Painting eyebrows.

[Yarok]

Hello everybody!

I'm currently painting Metal Modeles' 1805 Mameluk, and I would some advice before painting the eyebrows.
The thing is: I don't have any particular technique for this. Instead, I have to play around each and every time, trying different colors, sizes, shapes, and so on. I sure know there isn't any magical recipe for anything, but for, let's say, the eyes, I do have a technique, a logical order I follow for every figure I paint.

This tutorial shows how to paint eyebrows, all right, but these are sculpted in! This isn't the case for the Mameluk I'm working on, so there's the problem of shading and orientation as well...

I really would like to have some pointers for this, like which colors to use according to the hair color? If the figure has blond hair, this color would fit, but if it has brown hair, then I find using the same shade of brown looks unrealistic and give the eyebrows a "glued-on" look

thanks for the help and info!

 

[Einion]

Hi Patrick, is this a 54mm? Are you painting in oils, acrylics or something else?

As a general colour guide I would typically use a light brown for a blonde; some blondes do have blonde eyebrows but it's hard to get this to look right, particularly in a small scale.

For a man with brown hair, to avoid that 'stage makeup' look, try mixing in a little of the skin midtone to the basic brown, or glazing the skintone on afterwards. Eyebrows can be a little thin so they show skin through them and either of these techniques mimics the effect quite well.

As for shape and placement, that's a matter of practice mostly. Have a mirror or photos on hand if necessary to use as reference

Einion

 

[thegoodsgt]

Hmmm, I'm thinking that you don't need eyebrows on 54mm figures. I rarely see them and never notice their absence. Just a thought.

 

[Yarok]

Einon: this is a 54mm model, painted with acrylics. Here's a picture of the ongoing process:

(this is a wip shot, so there's a lot of cleanup to do those damn' photos shows the tinyest flaw

)

I like the idea of glazing the eyebrows with the skintone. As a matter of fact, I thing I did this kinda by mistake when highlighting the brows (skin) after I painted the eyebrows (tiny hairs)

thegoodsgt: actually i tend to notice when they're not there, even more so when they're not sculpted in: I find the face a bit static and lifeless without'em... blah! it's in the eye of the beholder I guess...

 

[Einion]

I think it looks fine as it is Patrick. I would have done the brows a different shape but some brows are exactly as you've done them.

Originally posted by Yarok+Feb 2 2006, 01:47 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Yarok @ Feb 2 2006, 01:47 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>(this is a wip shot, so there's a lot of cleanup to do those damn' photos shows the tinyest flaw

)[/b]

Hehe, don't they?

<!--QuoteBegin-thegoodsgt@Feb 2 2006, 01:38 PM
Hmmm, I'm thinking that you don't need eyebrows on 54mm figures. I rarely see them and never notice their absence. Just a thought.[/quote]
I think they're important but it does sometimes depend on the way the face is sculpted, as well as the actual size.

Einion

 

[Randy Myers]

Hi Patrick, Notice that most people's eybrows hang right from the edge of the orbital cavity. On my 54's this tends to merge with the deep shadow in the corner of the eye (like what Steven noticed). They usually thin out considerably at the outer edge of the eye. A tiny highlight at the top of the inside end of the eybrow would make them stand out a bit more.

 

[Yarok]

Einon, I still think I'll just make'em a liiiitle bit longer towards the nose and thinner on the outer edge, as Randy suggest.

That's the thing with this figure: the eyebrows weren't sculpted at all, and i felt it looked a bit strange.

thanks!

I'll be updating with pics when it's done

 

[Blind Pew]

Patrick, leave them alone mate, they look pretty good from where I'm sitting!

 

[DaveCox]

In 54mm I can't even see the eyebrows, let alone paint them and nobodies complained yet! I think it's up to the individual - if you think you can get that small add them by all means, but remember that most peoples eyebrows appear lighter than the actual haircolour.

 

[Yarok]

The thing is: I usually paint faces with a pair of magnifiying glasses on. I suppose that it does make the lack of eyebrows stands out more than it would without these glasses