Alright, I know that we already have an INCREDIBLY helpful costume thread, but something that I don't often see discussed is how to make a decent looking eye lens. I have seen numerous AWESOME frame castings, but what do we know about the lens themselves? I know that in the first movie they were made by Oakley. Other than that I've heard a ton of different and conflicting information as to how to make really great looking lens. I've heard that they're lined with "screen-door" mesh painted silver, panty-hose fabric glued underneath tinted plastic, silver reflective plastic film, custom trimmed sunglass lenses, one way glass, aluminum foil, and a whole host of other things. The problem is that there are really not very many close shots of the lens on the "Intar-Webs" leaving the construction up to our imaginations. I have seen some REALLY nice lens on the costume board, but they're usually either "made by a friend" or a "secret" process. I think that the "eyes" are one of the most striking features of the entire costume and one of the hardest to get right. The eyes are the very first thing that a viewer is drawn to look at (well, hopefully 
) and I think that they can "make or break" the entire costume more than any other feature. I'm sure that we've all seen some of those suits on eBay with the cheesy looking silver foil lens. IMO they make a costume that COULD have looked half decent, kind of junky. As much as we've all debated fabric patterns and webbing edge beveling and silk-screen vs dye sublimation here, I'm surprised by the relatively sparse amount of information about the lens. It's either because no one really knows how to do it "right" or because those that DO know are being very secretive. There have been a few people that claimed to have seen or even own screen used lens, but I've never really seen any close up photo's or a decent description of how someone could go about making a relatively decent looking set (while granting the fact that most of us can't cast our own polycarbonate lens, or blow glass 
). This is a pic of a screen used mask that is missing its "eyes" and I really think that it's missing it's soul. I would rather own a great replica mask with kick-ass lens, then a screen-used mask with no lens.
So this thread is to discuss different lens techniques (both "movie accurate" AND techniques that simply "look good"). I'll start it off by telling that I've recently "spoken" with the owner of one of the authentic masks from Spider-Man 3. He told me that as near as he can tell, there is some sort of fine mesh on the inside, but he really couldn't see anything else. I asked him if there was any sort of clear, glasslike covering over the mesh to make it look like a polished lens, but he said "no" he couldn't see anything (which seems odd to me). I guess untill one of us actually gets our hands on a genuine frame/lens combo, we'll just have to guess. So what do you say Gents? What works well for you?
"Spidey with no eyes makes the baby Jesus cry."
) and I think that they can "make or break" the entire costume more than any other feature. I'm sure that we've all seen some of those suits on eBay with the cheesy looking silver foil lens. IMO they make a costume that COULD have looked half decent, kind of junky. As much as we've all debated fabric patterns and webbing edge beveling and silk-screen vs dye sublimation here, I'm surprised by the relatively sparse amount of information about the lens. It's either because no one really knows how to do it "right" or because those that DO know are being very secretive. There have been a few people that claimed to have seen or even own screen used lens, but I've never really seen any close up photo's or a decent description of how someone could go about making a relatively decent looking set (while granting the fact that most of us can't cast our own polycarbonate lens, or blow glass ). This is a pic of a screen used mask that is missing its "eyes" and I really think that it's missing it's soul. I would rather own a great replica mask with kick-ass lens, then a screen-used mask with no lens.So this thread is to discuss different lens techniques (both "movie accurate" AND techniques that simply "look good"). I'll start it off by telling that I've recently "spoken" with the owner of one of the authentic masks from Spider-Man 3. He told me that as near as he can tell, there is some sort of fine mesh on the inside, but he really couldn't see anything else. I asked him if there was any sort of clear, glasslike covering over the mesh to make it look like a polished lens, but he said "no" he couldn't see anything (which seems odd to me). I guess untill one of us actually gets our hands on a genuine frame/lens combo, we'll just have to guess. So what do you say Gents? What works well for you?
"Spidey with no eyes makes the baby Jesus cry."
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I don't even know how you sleep at night. If I were you I would just stay up ALL night long, playing with all of my cool stuff and trying to eat ice-cream while wearing that mask! 
