Paper Mache Eye - Take 2, part 2

 So, the next steps of this paper mache eye are complete.  I'm finally at the 'painting the backing' stage.  But, I'm getting ahead of myself.  Here is the photo documentation of these stages of the paper mache eye.

So, I last left off with many, many stages of white tissue paper sclera over the retina.  However, those layers were covering up the initial vessels made of thread.  So, I added another layer of those onto the sclera alone.  I tried to match the side profiles together as well. 









Here you can see how opaque the tissue paper looks while it has the glue mixture on it.  Because the paste I am using has a high component of Elmer's Glue in it, it adds to the whiteness of the look while it is wet.  It dries clear though.

Hence the vessels looking very prominent once that layer is dry.  I decided to add one more layer on top of this one, as the vessels are just a tad too red for me.

So, the eye in natural light.  I think that I am done with the paper mache part at this point.  The tissue paper sclera is at a very nice thickness, and the iris smallish, but okay.  Time to remove the armature.  Because the eye needs to have the light inside of it and sit on a different backing, it also needs to be able to stand on it's own, without the balloon inside.  Here's hoping the lotion is enough to keep the paper mache and the armature from actually sticking together.

Yay!  I sliced through the edges of the paper mache all along the base about a quarter of an inch in.  And then I cut small vents up to the corners, so the base could be removed, but the paper mache could be glued back onto a new base.  I then cut a small hole hole on the cardboard to better be able to maneuver the base out.  It took a little bit of doing, but I was able to carefully separate the armature from paper mache.

The armature itself deflated when I started to cut into the base.  But, using just the space heater method, it didn't actually deflate the balloon until the very end.

I cut a small pupil into the iris.  This is the thickness of the paper mache at the iris. 

Aaand, a paper mache eye!  One with a retina, non-visual retina, sclera, vessels, iris, and pupil.  I haven't worked out how to do a cornea yet, but that's next on the list.

This is what the paper mache eye looks like with the light inside of it.  I'm pretty excited, all told.  It's really starting to come together.  And the many layers of tissue paper for the sclera are much better than the single thick layer of white that doesn't show as much light through it.  I even like how the non-visual retina doesn't have as much light showing through.  All in all, it's starting to wrap up.







Unfortunately, or fortunately if you think of it in another way, I may have to do this eye over a third time.  As you can see in the last pictures, the eye itself bulges out over the sides of the 4" tile backing. It's not really supposed to do that.  Whoops?  So I may go ahead and make a third eye, made to the absolute correct dimensions.  And it would give me a chance to change the size of the iris as well.  That is one part that I think I would redo if I had the chance.  And who says I don't?  So, once more into the breach.  Nope, with a lack of time, I'm going with this one.  Life catches up with you.  I hope it all works out!