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fribbles, ltd.Okay---I typically use just black onyx beads for my beary eyes, but have of late been drooling over Intercal's selection of eyes---was contemplating some of the loop ended ones because one would think they would bury deeper into the head [I've noticed that if the black onyx eyes are too big, they have the unfortunate propensity to BULGE just a wee bit]. Am handicapped because I can't really see in my head how to put the looped eyes in. Do you just place a thread thru the loop and pull the eyes in?
Plus, it seems like it would be easier to make ultrasuede whites of eyes if you had a flat loop side to smoosh flush up against the fabric.
THEN I saw the clear eyes that you make your own iris and etc., got really excited about those. So now am wondering---certain artist bears look better with the "real" eye look, and some mini artists exclusively use the black eyes. With the "real" eye you need an eyelid [cording] round the eye, right? Am thinking it'd be good for me to challenge myself and try something new!
Amelia *is off to order goodies*
Posts: 1,277I've noticed that if the black onyx eyes are too big, they have the unfortunate propensity to BULGE just a wee bit
My earlier bears with onyx eyes suffered the "bulge syndrome."
You've got the right idea for installing them, putting the thread thru the loop.
As for the ones you paint yourself, I don't think it's necessary to have an eyelid. I suppose that depends on the look you're after. Sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't. Here's a pic of one of my bears. I used handpainted eyes without eyelids.
Amelia,
Some people who use the pupil/iris "real" eye use lids and some don't. Paula Carter, Jenny Johnson -- both here at TT -- and Denise Purrington come to mind as people who use real-look eyes with pupils, WITHOUT lids, to very pretty effect!
I'm one of the group who do use lids with real-look eyes -- and even with black ones, for that matter! -- but that's just personal preference. It's certainly do-able to use them without lids. Although I think you would want to make sure they're particularly deeply set, or they can look kinda "buggy." Actually, they tend to look kinda stare-y or startled; that's a more accurate description.
Also, I think some shading around the edges tends to help these real-look, painted eyes to "blend" better into the surrounding socket.
Have fun trying new things!
Creative Design Studio (RKR4CDS)Hi Amelia,
My experience with wired or looped eyes is to be very careful if you choose to 'narrow' the loop. It can be as wide as the eye and need a honking big hole to insert them. The one thing you do not want to do is move the wire where it enters the glass! This breaks the bond between metal and glass; putting pressure on it with sculpting/pulling it into the face is likely to pop the eye off. Not always but often enough to be frustrating!
This works for me: I push the tip of a tapered awl part way into the loop and hold it up against the back of the eye. Yes, fiddly work with our minis...but your thumb placed on top of the eye works well to hold it in place against the awl. The bottom of the loop can be grasped with a pliers or similar tool and squeezed into more of an oval. It doesn't have to come to a point, just a narrower wire profile to enter the head with. Let us know how you did with them. Their flatter dome surface is certainly more natural looking than the round onyx beads!
Pandy Potter Bears
I've used wired eyes but tend to use onyx beads now. Good advice about the crimping of the wire, do be careful. I use strong thread doubled up, thread bothends through the loop then both ends through the loop of thread if that makes sense. 
I then go through the needlesculpted eye socket area and come out near the joint and pull to get the right deap set look. I sew/tie off under the cotterpin area.
I used hand painted fairy eyes for the koala and needlefelted cheeks and lids. Off the top of my head it was about 4 1/2'' or something not much bigger.
