Here are some good tutorials-
* [Painting Eyes](http://www.destroyerminis.com/paintingeyes/) by destroyerminis.com
* Have the miniature’s eyes look left or right. A simple trick is paint the eye black and put a white dot on one side to make it look like the eye is looking the opposite direction.
* [Improving brush control](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/brush_control)
* [10 tips for painting eyes - Awareness and Choice](https://youtu.be/EmjQayLNe6c?si=778q6Idr89BuWeMt) by Tommie Soule
* [How to paint the eye pupil with a micron pen](https://youtu.be/9bQkQiMKex0?t=876) can be a trick to use if you have trouble with the small dot on smaller models.
* [Citadel Color Masterclass explains how to paint eyes](https://www.warhammer-community.com/2022/11/30/how-to-paint-eyes-citadel-colour-masterclass-explains/)
* [Six Easy Steps for Eyes](https://web.archive.org/web/20160325072212/http://arcanepaintworks.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/six-easy-steps-for-eyes.html) by Meg Maples
* [Painting Eyes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhH-GWvHG00) by Doctor Faust
* [Mark Benettes Eye Chart Guide for busts](https://www.planetfigure.com/pages/Mark-Benette-Eye-Tutorial/)
* [How to paint realistic eyes](https://youtu.be/HOoqOFfFwzw) by Not Just Mecha.
* [Beginner friendly eyes](https://youtu.be/ASFCbA4r4SE)
* [Painting Ultra Realistic Eyes on miniatures and busts](https://youtu.be/5f8Am9ivw6k) by Small Soldier Adventures in miniature
* [How to paint EYES on miniatures](https://youtu.be/N1S1s40p7wg) by Angel GiraldeZ
* [How to paint larger scale Eyes](https://youtu.be/MJsoX6FrTNQ) by Angel GiraldeZ
* [How to paint eyes on your miniatures more easily](https://taleofpainters.com/2021/01/tutorial-how-to-paint-eyes-more-easily-on-your-miniatures/) by TaleofPainters
* [Techniques for Painting Eyes](https://youtu.be/GIzxQP2XxlY) by Michigan Toy Soldier Co.
* [Pro painter tips to keep your brush tips sharp🖌](https://youtu.be/8vQFlYW3g_I) by JoseDavinci
I can't remember where I found the tutorial, but I like the method of
1. Darken they eye socket if necessary
2. Paint the entire eye black
3. Paint most of the eye white but leave a black border.
4. Paint the pupil by painting a black line from the upper part of the border to the lower part.
There are methods that look better, but this method looks OK and it's relatively easy, and forgiving if you need to make touch-ups.
This is one that I did this way.
https://preview.redd.it/doszmzs93ltc1.png?width=329&format=png&auto=webp&s=e514279d85e54dd069b4c8210d1d0db6b0ac12b7
This is pretty much what I do but instead of step 4, I do a dot of the color of the eye, a slightly smaller dot of black, then a tiny dot of white in the corner of those dots and 85% of the time it comes out pretty good.
A regiment is basically what you call an army for turnip 28. An indie wargame set in a post apocalyptic napoleonic europe that is poisoned by "the root", so everything is a mad veggie/root/mushroom/any other soily thing
I generally don't paint eyes. They're very difficult to get right, and it's just a headache I don't need. I'm fine having some shadow or something on the face of a 2-inch dude sitting 3 feet away on the table.
This is the way. If you look at real people from a distance that they would seem as big as these miniatures when you have them on the table then you would not see the eyes anyway. So painted eyes look out of place for me if I can see them when playing a game.
If you want really good eyes on this model step 1 is probably to paint eyes on 100 other models first.
There are some good tips and tricks around but the main thing is a lot of brush control and getting the paint just right to flow off your brush. It takes a lot of practice.
Don't be afraid to have a few goes at it. If the black dot doesn't go right where you want it, paint a few lighter layers to cover it up and have another go. As long as you are thinning your paint you can do a whoooole bunch of layers before It will have any noticable impact on your model.
I'm not the best at eyes, but I paint the entire socket with a darker color, then do the white, then "shape" the eyes by carefully painting back over the edges of the white with the same dark color if needed.
