The Official Color & Size of YODA Eyes Thread

[Yorpheus]

A lot of us have uncompleted YODAs we'd like to complete. One of the major obstacles is finding the correct eyes.

The purpose of this thread is to settle on the correct color and dimensions for the eyes and iris.

PHOTOS
Good reference photos of Yoda
HD screencaps of Yoda

SOURCE: Cantor & Nissel (painted by Lesley Ripley)
EYE: 30mm
IRIS: 15mm
PUPIL: 4.5mm
COLOR: "B" (by Cyberman)

 

[Jason_E]

Hi Jedi Dave,

We made our eyes for the project that I posted about today.

The eyes were where I started...and it was a nightmare to get any real info.

I was in contact with the company that made the eyes for the movie and was quoted a few hundred pounds more than I was interested in paying...I supply the artwork. So I hopped on the cnc lathe...made the form and the molds for the inner and outer eye form and made the eyes. Based on the amount of time to get the eyes finished and polished the quote I was given was fair...but a waste if you can do the work yourself.

As far as the size I spoke with one of Stuart's colleagues during the making of the original product and he mentioned the eyes were "in and around" 1.5" o.d. I machined the inner eye form to 1.375" and the outer eye form to and o.d. of 1.5".

Your request for "no guessing" might be a bit hopefull considering I was building ours based on the information given by one of the people who built the real deal...and he was "guessing" at a number of the finer points. I was shocked...but then if you figure that this was 20 someodd years ago, and a pressure cooker job situation, I am sure every tiny little detail wasnt recorded. That episode of saturday night live with william shatner at the convention always puts me in my place in situations like that.

As far as the graphics there is always the debate about green or brown. I was going for the empire look. Based on the countless ref. pics I found on the net, a couple of trips to the lucas archive display, the conversation with one of the makers of the original, and staring at the tv, I settled on more of a brown color, with hints of green. It really depends on what refs you use. The cgi yoda is very green compared to the animatronic puppet of empire, which is surprisingly brown when you get right down to it. (check out the screen grab)

One last thing to note is that although acrylic eyes give some depth straight out of the mold...you can do a bit of paint work to the surface AFTER polishing on the lathe which can really enhances the look.

I will post some pics of the eyes with the skin on. Alone they look cool, but in context with the skin in really helps to sell them.

Hope that helps.

Jason

 

[Yorpheus]

Thanks for sharing, Jason. They certainly DO look Brown in that screencap.

The info so far is great. Keep it comin'.

 

[Yorpheus]

BUMP.

 

[Cyberman]

The original eyes where created by Cantor and Nissel. I contacted them today and the price will be £85 per pair + postage and VAT for 30mm half hems. Once I've established the ideal colour I'll send them the rough iris design for them to work on. In the meantime, I'm set to reveal something related tomorrow

Cyb.

 

[Yorpheus]

Thanks, Phil.

 

[moffeaton]

So I can buy Yoda eyes that *pretty much* match the ones they used in ESB, from the original vendor?.

 

[Cyberman]

Having spoken to Cantor + Nissel they said they don't have a file or anything like that on the accurate colour scheme so its down to us guys to do the correct research and agree how they should look. I think we can pretty much exclude colours used on the Exhibition prop as they are clearly wrong and the ones I have are not quite accurate either. So I think we should all submit our designs on here (good little exercise LOL) and establish whats best.

Cheers

Cyb.

 

[Cyberman]

Here's some good pics of original eyes





Cyb.

 

[Yorpheus]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(moffeaton @ Jan 30 2007, 02:58 PM) [snapback]1408055[/snapback]</div>

So I can buy Yoda eyes that *pretty much* match the ones they used in ESB, from the original vendor?.
[/b]

Yes, Cantor & Nissel made the original eyes and can STILL make them.

 

[Jason_E]

And so the green vs. brown battle wages on...


I would imagine any Empire screen caps that we use are a bit jaded due to set lighting.

 

[Cyberman]

Where on earth did you get that pic from? are there any bigger versions of this image?

cyb

 

[Yorpheus]

Yoda almost looks like he's saying "You sly dog, you..."

 

[Jumpin Jax]

Might try hazel green. It would explain why lighting makes a final call so hard, it can look green or brown.

 

[Cyberman]

I really think the eyes are more greener than brown. I've modified the skin tones of the pics below to bring them more inline with the way Yoda looks on screen. This definately shows the as they were unaltered there was a definate red cast making the colours way to warm.

MOD EDIT: Image removed at copyright holder's request.

Cheers

Cyb.

 

[Yorpheus]

There must be 'some' Brown in the eyes though. Because Yoda's skin looks Green even in the uncorrected photos. If the eyes WERE truly only Green wouldn't they also appear Green in the corrected pics? because they still appear to have Brown in them.

 

[GINO]

I believe they were a dark green with barely some flecks of brown.

 

[Cyberman]

Hi, I know what the Dimensions of GINOS Yoda eyes are as I ordered them for him... They are 30mm half hems with 14mm diameter irises.

Cyb.

 

[Yorpheus]

:love

 

[Yorpheus]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Cyberman @ Jan 30 2007, 10:22 AM) [snapback]1407843[/snapback]</div>

I'll send them the rough iris design for them to work on.
[/b]

Is this 'design' something you could post here?