Introduction: Make Alien Eyelashes
Part of last year's Alien (dandelion baby) costume.
I really wanted to achieve that slightly hypnotic, all-iris look that most aliens seem to have these days. However I did not have the resources or the gumption to wear all over alien contact lenses. Therefore I was forced to come up with a different way of altering my eyes.
These create the wide eyed, childish feel of those contact lenses by making the eye seem larger and the irises darker (I have brown eyes, might not work so well for blue).
I think these did the job pretty well.
These work perfectly well as cheap do-it-yourself-false eyelashes, or as a custom out-off-the-box type fashion look. Just swap the white for black paper and away you go.
These were inspired by this video tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgFM5-hTecY
I really wanted to achieve that slightly hypnotic, all-iris look that most aliens seem to have these days. However I did not have the resources or the gumption to wear all over alien contact lenses. Therefore I was forced to come up with a different way of altering my eyes.
These create the wide eyed, childish feel of those contact lenses by making the eye seem larger and the irises darker (I have brown eyes, might not work so well for blue).
I think these did the job pretty well.
These work perfectly well as cheap do-it-yourself-false eyelashes, or as a custom out-off-the-box type fashion look. Just swap the white for black paper and away you go.
These were inspired by this video tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgFM5-hTecY
Step 1: What You Need
Paper
- I used white printer paper. I haven't really tried anything else but I get the feeling that cheaper (thin) paper will be more comfortable to wear but will break easily and not hold a curve. Thicker paper with hold their shape and put up with a bit of battering, but won't be very comfortable. Experiment.
X-Acto Knife
- You can use scissors but you won't be able to do fine designs.
Pencil
Out of ink Biro (or any type of stylus line marker thing)
Eyelash glue
- I used white printer paper. I haven't really tried anything else but I get the feeling that cheaper (thin) paper will be more comfortable to wear but will break easily and not hold a curve. Thicker paper with hold their shape and put up with a bit of battering, but won't be very comfortable. Experiment.
X-Acto Knife
- You can use scissors but you won't be able to do fine designs.
Pencil
Out of ink Biro (or any type of stylus line marker thing)
Eyelash glue
Step 2: Measure Your Eyes
This is the most hit and miss part of the whole thing. Using a pencil or your thumb as a type of makeshift measuring device take a quick length of your eye. Use this to draw an arch on your selected paper. This doesn't have to be too accurate.
Cut it out and use a mirror to see how good your guessing skills are. (Ignore my funny face or use it as a model and create your own). I found that my arch was too deep so I cut is down by about a third. Rinse and repeat until you have a workable shape that feels like it could be comfortable.
It can still be a little rough because we will do final touches at the end.
Use this arch as a stencil to draw the same shape on a separate part of the paper because you have two eyes.
Cut it out and use a mirror to see how good your guessing skills are. (Ignore my funny face or use it as a model and create your own). I found that my arch was too deep so I cut is down by about a third. Rinse and repeat until you have a workable shape that feels like it could be comfortable.
It can still be a little rough because we will do final touches at the end.
Use this arch as a stencil to draw the same shape on a separate part of the paper because you have two eyes.
Step 3: Make Your Shape
Start by outlining the shape of your eyelashes. I chose a large fan shape as I wanted to create a wide eyed, childish look. However tapered, geometric, lightning bolt shaped (maybe) are all viable options.
Just be prepared to scale your your shape down as I found that I tended to drastically over estimate the size of my eyelids. It is probably an idea to create one "mock-up" eyelash to beta test everything and then make a good pair using an updated design.
Second step is to draw on the actual eyelashes. This isn't necessary if you just want straight lashes but something fancy like mine needs to be planned in advance.
I liked doing this in pencil (though you can do it via CAD I assume) because I can create a tracing of my design. Just turn the pencil lead side of the paper over onto the other bit of paper (lining up your arches) and then trace the design with an out of ink pen.
Ta-Da!
Just be prepared to scale your your shape down as I found that I tended to drastically over estimate the size of my eyelids. It is probably an idea to create one "mock-up" eyelash to beta test everything and then make a good pair using an updated design.
Second step is to draw on the actual eyelashes. This isn't necessary if you just want straight lashes but something fancy like mine needs to be planned in advance.
I liked doing this in pencil (though you can do it via CAD I assume) because I can create a tracing of my design. Just turn the pencil lead side of the paper over onto the other bit of paper (lining up your arches) and then trace the design with an out of ink pen.
