tips for making eyes?

[Jordan]

I'm dong my first ever custom.....I thought eyes would be simple

HOW WAS I WRONG.

smudging. having to wipe it away and redo. paint over...

Anyone have any certain bushes or tips how I could maybe go about doing eys easier in the future? I've really enjoyed making a custom BUT the eyes 

[Dainty]

The best thing i can say to do it work on one part of the eye at a time, and then set it down and go do something else to let it dry. That's what I have to do n__n Also, it helps to work on both eyes at the same time.. it's easier to keep them looking the same that way. So paint the whites of both, let them dry, paint the irises of both, let them dry, pupils, etc etc.
Besides that i've never really worried about watering down paint when i paint the eyes.. Just see if you can get some nice, fine-bristle brushes, and you can dry brush it on. If you have a hobby store somewhere near you you can get some really tiny paintbrushes which are great for eyelashes.

[Griffin]

Practice is the key but there are some helpful tips, too! I agree with Dainty, it's best to work on both eyes at the same time, completing one stage on each eye before moving on to the next.   

Good brushes are essential, what size are you using? I assume it's the "eyeliner"/lashes that are giving you troubles since those are the hardest to paint. I think size 3/0 brush is the biggest I've used for the thinner lines, ideally you should look for brushes smaller than that (the bigger the number before the slash, the smaller the brush, so 10/0 is smaller than 3/0 for example). Personally I prefer brushes with longer, more flexible bristles as they usually allow the lines curve more naturally and they make you use a lighter hand. Learn to know your brush and your paints, finding a right consistency is sometimes tricky as you need to have the paint flow easily yet remain opaque. Practicing lines on paper and any curving surface like a plastic bottle at first helps you to learn the movement, pressure and paint consistency needed for perfect lines. 

Supporting your hand while you paint is also very important, otherwise you'll get shaky lines. It's often helpful to rest your elbow on something, and rest the blade of your hand on the pony's head if possible. Also remember to support the hand that's holding the head! 

And last - the piece of advice I personally forget to follow way too often - don't be afraid of messing up. If you fear it goes wrong, it will. Try to enjoy painting eyes even if it feels difficult and you'll succeed. Good luck!

[PhyllieBean]

There are so many zillions of different ways that people have found to make doing eyes easier, and everyone is a little different.  I would recommend taking a look through the tutorials sticky to see some good suggestions.  I know Jupi has a great one. It's for G1 but the basics pertain to all gens.  Personally, I find that sealing the eye BEFORE painting helps a lot, then seal sections individually once you're satisfied with them.  That way if you mess up one thing you don't have to undo all of the hard work that you did previously.  The last thing I do is line everything, as that's usually the most challenging part.  If that's your biggest hurdle I would recommend trying an India Ink pen. 

[Jordan]

Thanks everyone

Part of my problem was I was making Ditzy. and her eyes aren't straight...so the not-so straight eye came out beautiful!
the one that is normal looks horrendus. 
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[jupiternwndrlnd]

daww thanks phyllie

my basic eyes are all the same, and done this way http://jupidesign.weebly.com/eyes.html
i use a small spotter or liner brush...(my current eye brush is a 10/0 liner)
good luck!

[okiegurl1981]

My favorite brush to do the lashes and eye lines with is a 10/0 liner brush.  A good brush is key.  You don't want some cheap-o plastic brush to do fine details with.  Thin your paints out, otherwise the lash lines just won't go on as well. 

[kezrob23]

i practiced on a bait till i found a style i liked - if i messed it up i just acetoned it off and started again. for small details and lines, i have what was a really good small brush that had started to separate. i got some nail cutters and cut about 3/4's of the bristles off, and now have an incy tiny liner brush i also found that sticking the head on something holdable helped - i used an old paint bottle without the screw cap on, or jam a few chopsticks inside the head

[MoonHawke]

I also use a liner brush to do the lashes. Even then they still don't come out looking great each time, but I feel like I'm improving.

A suggestion I have, if it's the actual eyes that are giving you a problem is to get a really sharp pencil and lightly pencil in where you want the parts of the eyes to be. I started doing this after a tutorial that suggested tracing the eyes of the pony before removing them, and then doing a sort of rub on transfer when you're ready to paint them back on. I never remember to do this, so I just draw them myself. 

[babyprincess_sparkle]

A lot of patience & practice.  I use a 10/0 brush and just try to get a smooth straight line.  Eyes are the hardest but they're my fav ^_^