How to make a simple Crystal Clear Eye/Iris

Steps: 7 Steps

Step 1 - Preparation

Create a new image 100x100px or 256x256 with a transparent background

Choose two colors for your eyes. They will most likely be the same hue, the only difference being the lightness. Make your Foreground Color your darker one and your Background Color your lighter. For this tutorial, I will use color Hex #FFB40 for my lighter color and color Hex #865F00 as my darker.

Fill ( Edit > Fill ) the background layer with white ( Hex #FFFFFF ).

Step 2 - First Layer of Color



Using the Rectangular Marquee Tool, make a rectangular selection and Fill ( Edit > Fill ) it in with your darker color. Refer to the image.

Invert the colors ( Image > Adjustments > Invert or press Ctrl-I ).

Apply the Wind filter ( Filter > Stylize > Wind ) with the following settings:

Method: Wind
Direction: From the Left

Repeat this filter three times. Do this by pressing Ctrl-F three times.

Invert the colors ( Image > Adjustments > Invert or press Ctrl-I ).

Step 3 - Second Layer of Color



Make a new layer. Activate the new layer on the Layer Palette and make a new selection slightly to the right of where you last selected. Fill ( Edit > Fill ) it in with your lighter color. Refer to the image.

Apply a Gaussian Blur ( Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur ) with a strength of 4.5.

Merge all visible layers ( Layer > Merge Visible ).

Invert the colors ( Image > Adjustments > Invert or press Ctrl-I ).

Apply the Wind filter ( Filter > Stylize > Wind ) with the following settings:

Method: Wind
Direction: From the Left

Once again, Invert the colors ( Image > Adjustments > Invert or press Ctrl-I ).

Step 4 - Blending the Two Layers



Apply a Motion Blur ( Blur > Motion Blur ) with the following settings:

Strength: 30
Angle: 0

Rotate the canvas 90 degrees counter-clockwise ( Image > Rotate Canvas > 90 degrees CCW ).

Copy the whole image by Selecting All ( Select > All ) and copying.

Leave this image alone for now.

Step 5 - Adding the Pupil and Eye-White

Create a new image 200x200px with a transparent background.



Paste two of your previously copied images. Arrange them like the image and merge all visible layers ( Layer > Merge Visible ).



Create a new layer and move it, on the Layer Palette, below the layer with the pasted images. Activate the new layer on the Layer Palette.

Fill ( Edit > Fill ) the upper half of the new layer black ( Hex #000000 ) and the lower half white ( Hex #FFFFFF ).

Step 6 - Blending the Transitions



Activate the layer with the pasted images on the Layer Palette. Make a selection like the image.

TIP: It is easy to make more than one selection.

1. Make your first selection.
2. While pressing shift, make your next selection.
3. Repeat step two as many times as you need.



Apply a Gaussian Blur ( Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur ) to the selection with a strength of 2. Merge all visible layers ( Layer > Merge Visible ).



Use the Polar Coordinates Filter ( [color=#80FFFFFilter -> Distort -> Polar Coordinates[/color ) and choose Rectangular to Polar.

Your iris is complete!

Step 7 - Optional: Adding a Reflection



Using the Elliptical Marquee Tool, create a perfectly circular selection following the reference.

TIP: To create a perfectly circular selection, press shift while making the selection.



Using the Rectangular Marquee Tool, deselect half of the circular selection.

TIP: To deselect portions of existing selections, take any selection tool and press alt while starting a new selection. The area this new selection encompasses will be removed from the existing selection.



Reset the Color Palette ( Press D ). Make a new layer and activate it on the Layer Palette. With the Gradient Tool set to linear from black to white, make a gradient in the selection. The white end of the gradient should be at the top of the selection.

Change the Blending Mode of the new layer to screen.



You are done! Don't stop here though. Try different color combinations out and such. Also, now that you have seen one interesting way the Polar Coordinates filter works, experiment with it! You will quickly see how interesting the results it produces can be!

Of course you should make it smaller to fit in the imvu eye, unless you want giant anime eyes lol.

Daaaamn thank you a bunch, never know how eyes were made Gonna try it out straight away! You explained it very well by the way

You're very welcome

This is just basic tho, I would advise you to try many things with your newly learned technique

Oh be sure of that I will play around with what I learned from you

Thank you NekaLion....another great tutorial to follow to learn making eyes!

The image host I used is going to be shutting down Sooo If you wanna keep these you might wanna copy them or something. I don't think the pics will be valid when they do. Back to photobucket for any upcoming Tuts I suppose.


I think I fixed it but my eyes hurt if theres a mistake please tell me and I'll fix it...

Although making eyes is not my forte I do find that your tutorial was very informative..perhaps I may one day try to do eyes but atm I am trying to perfect clothing ...smiles

All of these years and I've never tried the Polar Coordinates Filter ... shaking my head at self.

So many uses for that simple application now that I'm aware of it being there.

Thank you so much for taking the time to put up these tutorials. Having the process with included images lends the feeling that even someone new to photoshop can achieve some success.

I'd like to see what some of the readers here have done with techniques learned through these forums.

Its an interesting technique, you're welcome. Ty for the karma. \o/

i'm actualy working on making photoshop aactions out of your tutorials