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So I've worn glasses all my life and been able to see models for painting fine until lately.

I understand that past a certain age that starts with 4 and ends in a zero eyes become more rigid and have trouble focusing on small things.

What are people doing? Would just slipping a pair of reading glasses over my normal ones work?

Do you need an update to your prescription, maybe? Bi-focals may be another option.

A friend of mine has a magnifying glass on a stand that he swears by.

I thought this thread was looking for tips on how to paint the eyes on old people, and I was like, “hmm. What would that look like?”

 Kid_Kyoto wrote:
So I've worn glasses all my life and been able to see models for painting fine until lately.

I understand that past a certain age that starts with 4 and ends in a zero eyes become more rigid and have trouble focusing on small things.

What are people doing? Would just slipping a pair of reading glasses over my normal ones work?

I solved my issue with reading glasses of a higher strength. Worked like a charm and I was able to get them cheap at the drug store and test out how strong worked best. Just held my hand the distance I hold models and looked to see if I could see the wrinkles (pardon me wisdom lines). When I paint I pull them out and store them with my brushes.

Hope that helps,

CB

Hey Kid! I wear my regular glasses, but bought an LED illuminated magnifying desk light from Wally world for $10. The neck flexes so I can set its height above the work stage (my cheap desk) and I can adjust focus by moving my eye closer or farther to/from the lens. Gives good, tight light on the work piece too!

The two things I had to learn were to move my paint closer to the work piece so that I wasn't constantly changing magnification looking through the lens, then over at the paint, then back, etc. I also had to learn to watch the end of the paint brush so I didn't clonk it against the underside of the lens.

Having said that, and being in a bracket that starts with a 5, and ends with some other number which I forget-

You kids get off my lawn!

I'm quite nearsighted and nearing the half-century mark. As my eyes age, it's getting difficult to focus on something sufficiently close to my glasses to see details while painting.

For me, the simple solution is to take my glasses off. Nothing wrong with my unaugmented vision up close...

 greatbigtree wrote:
Do you need an update to your prescription, maybe? Bi-focals may be another option.

A friend of mine has a magnifying glass on a stand that he swears by.

I already have progressive lenses so maybe I remember to hold them like a book? Worth a try.

Space is a premium so I think glasses are a bitter option than a big magnifier.

I thought this thread was looking for tips on how to paint the eyes on old people, and I was like, “hmm. What would that look like?”

Which reminds me, any tips for painting the eyes on this dude?

Hopefully not coming across as insensitive, but blind-man white. Assuming he's a mystic-type character.

lasic eye care near phx area. other similar probably all around the world.

EDIT: I grew up in the phx area, I still listen to sports radio for the local teams there, I hear commercials about it all the time, sports athletes and radio host have gotten simple eye surgery to fix their issue.

As I've understood you can't fix certain things in your vision that come with age through laser treatment. I had my vision corrected by laser about 6 years ago (I'm 36 now btw), and I can see fine for reading and other daily tasks.

However recently I noticed I cannot properly focus on stuff that is closer than 15cm from my eye. Which is basically miniatures when doing very fine detail work. My solution was to get a cheap pair of reading glasses (+2.00) from a pharmacy and they work wonders when focusing up close. I don't need them for anything else but they are now sitting on my painting station.

I guess the best solution would be to get an actual prescription for reading glasses, but on a budget the pharmacy glasses are quite adequate for the job.

try getting a professional magnifying glass with a holder?

The thing with magnifying glasses is that they mess up your depth perception thus making painting more difficult. I have a 5 dioptre magnifying lamp but I can't use it for painting because I'll just stab my brush into wrong places and make a mess because I can't estimate the depth very well.

I suggest trying the glasses first.

Magnifying Visor with different levels of magnification works wonders.

I use something like this.

https://www.amazon.com/Spectrum-Daylight-Heavy-Duty-Magnifier-VS103B/dp/B00UV41UR2/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1538266500&sr=8-13&keywords=magnifier+with+lamp

I use, depending on what I'm doing:

Drug store magnifier glasses
An optivisor
https://www.amazon.com/SE-MH1047L-Illuminated-Flip-Magnifier/dp/B003UCODIA/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1538433912&sr=8-6&keywords=optivisor&dpID=41KKgHigWNL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

or the one I have
https://www.amazon.com/GXG-1987-Magnification-Needlework-Electronic-Inspection/dp/B072JY49C8/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1538434280&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=optivisor&psc=1

I get looks from my family when wearing them, but my eyes appreciate it.

 Vulcan wrote:
I'm quite nearsighted and nearing the half-century mark. As my eyes age, it's getting difficult to focus on something sufficiently close to my glasses to see details while painting.

For me, the simple solution is to take my glasses off. Nothing wrong with my unaugmented vision up close...

Yep, this works for me too.