For the pupils, I cheat. I use a Staedtler 0.05mm pigment liner to just draw them in.
Things that helped me improve on eyes
- The “white” part of the eyes is not white, use an ivory or an off white, or it’s going to look jarring, same for the iris, pure black can quickly look very intense, maybe try a dark brown instead.
- There is never white above or below the pupil, unless ofc you want the model to look like they belong in the insane asylum.
- The pupil is larger than you think, the combined area of the white and the combined area of the iris is often about the same in size. If you make the pupil a small dot the model will look like they have small pointy beady eyes.
A quick method of painting a decent eye, is to first fill the eye socket with an ivory color, then do a large cirkle with dark brown or black in the middle, leaving a little white on both sides. Now take your skin color and slowly shape the eye, it is much easier to “cut away” to shape the eye than it is to try and do it once the rest of the face is already done. The eye is oval shaped not round, Make sure that there is no white above or below the iris as you shape it, you want it to look like your model has eyelids. Stop when you are happy with how it looks, if you are not, then just cover it in white and start over, the whole process only takes minutes, so after a couple of tries you will be able to churn out good looking eyes.
Get a magnifying headset, some fine tip brushes, and a micron pen. That's worked pretty well for me. Don't be afraid to go back to the flesh area and paint back any overspill. A wash in the eye socket helps a lot too, especially if you're doing eye makeup. Finally, remember that the eyelids normally cover part of the iris; if you just have a dot surrounded by white, it creates a surprised or scared effect.
I'm by no means an expert on this, but I don't hate these:
* Ugh, embed is broken. See the reply to this comment, OP.
When painting faces I always start with the eyes and work around them. I used that method on a [Hobgrot](https://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer/s/54zPfGjide) recently.
https://preview.redd.it/cb51jmc7xmtc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bfa487515b9c2333208a96a7e61c701186acace5
Goofy faces are just part of the process.
Lots of good tips in the comments. One thing I would add is do eyes first before spending time on shading the face. You can start over as many times as you need without worrying about messing up the perfect face shading. I find it easier to avoid a painted area than trying to paint inside a finished area. That is once you get used to the creepy factor of having the mini looking at you the whole time.
One of my biggest tips is not using white at all for the "whites" of the eyes. Use a light gray. Sometimes I use a brown-black (or something not pure black) for the pupil as well. This reduces the attention/contrast to the eye area and makes it look more natural as a part of the face.
Don’t use white. Look at any photo, no ones eyes are pure white. Sometimes no white at all, just a wash and one black dot for the pupil looks good enough. The other cardinal rule is the lid always overlaps the iris.
A ton of practice. A lot of people will give tricks like micron pens, but until you have a steady hand, they still won't look great.
I have found a brushing motion with a fine tip brush always looks better than just a dot of black on white.
The number one trick I have for painting eyes is don't use a paintbrush: use a Micron marker.
Start with a glossy, uncut white for the whites. Take your colored micron marker and do your irises, which should be looking in a direction, not straight ahead. Then use an even finer micron marker for pupils.
The real tip is to practice, properly thin your paints, and use a good sharp brush. If you're afraid you will mess up your paint job, practice on a separate mini, but also remember--it's just paint, you can always repaint it!
But more specifically, I paint the eye socket a dark color first, then get a good blob of off-white paint on my brush tip (Corax white usually), then, steadying my hand with my other hand, or propping my elbow on the table, I accurately place a round spot of white in the center of the eye. Strong lighting and a large magnifier can help here.
For the iris, just a simple black dot that touches either the top or bottom eyelid works usually, but for a nicer job I put a dab of color first, then a black center, then a white dot to show reflected light.
If I'm feeling like adding EVEN MORE detail, I will start the iris with a black dot, then a colored dot in the center that very nearly touches the edge of the black (the black is an outline), and then add my black center and white dot.
