Swirly Eye - constructive criticism please

I don't normally do super fast one-stroke eye designs that are swirlz and curlz. I'll get butterflies, tiger eyes, flowers, rainbows...but not usually the plain swirlz and curlz.

I did these for an event earlier today and while reviewing the photos I'm not thrilled.

Some advice for moving forward (and please no commenting on color choices. The girls picked the one-stroke cake and I'm a firm believer in going along with whatever colors float the kids boats).

I loove swirls but I am still practicing like you do. Yours look good as is!
When in doubt add more glitter certainly works with swirly designs, and I find mine look fuller with outlining in another colour. And for girls I sometimes add small flowers.

Looks lovely! I think your swirls look great...something I need to work on more!!

Liquid bling maybe

i was always told, when i worked for eyf to make it look like your swirls would continue swirling. instead if you extended the end of the swirl it would go through the straight line leading to the swirl.

on another note, its simple and pretty i love the colors.

I think they are cute. I like the dots on the outside of the swirls better than on them. You could try making the dots bigger to smaller for some variety, or do them black as well and just do the starbursts white.

Looks awesome to me!

They are good...but you're right, they aren't great. There are two things that I noticed that might help. It seems that you are starting your one-stroke base at the top and coming into the eye, it made for a blunt edge at the top. On the blue and green one (the best one IMHO) you seemed to have started at the eye and come out, turned your brush and ended in nice whisps (like the end of leaves.) That's what I usually shoot for and that's where I start my teardrops...at the point of the whisp or they leave a nice finish if you are doing swirls.

Since my one stroke is still loaded, I take another "c" stroke starting under the first one and go down around the cheek bone (or some scallops.) If you look at your blue and green one, the bottom swirl is perfect. It comes OUT first and makes a nice swirl so it's nice and round. The other swirls you are trying to hard to come around the brow so they look flat and forced...better to come out wide and make an "s" shape or make a circle swirl and add another curl onto that to keep the rounded shape (see the photos below.)

I some pictures (because it's so much easier) with the two bases and some swirl ideas but my teardrops kind of stink because it's on a slick surface (and my teardrops just stink!) Also, notice how I combined the eye coverage the first swirl. This is one of the reasons I like those angled shader brushes, they fit really well in the eye socket and then I can get a good sharp point up at the top. So I'll cover the eye (you probably have to go over twice to paint out the wrinkles) and then I swoop up around the outside of the brow bone...

Combining the makeup with the first swoop:


Tucking some scallops under the swoop and then twisting a whispy down:


Design option:


I guess it's not even a "c" ...more of a half leaf, I use this a lot:


Here's the big "s" curve...head out and then come back and reverse...THEN add the second curl coming off the first large one:


Just adding some teardrops:


This one is a tight curl first...then adding the top curl going the opposite direction:

Denise, if you don't mind me asking- did you draw your template yourself or is there somewhere you can download it from? I think something similar would be great to help me practice my swirls and teardrops as I find It difficult to practice them on my own face

I got it from Marcela's class. I could probably scan it later but I'm going to be out all week this week. There is a thread with some cool "printable faces" that are actually flesh colored that would be nice because you can see the white swirls better. Maybe someone could help her find the thread? If I grin really big??

Thank you Denise! I was looking at them saying "Something is not right..."

I like the scalloped idea half leaf.

And Nicola - after I get my baby down I'll go looking for you. I like to practice on wax paper (ala a Rebecca of ABC trick). You print out one copy (on regular paper) of a template. Then you cover with wax paper and practice.

Thanks Denise

Tamariel, I would really appreciate that ! Thanks!

Here is the template that A Face Painting Mom shared with me....hope it helps!

Perfect, thanks Erica!

That'll will save you looking through threads Tamariel, thanks anyway!

x

Denise!! You rock! I know that I have personally learned so much from you, I can't thank you enough!