Hey Moe! I can't see! I can't see!

[daredevil]

(couldn't help myself--I'm a 3 Stooges fan!)
Okay--here's one for ya: I can't see to paint my 54mmm figures anymore! Traditionally reading glasses solved the problem. But--ehem--age is taking its toll. Can anyone tell me how to select a pair of those magnifying thingys? There are different focal lengths, etc. & I don't know how to choose a pair.
My painting is getting sloppier and sloppier--send help soon!

--daredevil

 

[Lancer]

Hey Linda
Amazing how the sight fails when you hit 29! I've had the same problem for a couple years now and I'm not finding any practicle solutions. My Opti Visor is a 3x and while it helps I'm still not getting the detail I want. I purchased a set of 4x reading style eyeglasses and its okay but I find myself using both the visor and glasses these days. Look up for visor only, down for eyeglasses and centre for both. I'd try the Opti Visor and a couple of different lenses, it used to work great for me when I was 29.
Cheers
Mark

 

[Mongo Mel]

Hey Linda,
I experienced the same thing a few years back. If you don't yet wear glasses, I'd suggest that you get you eyes checked first. Especially if the over the counter reading glasses aren't doing the trick for you. I've worn glasses since I was a kid and had to get bifocals a few years back. But even that didn't solve the problem for me. So what I use now is a pair of clip-on magnifing lenses. They're made for the folks that tie flies for fishing andd I got mine at a local fishing store. They're inexpensive (under $10.00 US), good quality optical glass and have been a major help to me. I won't pick up a brush without them anymore.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.
Craig

 

[PJ Deluhery]

Oh! A WISE guy! ( I'm a Stooges fan too! )

I agree that it's a good idea to get your eyes checked first. I have a special pair of painting glasses with just my bi-focal's reading prescription and an increased focal length to give me greater working distance. On top of this I wear a 1.5 clip-on magnifier. I also use and optivisor with different magnifications, depending on the job. Being an old guy, I need all the help I can get. :lol:

My bottom line would be: talk to your eye doctor first - s/he can advise you best on what you might need for strength. Then, I think it's largely a matter of experimentation - see what works for you. Most of the visual aids are relatively cheap(compared to the cost of a single figure!), so it's not too coslty to get a few different lenses and try them out. Also, consider your lighting set up - do you have plenty of balanced, focused light?

Good luck, Linda!

Happy painting

 

[pkess]

I use a #5 Optivisor. Just measure how far you hold the figure from your eyes while you paint. Then get a Optivisor with that focal distance. For a #5 it is about 15 to 18 inches. Almost everyone I know who uses an Optivisor uses a #5, except for the really old guys.

 

[daredevil]

Thanks for all the input--the reply from 'pkess' was the one I was really looking for--I forgot the name of the Optivisor & I was wondering how you choose which number!
I've worn glasses since the mid-80s when I ruined my eyes doing a lot of microfilming for the aerospace industry. Seems all those bright photo lights/darkened room scenarios took their toll.
I also forgot about the magnifiers I used to use for fly tying (haven't flyfished in a couple years--no time it seems... ) I'll dig out those magnifiers & give them a spin before I plunk down 30-bucks for the optivisor.
Thanks again to one & all!
--daredevil

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by pkess@Dec 7 2004, 08:20 PM
I use a #5 Optivisor. Just measure how far you hold the figure from your eyes while you paint. Then get a Optivisor with that focal distance. For a #5 it is about 15 to 18 inches. Almost everyone I know who uses an Optivisor uses a #5, except for the really old guys.

Thanks for that Phil, good to know how it works out but... 15"-18"?! Good God, I paint at about 5"-8" most of the time!

Einion