How to paint realistic eyes using pencils and markers. Painting eyes can look deceptively difficult. After all, there are a number of fine details in the iris and pupil such as fractured light and speckles of brilliant color. But, worry not. This easy process will help you to realistically paint eyes.
1. Draw the eye
Using a pencil, I drew the outline of my eyeball, the pupil and iris, plus my eyebrow and lines under and above my eyes. Don’t forget to include those details — they’re defining features!
2. Paint around the eye
Before you begin painting inside of the eye, paint around it. Mix the appropriate skin tone (keep it a medium shade — not too light or dark), and brush it across your surface. Then, mix a shade and apply it to the crease in above the eye. Afterwards, add highlights to the lid below the crease and blend it with the shadow.
3. The gray of the eye
You might have the inclination that the eyeball is white, but it actually appears gray to us. It’s in a shadow thanks to the lid, our forehead and eye cavity. So, it only makes sense that we paint the eyeballs a light gray (blue+white)! The centers will be the lightest (think of a sphere shape) while the tops and bottoms will be slightly in shadows.
4. Paint the iris and pupil
Now, use a marker to paint the background of the pupil. Notice how it already feels more realistic?
Use pencil to paint light and shadow. Here’s where you’ll really want to look to your reference so to accurately capture the light. Depending on your surroundings, your eyes might have different flecks of color reflected into them.
Use a white pen/marker to make it more realistic!
Add more highlight around the eye with a white pencil!
5. Creating graceful eyelashes
Everyone has different lengths and amount of eyelashes. Some people might be wearing eyeliner and mascara. You can use a black pencil to paint the eyelashes.
The bottom eyelashes will be shorter and thinner. Remember, there’s a small area of skin between the eyeball and those lashes, so there will be space between the bottom of the eye and its lashes.
Add highlights (thin, light-colored) lines in-between the lashes so that they don’t look like one uncomfortable mass.
6. Finishing touches
Once you’ve finished painting the eyelashes, the hard part is over. Now, it’s just going back and refining your painting. Glance at your reference. What areas need to be darkened? Often, it’s the top and bottom of the eyeballs and the creases around the eyes. If you’ve included eyebrows in the painting, now is the time to paint those, too.
You can add skin texture and and a tear to make it even more lively!
How to paint realistic eyes using pencils and markers
