Step 1. The Pupil:
This is the most important part of painting an eye. Pupils are openings in the iris that have distinct shapes depending on the species, which allow you to peer through their lens into the dark capsule of their eyes. Regardless of shape, they always have a crisp, clear edge. The easiest and best way I have found to achieve this, is with an extra-fine point Sharpie Black Poster-Paint Pen. It flows with enough thin but opaque black paint to create your pupil with its fine tip into the size and shape you want.

Generally, the length and size of a pupil should be about 1/2 of the iris size at its widest front to back measurement. (Example: 14mm iris = 7mm x 6mm pupil.) On a piece of white paper measure and draw out the size and shape of the pupil you want depending on the species. Place a piece of clear double-stick tape over your outline, flip, center and stick your lens over the drawing to use as guide to paint your pupil.

Step 2. Iris details:
Once the pupil is totally dry, mix Ultimate Retarder thoroughly into some Polytranspar black airbrush paint (WA30). Add a few drops of water to thin and turn down your air pressure for some details. Depending on the species, apply a light amount around the pupil. I like a fine spitting look. In this case, I went close to and around the pupil, trying to stay lighter on the lower half below the pupil. It's easier to paint this step if you do a practice run on paper first to get the air pressure right for a light application. It doesn't have to be perfect at all, just move in close and be careful not to over do it. And if you don't like it you can clean it off by using a moistened filbert shaped artist brush and try it again!

Step 3. Colors:
Again depending on the species, most eyes have some hue to them, brown, blue, green, red, yellow, etc. Just as in the previous step, a little goes a long way. In this case I'm using a hint of green: 50/50 med bass green and blue green above the pupil area.

Step 4. Metallic background:
For most rainbow trout I use the new Liquid Scales Burnished Gold (LS214). Spray two medium coats. The second can be heavier. Let thoroughly dry and seal with gloss.

At this point the interior painting of your eye is finished, but looks like a giant iris! After installing your eye as it is now, we'll mask the true iris area from the outside surface, and then paint the sclera or capsule later as a final step in the whole fish painting process. If we were to paint the capsule before installation we would mess it up with sculpting epoxy and tools as well as overspray from painting the head.

Step 5. Iris mask:
You can paint any odd sized eyes you need. For example, to paint a 13mm fish eye, use a 14mm lens and simply paint using a 13mm x 12mm iris mask to finish!

So far the best mask I have found is blue masking tape, it has less adhesive than the other and can be flattened fairly well over the cornea. Measure and mark the dimensions of the iris on a piece of tape. I also draw a bullseye to help center it over the lens. With a pencil finish drawing its shape (usually a slight oval) in this case 18mm x 17mm using an 18mm lens. Once it's been drawn and cut out. Place the mask over the center of the cornea loosely until you are satisfied with its positioning over the center of the lens. Press down the tape and flatten the wrinkles with your nail. Paint your fish head as normal not worrying to much about overspray. However a heavier than normal build up over the mask will create an unwanted ridge when you remove it to finish.

Step 6. The Sclera or lens capsule:
Mist some white to the lower half of the eye fading onto the mask. If the upper half isn't to dark it should already have the right color from the head overspray. You can paint some spots up here if you like. Let dry and peel off the mask and you will be amazed at what you've created!

The final touch!
Where the mask ends (Iris and cornea) and the sclera begins, is the corneal scleral junction. There's usually a fine dark shading around the eye high lighting this junction. I used black mixed in the same way we did in step #2. Move in close turning your air pressure down and shade a misty thin line on the edge of the sclera. A little overspray onto the cornea is good; this junction line is fuzzy and not crisp! Gloss your fish and stand back and enjoy what you have accomplished, the most realistic fish eye you could possibly have with just a little bit of extra time and a $3.50 investment!

After using these amazing new lenses you will never look at fish eyes the same way again! And when you tell your customer that you painted his eyes by hand, he will be impressed and think you spent hours!

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Sharpie Black Poster-Paint Pen
This extra-fine water-based poster-paint pen from Sharpie is the easiest way to produce a pupil of any shape or size with a crisp, clean edge. The pen flows thin enough to allow you to draw a pupil of any custom shape with an opaque black paint which requires only one coat. This replaces the Elmer's Ultra-Fine Painters Pen which was discontinued by the manufacturer.

Code     Description            Price  
EL7640    Sharpie Black Poster-Paint Pen     3.80

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Jeff Lumsden's Ultimate Retarder

Jeff Lumsden has discovered the Ultimate retarder for "fish heads"! While experimenting to find a product that would slow down the drying process for Polytranspar Opal Shimmers, he found this one works equally well for Liquid Scales! The Ultimate retarder will at least double your painting time before skinning occurs, freeing you to paint with a longer window of even consistency. It's outstanding with Polytranspar water base airbrush paints too! The Ultimate Retarder is easy to measure and will not change the consistency of your water based paints.

Code            Item Description             Price
LS250    1 1/2 fl. oz. Ultimate Retarder     6.10

Liquid Scales is the latest acrylic medium formulated and blended by Jeff Lumsden to replicate the natural colors and brilliance found specifically in fish scales with an amazing and consistent ease of application! Liquid Scales are also great for applying the refective surface to Still Life Fish Eye Lenses. Our new Burnished Gold color is ideal for many fish species.

NEW! Burnished Gold

Code         Size        Price
LS114     1/2 fl. oz.     5.05
LS214    1-1/2 fl. oz.    8.10

Click here to see all the Liquid Scales Colors