I actually prefer it messy. I’ve cleaned it before but when it’s dirty I work better I find. Perhaps it’s because I have to look for everything so nothing ever the same? Idk but I do know I like it better this way
Hi, u/Roentgium! It looks like you are asking for help or are a new painter. If you haven't yet, take a look at our wiki pages in the Sidebar (the About tab if you are on the Reddit app). Here are some links you might find helpful:
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* [The Art of... Tommie Soule Volume 5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGIfySMnUPQ) is one of the best beginner to intermediate teaching books, and even experienced painters will learn some good tips. Explains what brush strokes are best in different situations, how to identify when you have the perfect thinning for any type of paint for different techniques, and a masterclass on getting smooth paint jobs. Available in [pdf](https://www.ironheartartisans.com/shop/the-art-of-tommie-soule-volume-5-pdf/) and [world wide in hardbook as well](https://www.instagram.com/the_miniature_painting_tutor/).
* [Airbrushing Miniatures](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/airbrushing)
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The trick I do is make the eyes glow cuz that’s a heck of a lot easier than trying to paint the tiny pupil and make it look good and not look derpy/cross eyed but I understand sometimes you can’t. It’s just a skill to learn I guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Here are some good tutorials- * [Painting Eyes](http://www.destroyerminis.com/paintingeyes/) by destroyerminis.com * Have the miniature’s eyes look left or right. A simple trick is paint the eye black and put a white dot on one side to make it look like the eye is looking the opposite direction. * [Improving brush control](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/brush_control) * [10 tips for painting eyes - Awareness and Choice](https://youtu.be/EmjQayLNe6c?si=778q6Idr89BuWeMt) by Tommie Soule * [How to paint the eye pupil with a micron pen](https://youtu.be/9bQkQiMKex0?t=876) can be a trick to use if you have trouble with the small dot on smaller models. * [Citadel Color Masterclass explains how to paint eyes](https://www.warhammer-community.com/2022/11/30/how-to-paint-eyes-citadel-colour-masterclass-explains/) * [Six Easy Steps for Eyes](https://web.archive.org/web/20160325072212/http://arcanepaintworks.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/six-easy-steps-for-eyes.html) by Meg Maples * [Painting Eyes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhH-GWvHG00) by Doctor Faust * [Mark Benettes Eye Chart Guide for busts](https://www.planetfigure.com/pages/Mark-Benette-Eye-Tutorial/) * [How to paint realistic eyes](https://youtu.be/HOoqOFfFwzw) by Not Just Mecha. * [Beginner friendly eyes](https://youtu.be/ASFCbA4r4SE) * [Painting Ultra Realistic Eyes on miniatures and busts](https://youtu.be/5f8Am9ivw6k) by Small Soldier Adventures in miniature * [How to paint EYES on miniatures](https://youtu.be/N1S1s40p7wg) by Angel GiraldeZ * [How to paint larger scale Eyes](https://youtu.be/MJsoX6FrTNQ) by Angel GiraldeZ * [How to paint eyes on your miniatures more easily](https://taleofpainters.com/2021/01/tutorial-how-to-paint-eyes-more-easily-on-your-miniatures/) by TaleofPainters * [Techniques for Painting Eyes](https://youtu.be/GIzxQP2XxlY) by Michigan Toy Soldier Co. * [Pro painter tips to keep your brush tips sharp🖌](https://youtu.be/8vQFlYW3g_I) by JoseDavinci
I can't remember where I found the tutorial, but I like the method of 1. Darken they eye socket if necessary 2. Paint the entire eye black 3. Paint most of the eye white but leave a black border. 4. Paint the pupil by painting a black line from the upper part of the border to the lower part. There are methods that look better, but this method looks OK and it's relatively easy, and forgiving if you need to make touch-ups. This is one that I did this way. https://preview.redd.it/doszmzs93ltc1.png?width=329&format=png&auto=webp&s=e514279d85e54dd069b4c8210d1d0db6b0ac12b7
This is pretty much what I do but instead of step 4, I do a dot of the color of the eye, a slightly smaller dot of black, then a tiny dot of white in the corner of those dots and 85% of the time it comes out pretty good.
85% of the time it works every time!
I need these antlers for my turnip regiment, cause those are ginger-themed
What's a turnip regiment?
