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Aim: to make some realistic-looking eyes that could be seen out of, but not into. One-way eyes. We wanted the clearest vision possible, while still preventing people from seeing through from the outside. We also wanted them to 'sparkle' a bit, if possible; but without the use of embedded lights. I've done a couple of i'bles involving lights, and I decided I'm over the darn things (lights), even though I still love them in a slightly obsessed way.
We're hoping to learn how to make a complete fursuit. We already bought the fur! We bunched it around the eye for the photo.
Things like mesh, pantyhose or thin fabric; they all seem to cause vision impairment when it comes to putting them over your eyes. Last year, we made a costume where we used pantyhose to cover the area that the wearer was supposed to 'see' out of, but his vision was still seriously restricted. So how were we going to make some 'eyes' that afforded 20/20 vision (or as close to it as possible)?
For starters, we eyeballed our cat. She eyeballed us back, suspiciously.
After eyeballing our cat, we’ve come up with these quick and easy, one-way see-through eyes that give the wearer pretty good vision. No fine mesh. No pantyhose balaclavas like last year's costume. Just colour filter, window/windscreen film, clear acrylic orbs, and not much else!
This amazing tutorial here, for Spiderman one-way eye lenses, helped me out a LOT, by putting the idea into my head about mirror tint as used on windows and cars.
We're hoping to learn how to make a complete fursuit. We already bought the fur! We bunched it around the eye for the photo.
Things like mesh, pantyhose or thin fabric; they all seem to cause vision impairment when it comes to putting them over your eyes. Last year, we made a costume where we used pantyhose to cover the area that the wearer was supposed to 'see' out of, but his vision was still seriously restricted. So how were we going to make some 'eyes' that afforded 20/20 vision (or as close to it as possible)?
For starters, we eyeballed our cat. She eyeballed us back, suspiciously.
After eyeballing our cat, we’ve come up with these quick and easy, one-way see-through eyes that give the wearer pretty good vision. No fine mesh. No pantyhose balaclavas like last year's costume. Just colour filter, window/windscreen film, clear acrylic orbs, and not much else!
This amazing tutorial here, for Spiderman one-way eye lenses, helped me out a LOT, by putting the idea into my head about mirror tint as used on windows and cars.
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Signing UpStep 1Tools and Supplies
1 clear acrylic orb, 10cm (about 4 inches) in diameter.
1 sheet of colour filter (also known as COLOUR GEL), in the colour of your choice. We used ‘peacock blue’. Note: the colour tends to look a little darker, once the reflective/mirror tint backing is applied. If using offcuts, they need to be bigger than 32cm x 16cm.
**Colour filter/Colour Gel IMO is AMAZINGLY easy to see through. It's made for photographic work, so it HAS to be.
Tested and rejected: I tried to use tinted cellophane, and then tinted adhesive book cover, but neither worked. The cellophane is hard to see through, and crumples too much. And the cloudy adhesive on the tinted book cover makes it almost impossible to see through.
Not tested: some kind of translucent paint or tinted varnish, or something similar. But I don't think that paint or coloured varnish would allow such good visibility as colour filter/colour gel does.** Anyway, back to the list of supplies:
1 sheet of silver reflective window tint, a.k.a. mirror tint. If using offcuts, they need to be bigger than 20cm x 10cm.
(A note about the window tint: it's also available in gold, red, and blue. The gold is reflective. I'm not sure if the red and blue are also reflective. Anyway, these three colours are harder to find, but they're out there. I feel that they are stronger colours, and if used they may change the hue of the colour filter - although red or blue mirror tint would probably work great as a backing for red or blue eyes!
Anyway, I'm sticking with the silver mirror tint for now. It's a pretty neutral colour, it's a bit cheaper and easier to find; and it seems to work nicely with all shades of colour filter.)
Offcuts of self-adhesive window/windscreen tint, black. We had bought a whole sheet, but only a small amount is needed.
1 whiteboard marker.
1 hot glue gun and a glue stick.
Scissors.
Non-stick cooking paper (small amount).
How much to pay (not including the last 4 items, which are usually lying around the place already):
Total cost should be less than $40. If using free or cheap offcuts, total cost could be less than $10!
Where to Buy:
We bought half a metre of reflective/mirror window tint and black windscreen tint from an internet retailer for about $10 each. The maker of the Spiderman lenses (see the link in the intro) suggests trying one of those automotive window tinting shops for free or cheap offcuts.