Ta-Da!
Step 4: Cut Them Out
There are no really good photos of this step, mainly because my one-handed camera skills could do with some leveling up.
Essentially you take your X-Acto knife and cut around the outside of your eyelashes. Then cut vertical lines down to about 2mm before the edge of the arch.
Be careful not to join any two cut lines as this will cause chunks of lovely eyelash to fall out. If this does happen just use a little bit of sticky tape on the side that faces your eyelid to reattach the paper.
Essentially you take your X-Acto knife and cut around the outside of your eyelashes. Then cut vertical lines down to about 2mm before the edge of the arch.
Be careful not to join any two cut lines as this will cause chunks of lovely eyelash to fall out. If this does happen just use a little bit of sticky tape on the side that faces your eyelid to reattach the paper.
Step 5: Curl Them
This is both where the magic happens and where it can all come apart.
The eyelashes need to have a curve, like you naturally have, or else they stick weirdly out of your face or hit you in the eyebrows annoyingly.
To do this I simply used the cylindrical handle of my X-Acto knife as a base to curve the eyelashes around. Do this in sections. If the curve looks to big or small use larger or smaller cylinders to create different sizes. Something with a tapered edge will probably be the best.
The other thing to do is to create a ridge 2mm out from the bottom arch of the eyelash. This should be about the spot where the cuts you made to separate the individual lashes should have stopped. Do this by using your fingernail to create a dent and then bend it into a sort of ledge. Image will make it more obvious.
Again sorry for the iffy picture quality.
The eyelashes need to have a curve, like you naturally have, or else they stick weirdly out of your face or hit you in the eyebrows annoyingly.
To do this I simply used the cylindrical handle of my X-Acto knife as a base to curve the eyelashes around. Do this in sections. If the curve looks to big or small use larger or smaller cylinders to create different sizes. Something with a tapered edge will probably be the best.
The other thing to do is to create a ridge 2mm out from the bottom arch of the eyelash. This should be about the spot where the cuts you made to separate the individual lashes should have stopped. Do this by using your fingernail to create a dent and then bend it into a sort of ledge. Image will make it more obvious.
Again sorry for the iffy picture quality.
Step 6: Adjust Them
This is the easy step (or the hardest, depending). Apply eyelash glue along the edge and fix into place.
I would do a practice run first because wearing them will show up all the problems you didn't find at first. Just dab a little eyelash glue on the very ends and wear.
Typical ones are:
The ledge is too big and it feels like you have eyelash glued to half your eyelid. Fix this either by re-folding a smaller ledge or else cut a slither off.
Turns out your eyes are smaller than you thought. Probably best to cut a bit off the inner eye and then trim the lashes to get that even curve back.
The lashes get caught in your fringe. Either chop them down a bit, lengthwise, or curl them more aggressively.
And you are done! I won't tell you how to apply false lashes because there are a thousand people who can explain it better than me. I just make the things.
I would do a practice run first because wearing them will show up all the problems you didn't find at first. Just dab a little eyelash glue on the very ends and wear.
Typical ones are:
The ledge is too big and it feels like you have eyelash glued to half your eyelid. Fix this either by re-folding a smaller ledge or else cut a slither off.
Turns out your eyes are smaller than you thought. Probably best to cut a bit off the inner eye and then trim the lashes to get that even curve back.
The lashes get caught in your fringe. Either chop them down a bit, lengthwise, or curl them more aggressively.
And you are done! I won't tell you how to apply false lashes because there are a thousand people who can explain it better than me. I just make the things.
Step 7: Wear Them!
And you are done.
For extra huge eye-ness outline the entirety of your lower lash line (but not the water line please!) with sparkly glitter eyeliner as well as the inner corner.
They are actually pretty durable and, if you are careful, can be removed and reattached at least a couple of times. Probably an idea to make a couple in one go though, in case of breakages.
Slap on some alien make-up and your wig and you are ready to go!
For extra huge eye-ness outline the entirety of your lower lash line (but not the water line please!) with sparkly glitter eyeliner as well as the inner corner.
They are actually pretty durable and, if you are careful, can be removed and reattached at least a couple of times. Probably an idea to make a couple in one go though, in case of breakages.
Slap on some alien make-up and your wig and you are ready to go!