Painting eye's

[oleo40]

How do we do it? I have been using a finishing nail but at least half come out "non-round" Anyone have any secrets? I fish a lot without but do think it helps. Ole

 

[LedHed]

There are some eye artists here that can help. I quit trying - we use 3D eyes. Getting all mine from Sam now....

 

[QPassage]

I've painted a few and the hardest part I found was keeping them consistent. I had my best luck putting paint on corrugated cardboard, cutting a q tip and using the straw part of the q tip. I found that dipping the q tip in the paint then daubing it once on a clean area of the card board gave me the best results. I also would use a paint pen stick for duel colors on the bottom layer. You can also find the fine point paint pens that work great if you have a steady hand.

 

[midnight]

Take a look at making eyes out of Tulip Paint. Pup posted information a while back I think it works very well, probably not for the commercial tier. Use Search and put in Tulip Paint.
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/midnight508/Eyes/P1010007_zps0bf9fab9.jpg

http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e258/midnight508/Eyes/P1010006_zps8a0a4ffd.jpg

 

[plateboater]

I am with led.......If I do I use metal paint sticks used in fab steel shops. I purchase thru Fastenall. The work good and they have mulitple colors along with thin and a wide pen

 

[Pup]

Thanks for mentioning the Tulip Fabric Paint - Midnight.

Here's a link to the thread that contains some discussion with a link to a good article:

Tulip Fabric Paint Eyes

BTW, once made, a fabric paint eye can be affixed to most any suitable jig just by 'sticking' it on and then applying a clear topcoat to the entire jig head. What I like most about them is that a jig head doesn't have to be recessed. This eye will form and stick onto most any jig.

One of their limitations, to me, is that I find very small eyes to be difficult to make with round, well-formed pupils. My very best results are suited for 1/8-ounce jig heads and larger.

 

[oleo40]

Thanks everyone, will have to try those Tulip Eye's--Tks Pup I work with 1/8 to 1/2oz jigs [Walleye jigs] and those eye's should work fine. Ole

 

[Youth Fisher]

If you powder paint your jigs and use a toaster oven this could be a option for you. Before you cure your jigs in the oven. I get two pieces of wood trim roughly 16 inches long and 2 inches wide. I lay my jigs flat and once you put them (jigs) on there I put the other piece on top of the jigs. After that I fasten it with 2 C clamps on ether end. But with bigger jigs I wish 3 for the ends and middle. After they are in the wood tightly I use a permeant maker for my eyes. After you do that you cure your jigs in the toaster oven and it should be fine. I tried these with only 1/64 and 1/32.

 

[AtticaFish]

I actually use powder paint to make the majority of my eyes with different sized stencils. It takes some work and lots of trial/error before i got them to be fairly consistent.

 

[hookup]

I don't do eyes on jigs, fish don't care.