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Finally got my character's eyes to look right after 50 tries

Been working on this fantasy portrait for a week. The eyes kept looking dead, like glass marbles. My friend said they gave her the creeps. Watched a tutorial by 'Marc Brunet' on YouTube about subsurface scattering. Spent 3 hours just on the iris and cornea layers. Added a tiny light reflection off-center. Used a soft pink on the inner corners. The difference is huge. They look alive now, like they're actually wet. Has anyone else struggled with making eyes look real in a stylized piece? What finally clicked for you?
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2 Comments
hernandez.matthew
Yeah, that "dead, like glass marbles" thing is so real. I read once that the tiny, off-center reflection is what tricks your brain into seeing life.
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jennifer358
Exactly. The small, wrong details sell the big picture.
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