The colour filter/colour gel can be expensive. We got half a metre for $12 from a stage lighting store. Again, it’s possible to get cheap offcuts. But we couldn’t find any in the colour we wanted.
At 10cm in diameter, the plastic/acrylic orbs we’re using may seem oversized, but they’re suitable for the largish head that we’re making. And anyway, part of the eye is hidden under fur or ‘skin’ – just as in real animal or human eyes. They are about $5 each, and available at hobby/craft stores.
1 sheet of colour filter (also known as COLOUR GEL), in the colour of your choice. We used ‘peacock blue’. Note: the colour tends to look a little darker, once the reflective/mirror tint backing is applied. If using offcuts, they need to be bigger than 32cm x 16cm.
**Colour filter/Colour Gel IMO is AMAZINGLY easy to see through. It's made for photographic work, so it HAS to be.
Tested and rejected: I tried to use tinted cellophane, and then tinted adhesive book cover, but neither worked. The cellophane is hard to see through, and crumples too much. And the cloudy adhesive on the tinted book cover makes it almost impossible to see through.
Not tested: some kind of translucent paint or tinted varnish, or something similar. But I don't think that paint or coloured varnish would allow such good visibility as colour filter/colour gel does.** Anyway, back to the list of supplies:
1 sheet of silver reflective window tint, a.k.a. mirror tint. If using offcuts, they need to be bigger than 20cm x 10cm.
(A note about the window tint: it's also available in gold, red, and blue. The gold is reflective. I'm not sure if the red and blue are also reflective. Anyway, these three colours are harder to find, but they're out there. I feel that they are stronger colours, and if used they may change the hue of the colour filter - although red or blue mirror tint would probably work great as a backing for red or blue eyes!
Anyway, I'm sticking with the silver mirror tint for now. It's a pretty neutral colour, it's a bit cheaper and easier to find; and it seems to work nicely with all shades of colour filter.)
Offcuts of self-adhesive window/windscreen tint, black. We had bought a whole sheet, but only a small amount is needed.
1 whiteboard marker.
1 hot glue gun and a glue stick.
Scissors.
Non-stick cooking paper (small amount).
How much to pay (not including the last 4 items, which are usually lying around the place already):
Total cost should be less than $40. If using free or cheap offcuts, total cost could be less than $10!
Where to Buy:
We bought half a metre of reflective/mirror window tint and black windscreen tint from an internet retailer for about $10 each. The maker of the Spiderman lenses (see the link in the intro) suggests trying one of those automotive window tinting shops for free or cheap offcuts.
The colour filter/colour gel can be expensive. We got half a metre for $12 from a stage lighting store. Again, it’s possible to get cheap offcuts. But we couldn’t find any in the colour we wanted.
At 10cm in diameter, the plastic/acrylic orbs we’re using may seem oversized, but they’re suitable for the largish head that we’re making. And anyway, part of the eye is hidden under fur or ‘skin’ – just as in real animal or human eyes. They are about $5 each, and available at hobby/craft stores.
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still cool nonetheless :3
Any advice?
Colour or color filter, also known as colour or color GEL: We got ours from a stage lighting store over here called “Jansen”. They have an online store too – not sure if they send overseas. Try photographic stores also – if they don’t have it, they’ll know what it is, and hopefully where to source it from.
Silver reflective window tint (aka Mirror Tint): we got ours reasonably cheaply on an online auction. Can also be purchased from car window tinting shops.
Black window tint (for the animal’s pupil): same as above.
I would like to know in more detail how you sourced the products you found?
Could you tell me the specific brands you ended up buying, or the search terms?
I need to try and source all of these materials locally, as I have little time.
Cheers for the great 'structable
Clear plastic balls: can be bought at craft or hobby stores. They can be a bit of a struggle to search for online. Try a few terms such as “clear Christmas ornaments”, “clear acrylic orbs”, “clear plastic balls”, or different combos of these words. The brand name on ours is: “shamrockcraft” – www.shamrockcraft.com.au
Colour or color filter, also known as colour or color GEL: We got ours from a stage lighting store over here called “Jansen”. They have an online store too – not sure if they send overseas. Try photographic stores also – if they don’t have it, they’ll know what it is, and hopefully where to source it from.
Silver reflective window tint (aka Mirror Tint): we got ours reasonably cheaply on an online auction. Can also be purchased from car window tinting shops.
Black window tint (for the animal’s pupil): same as above.