Monday, November 12, 2018

My New Eyes!

Thanks to a handy tip off the other day in the comment section, I followed a link to Amazon and acquired a nifty pair of new eyes for £19.99. I have to say they are really good and have made the world of difference to my painting. I can actually see belts and straps now where before, even with my painting glasses, things were getting difficult to see.

They come with about five different lenses of varying strength and a very handy head torch built in which does actually make a big difference. The benefit I have noticed over painting under the magnifying lamp thingy is that your brush is a lot freer and doesn't keep bashing into the lamp. It's very early days at the moment but the difference is huge, my eyes have been opened so to speak.

Since making my purchase I have noticed other brands on Amazon going for much less, always the way.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01AL2YAQ6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

"More machine now than man, twisted and evil..."

9 comments:

Phil Curran said...

Well done. Invaluable aren't they.

tim said...

I will have to look into these. Less than a year ago I had to get prescription reading glasses because I was having a hard time seeing minis I was trying to paint, but I feel like I'm having a hard time seeing them again!? This getting old business in bull shit.

Secundus said...

Oh Tim ha ha , you have got to try these things they will change your painting life. It's the real difference between seeing detail and not. The light really helps as well and makes things even more clear. They have batteries in the front which does weigh a bit on your nose but not enough to really matter, however I can now see the detail I was missing.

Do check out other prices on there because I did see them a lot cheaper. I just found them read a few reviews and pressed buy. I think all of those different makes are all basically the same.

Thanks again Phil, I am enjoying painting again!

Secundus said...

I almost forgot to say I 'm really looking forward to trying these on my 15mm sci-fi stuff!

DeanM said...

The Eyes have it! I've been using reading glass to paint for some time now - those and a good light are invaluable.

Broeders said...

I run an opticians on Merseyside. Tim I'd recommend that you get your eyes tested again and also tell the optom what your working distance is for painting. Normally optoms will give you a reading prescription based on arms' length (i.e. where you'd hold a book or newspaper).We tend to paint much closer to the face, and so a higher addition is required. So if you have a +2.00 prescription for reading, you'll need a + 2.50 or +2.75 addition for painting.

Also note that usually we have a different prescription in each eye, so magnifiers like Secundus is using are OK but some people find the clarity is not as good as the standard magnification (e.g. +2.00) may not suit either eye and also does not account for astigmatism (which most of us have in some form or another)- which can cause eye strain and headaches.

So a prescription like +0.75 -0.50 140 +2.00 and +1.00 -0.75 25 +2.00 means that your reading prescription is +2.75 -0.50 140 and +3.00 -0.75 25 so +2.50 mag or +3.00 mag lenses are not quite right. A good pair of reading specs in the correct prescription and with an angle light over the working area is much better - especially if the lens has an anti-glare coating,


tim said...

Thanks Phil! When I initially went in to get the glasses I did explain the optometrist that it was seeing things while painting miniatures I was having trouble with - and I think she did take that into consideration at the time, because when I first got the glasses it was mind-blowing how much better I could see the miniatures! I think it's just that my eyes have changed - again - in less than a year. My insurance only covers annual visits to the optometrist and a minimal amount for glasses every other year... I thought these magnifiers, in conjunction with the reading glasses (which still work WAY better than trying to see things with the naked eye - or with the cheap reading glasses I'd picked up before) until I can go again without having to pay out of pocket...?

Ray Rousell said...

Hmm? I may have to invest in a pair of these.

Secundus said...

Hi Phil that's useful information, I have 1.75 glasses at the moment but they are not letting me see the detail. I will look into something stronger.