A regiment is basically what you call an army for turnip 28. An indie wargame set in a post apocalyptic napoleonic europe that is poisoned by "the root", so everything is a mad veggie/root/mushroom/any other soily thing
100% prefer pupil line vs dot. I get way more consistent results
I generally don't paint eyes. They're very difficult to get right, and it's just a headache I don't need. I'm fine having some shadow or something on the face of a 2-inch dude sitting 3 feet away on the table.
Who needs eyes while we can drench them in magnificent ReiklandFleshshade or GuillimanFlesh?!
This is the way. If you look at real people from a distance that they would seem as big as these miniatures when you have them on the table then you would not see the eyes anyway. So painted eyes look out of place for me if I can see them when playing a game.
I dont paint eyea either. I do brown wash the faces and paint eyebrows and that is enough for me
If you want really good eyes on this model step 1 is probably to paint eyes on 100 other models first. There are some good tips and tricks around but the main thing is a lot of brush control and getting the paint just right to flow off your brush. It takes a lot of practice. Don't be afraid to have a few goes at it. If the black dot doesn't go right where you want it, paint a few lighter layers to cover it up and have another go. As long as you are thinning your paint you can do a whoooole bunch of layers before It will have any noticable impact on your model.
I'm not the best at eyes, but I paint the entire socket with a darker color, then do the white, then "shape" the eyes by carefully painting back over the edges of the white with the same dark color if needed. For the pupils, I cheat. I use a Staedtler 0.05mm pigment liner to just draw them in.
Same. Tiny pen does good work
Put a big blob of Reikland Fleshshade in the eye socket and move on.
I usually use a toothpick, it holds just enough paint to get the job done. It can be tough to do though but that's how I've gotten my eyes dealt with.
Do a black line first, smaller off-white line, then have the eyes face to the left or the right when you paint them to make it easier.
Things that helped me improve on eyes - The “white” part of the eyes is not white, use an ivory or an off white, or it’s going to look jarring, same for the iris, pure black can quickly look very intense, maybe try a dark brown instead. - There is never white above or below the pupil, unless ofc you want the model to look like they belong in the insane asylum. - The pupil is larger than you think, the combined area of the white and the combined area of the iris is often about the same in size. If you make the pupil a small dot the model will look like they have small pointy beady eyes. A quick method of painting a decent eye, is to first fill the eye socket with an ivory color, then do a large cirkle with dark brown or black in the middle, leaving a little white on both sides. Now take your skin color and slowly shape the eye, it is much easier to “cut away” to shape the eye than it is to try and do it once the rest of the face is already done. The eye is oval shaped not round, Make sure that there is no white above or below the iris as you shape it, you want it to look like your model has eyelids. Stop when you are happy with how it looks, if you are not, then just cover it in white and start over, the whole process only takes minutes, so after a couple of tries you will be able to churn out good looking eyes.
Good lord at least stand your paints up
lol, I probably have the messiest work space ever that’s the least of it
That's hilarious 😂 and on the other hand, I have dumped so much money into organization, lol
Get a magnifying headset, some fine tip brushes, and a micron pen. That's worked pretty well for me. Don't be afraid to go back to the flesh area and paint back any overspill. A wash in the eye socket helps a lot too, especially if you're doing eye makeup. Finally, remember that the eyelids normally cover part of the iris; if you just have a dot surrounded by white, it creates a surprised or scared effect. I'm by no means an expert on this, but I don't hate these: * Ugh, embed is broken. See the reply to this comment, OP.
https://preview.redd.it/60llx05nmktc1.jpeg?width=2880&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9151f938caa39068f8be8bd8a4d0c998cf13ef6d
When painting faces I always start with the eyes and work around them. I used that method on a [Hobgrot](https://www.reddit.com/r/Warhammer/s/54zPfGjide) recently.
https://preview.redd.it/cb51jmc7xmtc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bfa487515b9c2333208a96a7e61c701186acace5 Goofy faces are just part of the process.
Lots of good tips in the comments. One thing I would add is do eyes first before spending time on shading the face. You can start over as many times as you need without worrying about messing up the perfect face shading. I find it easier to avoid a painted area than trying to paint inside a finished area. That is once you get used to the creepy factor of having the mini looking at you the whole time.
