In search of the Perfect Eye-The Next Step

When I started making dolls, I just used beads for eyes. Eventually beads weren't good enough. My husband MJ brought me some cast off resin eyes that they sometimes use in "background heads." They might not have been right for film, but they were perfect match for my style of working.

I love these eyes in my pieces, but they are time consuming and expensive to make. I haven't wanted to give them up, but I found VanDykes Taxidermy www.vandykestaxidermy.com/catagory/1
Their prices for glass eyes are much less expensive than the resin ones. I was worried that I would have to choose from a set color list, but they offer clear glass eyes with just a pupil.

I'm thrilled that I can still have custom color eyes. One nasty problem with the resin was that the pigments would sometimes react over time and change the iris color. I'm not going to have that problem with glass.

My favorite part of the planning process has to be the color matching. These material swatches and eyes became this little green bunny Dunwich for LibraGear
It will be nice to choose colors and not have to try and anticipate what the resin may or may not do six months down the road.

So now I am again at a crossroads in my work. The glass eyes that I am beginning to use now will still have a hand done quality and be more durable. But in some ways, I'm going to miss my resin eyes.