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Below is a study of an eye that I carve in my classes. It is a very mechanical eye and seems easy to carve. I use a 3/4" x 3/4" basswood stick to practice on. This is a technique I learned from Gerald Sears when I started carving. In my early days of carving you would never catch me without a practice stick in my pocket. If you don't believe me, ask Gerald. The tools I use to carve my eyes are a 1/8" v tool 60 degree and my knife.

Sample of Dallas's DVD
"How to CARVE Caricatures - Carve an Eye Stick",
CLICK PLAY (>) on the video window below !

(Requires Microsoft Media Player)

Eye Stick

Step 1a

Step 2

Step 4

Step 1b

Step 3

Step 5

Drawing of an Eye

Steps to Carving an Eye

Step 1a - Cut in your eye Socket along the edge of the stick. Keep the angle of the eye socket wide. The wider the angle of the cut the friendlier the eye will look. The narrower the cut the more serious or mean the eye will look.
Step 1b - Draw in the shape of the eye. Define where the upper & lower lids will be. Extend the outer corner of the eye.
Step 2 - Cut a triangle chip out of the inside corner of the eye. With a small v tool cut around the perimeter of the eye
Step 3 - With your knife scribe around the entire eye ball. Cut small rectangular chips out of the corners of the eye with your knife.
Step 4 - With a small v tool cut in the upper eye lid laying the edge of the v tool close to the eye ball to give the illusion of the eye lid being thin. With a small V tool extend the outer corner of the eye.
Step 5 - Cut in the lower eye lid or bag using either a small v tool or knife. Extend it out far enough so that it look like it tucks under the upper eye lid. recess the area above the eye to create an area for the eye brow. With a small v tool cut in the hair for the eye brow. To finish, take a pencil and draw in where the iris would be. I like to have the eye looking left or right...it tends to give the eye more action.

Remember. The more you practice the better your eyes will get. I used to do a dozen or so each time I would practice my eyes. There is no magic pill. Just lots of practice.

Steps to Carving an Eye

Step 1a - Cut in your eye Socket along the edge of the stick. Keep the angle of the eye socket wide. The wider the angle of the cut the friendlier the eye will look. The narrower the cut the more serious or mean the eye will look.
Step 1b - Draw in the shape of the eye. Define where the upper & lower lids will be. Extend the outer corner of the eye.
Step 2 - Cut a triangle chip out of the inside corner of the eye. With a small v tool cut around the perimeter of the eye
Step 3 - With your knife scribe around the entire eye ball. Cut small rectangular chips out of the corners of the eye with your knife.
Step 4 - With a small v tool cut in the upper eye lid laying the edge of the v tool close to the eye ball to give the illusion of the eye lid being thin. With a small V tool extend the outer corner of the eye.
Step 5 - Cut in the lower eye lid or bag using either a small v tool or knife. Extend it out far enough so that it look like it tucks under the upper eye lid. recess the area above the eye to create an area for the eye brow. With a small v tool cut in the hair for the eye brow. To finish, take a pencil and draw in where the iris would be. I like to have the eye looking left or right...it tends to give the eye more action.

Remember. The more you practice the better your eyes will get. I used to do a dozen or so each time I would practice my eyes. There is no magic pill. Just lots of practice.

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