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Topic: Q for JB: Your Eyes Post ReplyPost New Topic
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William Roberge
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Posted: 15 May 2009 at 5:23am | IP Logged | 1 post reply

One of the aspects of your art that has always stood out for me is how you draw eyes. At one time you wrote how you do it step by step (You where explaining how you had a A-HA moment). Is there any way you could show an example of how you do it? Maybe show what line you put down first etc. 

Thanks!



Edited by William Roberge on 15 May 2009 at 5:33am
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John Byrne
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Posted: 15 May 2009 at 6:03am | IP Logged | 2 post reply

I don't recall giving a step-by-step, but the AH-HA! moment came when I realized so much additional "life" could be brought to eyes by simply throwin that little bit of shadow across the top of the iris. You'll notice I do it even when (as in the third image posted, above) the eyes are wide open.

I had another AH-HA! moment not too long ago, when it dawned on me that in profile shots I was not setting the visible eye socket back far enough in the skull, which had a flattening effect on the face.

Other than that, I'm guided by the basic rules -- generally speaking the eyes are at the "equator" of the head, about halfway between the crown and the chin, and there is usually the width of an eye between the eyes.


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William Roberge
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Posted: 15 May 2009 at 6:28am | IP Logged | 3 post reply

Thanks JB, Hope you keep having your AH-HA moments!
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Jonathan Watkins
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Posted: 15 May 2009 at 7:00am | IP Logged | 4 post reply

Bottom row, middle image: I L-O-V-E that drawing.  So much life and implied history in that face.  Suggests so much.
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John Moon
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Posted: 15 May 2009 at 7:48am | IP Logged | 5 post reply

In addition to the tricks that make them "look cool," I like how expressive the eyes in those samples are.  I can learn a lot about each character's attitude, what they're thinking, etc. from the eyes alone without a word of dialogue.

By the way, I notice you often don't outline the entire contour of the eye -- part of the bottom edge is often left implied.  Though it's done slightly differently each time which implies there's no set formula in play...

 

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JT Molloy
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Posted: 15 May 2009 at 8:37am | IP Logged | 6 post reply

Those are some neat tricks to know! Thanks JB!
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John Byrne
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Posted: 15 May 2009 at 8:58am | IP Logged | 7 post reply

By the way, I notice you often don't outline the entire contour of the eye -- part of the bottom edge is often left implied. Though it's done slightly differently each time which implies there's no set formula in play...

••

There are two things on faces that are hard to draw without it looking like makeup. One is the lower eyelid, the other is the upper lip. Sometimes I am able to draw these things without the inherent problem (and, obviously I am not talking here about drawing most female face), but most of the time I feel it's better to shy away.

(Time upon a once I was inked by someone who thought he could do upper lips without it looking like lipstick. He was wrong!)

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John Byrne
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Posted: 15 May 2009 at 9:00am | IP Logged | 8 post reply

Bottom row, middle image: I L-O-V-E that drawing. So much life and implied history in that face. Suggests so much.

••

Thanks! That face was a classic "fell out of the pencil" moment. I used no photo reference -- just memory. Watching the face appear was one of those instances where it felt like I was actually watching someone else drawing!

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Brian Deuser
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Posted: 15 May 2009 at 9:49am | IP Logged | 9 post reply

JB,

I thought a neat trick of yours is when you place a small semicircle on the bottom lip when you DO intend to show that it's lipstick, or some other reflective gloss...

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Paul Simpson Simpson
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Posted: 15 May 2009 at 11:16am | IP Logged | 10 post reply

I think the only guy who does eyes as well as you is George Perez.
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Marc Baptiste
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Posted: 15 May 2009 at 11:23am | IP Logged | 11 post reply

The variation of mouths is equally impressive.
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John Byrne
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Posted: 15 May 2009 at 11:25am | IP Logged | 12 post reply

Speaking of eyes -- and, yes, this is a real stretch for a segue -- I found this rather interesting example of the "eye of the beholder" effect on another website:

" For some reason, the green Marvel Girl outfit is one of the things that IMHO Byrne didn’t seem to care much for , and as I’d mentioned before, he couldn’t wait to find a reason to get her out of the green dress and back into the yellow and black suit in The Hidden Years strip. But that’s okay, because she gave the costume to Candy Southern to wear, and my didn’t she look nice in it!"

So. . . despite all the times I have drawn the green mini, despite my putting Jean/Phoenix into that outfit in X-MEN 137, and despite my putting Candy into it (as he notes!!) the assumption is that I don't like it??

Yeesh!

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