Tutorial: Simple Glitter Doll Eyes

Simple glitter eyes, like the ones on Zombuki Ormolu (above), are really easy to do and they look super pretty! They have glitter on the outside of them, but it’s sealed so that glitter doesn’t go everywhere. Check out the steps below to see how you can do it yourself! You can click the step-by-step photos if you want to view them in more detail and the instructions for the step will still be beneath them in the caption.

Step 1: The first step is to gather together all of the supplies. You should pre-paint the eye chips of your choice in a base color that matches the glitter. You can either buy and paint chips or you can paint the chips already in the eye mech. You’ll need a mixing surface with plastic over it (bottom left), a toothpick, the glitter of your choice, and Sparkle Glaze by Delta Ceramcoat. This brand of glaze is perfect because it 1) has glitter in it and 2) seals the glitter while still leaving it sparkly.

Step 2: Next you’re going to put some glaze and glitter next to each other on the mixing surface. The plastic is important because the glaze mix becomes really hard to clean up as it dries and with plastic you can just toss it. I used a sandwich bag for this run through. You’ll want about twice as much glitter as glaze (I actually put too much glitter down here, lol). You can add more as you go along, of course, but the 2:1 ratio is about right.

Step 3: Fold the glitter and glaze together – the goal for consistency is like a smooth paste, as much glitter as the glaze can hold before it gets chunky. Remember, the milky parts of the glaze will dry clear, so there needs to be a good amount of glitter mixed in. The mixture shouldn’t be runny at all, it should be really thick, just before the point of being gritty.

Step 4: Use your mixing toothpick to apply the glitter mix to the eye. You should start with a small blob near the center and use the toothpick to push it out toward the edge of the eye. It’s important that the thickness of the glitter is uniform all the way around the surface of the eye. It takes some patience, but you can use the side of the toothpick to gently flatten out any roughness in the mixture as you spread it over the eye. It’s important to use a light touch for this step.

Step 5: Keep applying small amounts of glitter mix until the whole surface of the eye is completely, but evenly, coated. You shouldn’t be able to see any of the paint peeking though and the glitter should have an even texture. Any stray pieces of glitter that drift over the edge can be cleaned off with the clean side of your toothpick.

Step 6: Repeat for the second eye. The glaze doesn’t take too long to start drying so by the time you finish your second eye the first will start losing some of the milky look as the glaze turns clear. Before it’s completely dry you can use the toothpick to gently push down and lumps of glitter that have snuck in, but once it’s dry it will be solid, so make sure the surface is even before you clean up your work space.

After that just give it some time to dry before putting the eye mech back in the doll, a couple of hours at the most. Then just take a photo and send it to me! :D I really hope this tutorial is helpful and, really, if you end up using it I would love to see a photo! Also, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments.

~ Brigitte