Eyes

Adam Sale

Compilation Paper

When we observe the self-portrait of an artist, it is the eyes that give us the clue as to how that person feels about himself or herself. Every young painter stands in front of the mirror and discovers his true personality by lowering his chin and looking out from under his brows. Later on as he becomes more arrogant, he lifts his chin and looks defiantly at the world. Then when he has aged, he turns his head, and looks with wisdom out of the corner of his eyes.

Early Renaissance painters had their main figures looking up, an accepted canon for the innocent and pure, but it does seem to be based on truth and reality. The look is more wistful, more hopeful, more vulnerable and holds more appeal. The emotion portrayed somehow makes you care more.

When staging or animating the eye, I would recommend studying numbers of photographs. You will notice that the eye changes its shape a lot depending on the emotion being portrayed.

If portraying a robot, only then would you expect to use a stare that is lifeless and has no movement. An exuberant character, however has a constant change of expression, darting, happy, quick looks, wide with excitement to crinkled with laughter. The eyes in this case must not remain constant.

The eyes are the most important part of the expression, for the eyes in most cases will lead all other parts of the body into the expression.

1) Too little pupil makes it difficult to show a strong statement of expression or direction

2) A look to the side; the pupil is clear and sure.

3) For a pupil moving away from the eye rim, the direction of the look must change.

4) When more and more white surrounds the pupil, there is an increase in excitement and intensity

5) White surrounding the pupil gives vagueness to expressions and lends to an uncertain expression

6) A smaller than normal pupil gives the look of being dazed or withdrawn from reality. The eyes should lead the direction of the look whenever possible. Pupils looking in different directions give the eyes a lifeless look, however, this can be useful if the character has been hit particularly hard.

The bottom line is that a lot of time must be spent animating the eyes in order to sell the illusion of life.

As an example, let us examine a simple look to the right. Rising eyelids solidify the look. The change of direction provides the emphasis or anticipation. The blink stages the action by not only increasing the amount of the move, but also by shutting out the eye white briefly and then gradually adding it back on successive drawings or frames. Blinks will help make your expressions stronger.

Blinks do a lot to help keep your character alive. If there is an intense look that does not allow for a changing shape, then a blink can do wonders to keep the expression from going flat. An eye in-between should never change its angle, nor should it wobble. A blink of disbelief, puzzlement or wonder is usually shown with a slight squint. In this case, the top and bottom lid will meet at the middle of the pupil Blinks are useful to ease the shock of moving into hold. In 3D you should never hold a blink without a slight moving hold. Or the illusion of the living, breathing character is destroyed. If necessary, move beyond the pose, and settle back into it. A blink in this situation can help.