In this tutorial you will learn how to give realism to the eyes of your monochrome illustrations, especially manga, using Clip Studio Paint Ex.

Line-art

I will start with this line art.

Tips for drawing eyes in different styles:

Work order

I will work the eye parts in the next order:

 

-Iris

-Sclera (Eyeball)

-Eyelid and Eyebrow

-Details

-Highlights

Iris

Select the [Auto select] tool and then select the [Sub tool] palette → [Auto select] → [Refer to all layers] and click on the Iris.

 

Click [New Tone] in the [Selection Launcher]

 

Set the frequency and density as shown below and click OK.

Number of lines (Frecuency) 60

Density 60%

Circle

 

I used this setting to represent a dark blue color.

Sclera (Eyeball)

Tip

To select the area of the sclera that we want to add the tone, I have chosen the [Marquee] tool, [Selection pen] - [Erase selection] on the [Sub tool] palette. I find this tool easier and faster to use, because you can adjust the selection precisely. An alternative method is to use a quick mask.

 

 

The tone used is for shading and adding a sphere look.

 

Let me show you in the next image the area selected an the tone.

You can edit the selected area as you like.

 

Number of lines (Frecuency) 40

Density 10%

Circle

 

 

It should look like this:

Select the decoration tool, in the pattern sub tool palette, choose to scratch pattern.

Use this tool to blur the outline.

Eyelid and Eyebrow

For this selection you can choose the auto selection tool if the edges are closed or the selection pen sub tool if you want more precision.

 

Number of lines (Frecuency) 40

Density 30%

Circle

Details with the airbrush

For the iris details it is convenient to create a new raster layer.

 

Then select the [Airbrush] tool and then select the [Sub tool] palette → [Spray]

These are the settings used, the size of the brush should be adjusted to the appropriate size of your illustration

Using the black color, apply it from the outer edge of the iris to the pupil, covering approximately one third (you can adjust it).

What we want is for it to be blurred over the background tone.

 

Paint the areas near the edge of the iris that have not been colored with the pen.

Shading finished.

It only remains to add the highlights.

Highlights

For highlights I applied white with the G-pen at 100% opacity.

 

Creating a new raster layer for this step will make it easier for you to edit it if you want, without affecting the other layers.

 

You always have to consider the direction of the light.

The glitter on the right is a bit oval or ellipse-shaped.

There is a small linear flash in the pupil, but as you continue to the left it is triangular.

 

If you want you can add a little shine in the lacrimal area.

 

You can change the shape and position of the highlights. You can find references in manga, magazines, etc. and of course seeing your own eyes in a mirror

Completed work and final words

This is the end result as shown in the first illustration.

I hope you liked it, particularly I hope you found it useful and can apply it to your own manga illustrations in the future. Thanks so much for reading.