Suggestions for my tiger eyes...

I just can't seem to get the orange tiger eyes to look right, I like my rainbow tiger, but the orange one looks weird, what am I doing wrong? I think I need to add yellow to the center of the face too. It needs more dimension...Please any suggestions would be appreciated!

I like the splits for tigers like orange/yellow and copper/gold that should add enough dimension. I did make an orange rainbow cake specifically for tigers but I also use it for butterflies that has red/orange/golden orange/yellow and it looks really cool but I'm like metallics for tigers so I'm going to get a metallic orange/yellow 50gm split next time.

The only suggestion I'd make is make the little flicks at the white to make it look like fur and then white under the chin instead of all orange. And then I'd make the stripes more dramatic and less of them.

I love your teal rainbow cake...very pretty.

This is the one with the tiger cake described above: (missing some stripes, yikes!)


Here's the one with the copper & gold:


Here's a two-tone green one:

I use Ocher yellow from snaz and blend it into the orange, usually use snaz sparkle orange or paradise orange, but I make my orange tigers with ears. I do my rainbow tiger with a fore head like yours. Here is mine.

I personally prefer the pearl/metallic tigers. I'd suggest adding dots and focusing on the flow of the lines around the eyes. You want it to feel like everything is heading towards the corner of the eyes.

I sponge the white areas 1st & then (mostly using pearl/metallic colors) double or triple load a sponge.
Example would be: yellow/orange/copper
I also like to paint white down the forehead & down the nose & then fan out the colors on either side.
Here's some pics of different types of tigers I do:

Hi...That is a nice tiger..I think to improve it .I would make it yellow and then sponge orange highlights on the forehead and cheek..dont run the white up the nose...highlight the nose with a swish of orange and your good to go.

Wow, I'm overwhelmed with all the great advice! Looks like I need to invest in some metallic/pearl colors, and practice alot! Great photos everyone! @ psalmbook, I really love the pink/purple one and the metallic orange & yellow one, cute kids! I agree that I put too many stripes and I have to focus on directing the lines to the eyes. I just tried another one, but it was before I read all the advise, but it turned out better just by adding more yellow and not as many stripes.

whobwhate... I actually really like the shape of your tiger. It looks really clean. I think you're right. All you need is to add some yellow. The only thing I would say is that you don't really need the stripes on the chin. It looks cleaner without them. Also... your linework is nice and clean, but I would try using a bigger brush. I use a number 7 so that I can start VERY VERY thin... get quite thick... then back to thin again. I can see you are doing that, but an even more dramatic contrast would look really nice.
Metalic colors are pretty. I tried a metalic tiger (using a "brilliant bring" rainbow cake from Silly Farm), but I actually went back to bright yellow and orange. I think it pops more next to the black. I just recently watched a Mark Reid tutorial, and his tigers are actually kinda a-symetrical when he does them on women. A little more "artsy" like wmevents from above. One cool trick he showed was to actually start the tiger stripes up in the hairline. It looks like the tiger stripes are actually part of the person. I haven't tried it yet, but his looked amazing. here are my two tigers. One in orange.. and one in a copper cake. (I use this for Cheetahs)



I've changed the shape of my tigers. This is a more recent one.

My personal suggestion would be to simply not extend the eye whites so far beyond the eyes...I tend to go just above the outside of the natural eye, gives it some definition on it's on...I don't have any recent cat pics...but this leopard one will iyou the idea I think..


I do use the full face and forehead and do the same shape for the eyes on my tigers. Hope this helps.

Just found a more recent tiger on a child who just turned 4,her first full face ever! She was cute, but wouldn't smile for pictures! LOL Sorry for the foggy screen, I keep putting my fingerprints on my phone camera lense.

On an older child, I do get closer and line the eyes, makes a HUGE difference. It's hard to see but these were done with copper and dark gold colours and yellow. Looked nice in real life, I'll use those colours more often.

That's super cute gamezgirl!

Kat, I like that last tiger's eyes. I noticed Mark Reid was doing that with his white also...more like a real tiger...just on the scowl muscles in the eyebrows...if that makes sense. Like Gamezgirl's only a little higher.

