worth a try.

 

[rockanon]

Could you try white beneath and a masking fluid to remove after? Or perhaps a primer that stops the soaking in. Potentially a paper like yupo may also be worth a try.

I just recently bought some yupo paper so I'll give that a shot, I also want to try a smooth gesso on my paper as others on the forum have recommended. Those tests / practice sheets coming soon.