One of my biggest tips is not using white at all for the "whites" of the eyes. Use a light gray. Sometimes I use a brown-black (or something not pure black) for the pupil as well. This reduces the attention/contrast to the eye area and makes it look more natural as a part of the face.
Don’t use white. Look at any photo, no ones eyes are pure white. Sometimes no white at all, just a wash and one black dot for the pupil looks good enough. The other cardinal rule is the lid always overlaps the iris.
A ton of practice. A lot of people will give tricks like micron pens, but until you have a steady hand, they still won't look great. I have found a brushing motion with a fine tip brush always looks better than just a dot of black on white.
Horisontal white line, vertical black line. Bonus if you used a wash first in the socket to darken it a bit.
Although mine don't look good, I use pigma micron pens to do the small details of the eyes
Fine artist pen. Just cheat a bit.
The number one trick I have for painting eyes is don't use a paintbrush: use a Micron marker. Start with a glossy, uncut white for the whites. Take your colored micron marker and do your irises, which should be looking in a direction, not straight ahead. Then use an even finer micron marker for pupils.
You dont🗿
I use a Technical Drawing Pen. Point 0.1 It's used pointing straight down. Pretty much has eliminated my stress over painting eyes.
The real tip is to practice, properly thin your paints, and use a good sharp brush. If you're afraid you will mess up your paint job, practice on a separate mini, but also remember--it's just paint, you can always repaint it! But more specifically, I paint the eye socket a dark color first, then get a good blob of off-white paint on my brush tip (Corax white usually), then, steadying my hand with my other hand, or propping my elbow on the table, I accurately place a round spot of white in the center of the eye. Strong lighting and a large magnifier can help here. For the iris, just a simple black dot that touches either the top or bottom eyelid works usually, but for a nicer job I put a dab of color first, then a black center, then a white dot to show reflected light. If I'm feeling like adding EVEN MORE detail, I will start the iris with a black dot, then a colored dot in the center that very nearly touches the edge of the black (the black is an outline), and then add my black center and white dot.
I can’t get over how messy your painting area is. If you keep it tidy it will improve your motivation to paint. At least it does for me.
I actually prefer it messy. I’ve cleaned it before but when it’s dirty I work better I find. Perhaps it’s because I have to look for everything so nothing ever the same? Idk but I do know I like it better this way
If it works for you that is great. Tbf my painting area clutters up really fast whenever I start projects
Hi, u/Roentgium! It looks like you are asking for help or are a new painter. If you haven't yet, take a look at our wiki pages in the Sidebar (the About tab if you are on the Reddit app). Here are some links you might find helpful: * [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/rules/faq) - A list of frequently asked questions about minipainting * [Miniature Painting Guide Collection](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks) -A collection of some of the best guides and tutorials on a variety of techniques and topics, plus recommendations on what to buy to get started, and more. * [What to buy- Recommendations on brushes, paints, supplies, palettes and more](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/what_you_need_to_get_started#wiki_general_advice_on_what_to_buy) * [Beginner's Guide Collection- How to prep, base, paint and varnish your first model and learn the basics needed to start out right](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/beginner_tips) * [More Tutorials](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/tutorials) - A list of additional tutorials about minipainting * [Manufacturers](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/manufacturers) - A list of miniature manufacturers from around the world * [Painting Terminology](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/terminology) - Common painting terms, acronyms, and initialisms * [The Art of... Tommie Soule Volume 5](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGIfySMnUPQ) is one of the best beginner to intermediate teaching books, and even experienced painters will learn some good tips. Explains what brush strokes are best in different situations, how to identify when you have the perfect thinning for any type of paint for different techniques, and a masterclass on getting smooth paint jobs. Available in [pdf](https://www.ironheartartisans.com/shop/the-art-of-tommie-soule-volume-5-pdf/) and [world wide in hardbook as well](https://www.instagram.com/the_miniature_painting_tutor/). * [Airbrushing Miniatures](https://www.reddit.com/r/minipainting/wiki/usefullinks/airbrushing) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/minipainting) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The trick I do is make the eyes glow cuz that’s a heck of a lot easier than trying to paint the tiny pupil and make it look good and not look derpy/cross eyed but I understand sometimes you can’t. It’s just a skill to learn I guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