LOVE tigers!

D.

One thing I noticed is that the line width is varied more on the rainbow one. I like to see a big variation on the width of the tiger stripes (very thin to fairly thick.)

@ kat, I think you're right, a bigger brush would be best, yours are all beautiful! Love how you do the eyes! And also how you don't paint the chin, I always feel though if they are paying for a full face that they will want the "whole" face done, I do think I will try it your way next time, thanks for the advise!

@ gamezgirl, I think that is great advise about the eyes, that is what I was most unhappy about. Nice leapard and love that last tiger too! And the girl with the mask is beautiful! What color did you use on her?

I also like to blend the white into the surrounding color more(it makes the eye area not look so drastic). I use the back of the sponge for the blending.

whobwhate wrote:@ gamezgirl, I think that is great advise about the eyes, that is what I was most unhappy about. Nice leapard and love that last tiger too! And the girl with the mask is beautiful! What color did you use on her?

Awww thank you. The girl in blue is my daughter. She actually hated that design, and it wasn't what I was aiming for, but she carries it well so it's all good in the end The colours were from the Kryolan pallet that I have, it is huge, used to belong to a vendor so I have no idea what colours they are, sorry. And the leopard is one of my faves, I can pull that one out and use it in my 2-3 minute design board when things are crazy and most parents are wowed.

The reason I stopped going onto the chin is a. it looks tidier and more professional in my opinion, and b: what is the first part to get ruined when a child eats/drinks/sneezes etc? The mouth and chin. I hate to see a smeared off horrible looking face walking around advertising for me, this way, when they eat, there is minimal damage, and the face still shows well after eating. Most parents appreciate the fact that they still look great even with a small smudge on the lips...but at least half the face they paid for isn't a huge mess. (Only had one parent complain so far ever, and she didn't tell me, I heard about it later from a friend.
Thanks for the compliments.

That makes alot of sense. You've converted me! It really is about making the parents happy too, cuz they're the ones with the $$$!

I've been playing around with different colors lately. I'm still not 100% happy, yet.

Here is my typical rainbow for parties(Juicy Fruit)

Here is one I did inspired by Mark Reid. The colors are Kryolan yellow and orange Still not sure about the forehead stripes

Here is another Mark Reid inspired on myself. The blue rainbow glitter photos bad and makes the teal look yucky, but it's much better in person.

Wow! Those are awesome! I really like how you did the muzzle on the last one and I love the colors on your rainbow tiger! Thanks!

Wow CottonCandy...love the pink tiger! You did it justice.

Linda, I love the way you do the rainbow tiger. I think it's less "intense" if you know what I mean. It's like a big butterfly and I think that's why it's flattering.

D.

Denise, Thank You! I started doing this tiger on a speedy job where I had to whip out the faces It's basically a white stripe down the middle(sometimes I use silver) & a giant butterfly on each side. I mix up the colors using different Prismacakes or custom made rainbow cakes.

I loved Mark Reid's video on fabatv too Cottoncandy. And... once again... YOU are so beautiful!! I wasn't covinced about the line he does under the eye to outline the glitter but it looks really cute on you. I love the black eyelid in your last one too. Definitely going to try the new muzzle. I've been doing it his "old way". lol. I want to get my paints out so bad!! Anyone want to come babysit my 8 mo. old twins and 2 year old for me?

Kat's FacesForFun wrote:I loved Mark Reid's video on fabatv too Cottoncandy. And... once again... YOU are so beautiful!! I wasn't covinced about the line he does under the eye to outline the glitter but it looks really cute on you. I love the black eyelid in your last one too. Definitely going to try the new muzzle. I've been doing it his "old way". lol. I want to get my paints out so bad!! Anyone want to come babysit my 8 mo. old twins and 2 year old for me?

Aww! Thank you so much

I love the new muzzle, but the few times I've tried it, I forgot to reload my brush for a finer point. I usually can whip out a tiger without having to reload my brush, but not with that little extra that it takes for the muzzle. I've got to retrain myself all over again!

Just ordered my tag split cake with pearl orange and pearl yellow and got the pearl white too, can't wait to try another tiger! I have learned so much!