i have tried to get the eyes not to gap as they dry but no luck do you just fill in with clay and paint over? usually it ends up a 16th inch any hints?
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You have to make sure your eye lids are turned all the way, and remove tll the fat in that eyelid. Also make sure that the hide around the eye is shaved thin to prevent shriking. While the mount is drying, keep working on those eyes, and push them back up against the eye.
this may be a dumb question, but are you doing any epoxy work after drying?
haven't tried that how do you do it?
Fill in the cracks with Majic Scaulp or Apoxi Scaulp then paint. Filling the cracks only takes a few minutes. I don't mess with my eyes while the mount is drying because I don't use clay around the eyes, which tends to shrink and move a little. I cut the inner eye skin away to the edge of the eye lids, shave very thin, then glue the eyes in place. I place a small pin in each corner and then finish with Magic Scaulp.
you dont use clay around the eyes? what do you rebuild the muscles with? your post makes it look like you dont rebuild anything...but just glue it to the manniken.
surely not.
I use Majic Scaulp (I've used Apoxi Scaulp and it works about he same) around the eyes to build it back up and let it harden before I put the cape on and glue. I drill a couple tinny holes in the corners for the two pins and if the eye sags I add a third pin to the upper eyelid near the front corner.
Thin eye,use dextrin hide past around eyes;set eyes,than work the shape you want with a wet Q tip.leaves no harsh markes and eyes dry with little apoxi work;see Joe Meders video.