# How to Design an Eye Using 3D CAD Software

**How to Design an Eye Using 3D CAD Software**

Designing an eye in SelfCAD is an essential skill for 3D artists looking to create realistic characters, sculptures, or animated models. The process involves shaping the eyeball, adding depth and detail to the iris, and refining the overall structure to achieve a lifelike appearance. With SelfCAD’s user-friendly [3D tools](https://www.selfcad.com/), such as the Sphere, Sculpting, and Color features, even beginners can craft a detailed eye model with ease. This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to design an eye in SelfCAD, covering essential techniques to bring your 3D creations to life

To access the interactive tutorial to this article, check out; [https://www.selfcad.com/tutorials/1a3g2dp6p23293q5a3013g3m5973p63646y2](https://www.selfcad.com/tutorials/1a3g2dp6p23293q5a3013g3m5973p63646y2)

  

Once you've launched the editor;

From the 3D Shapes category on the toolbar choose sphere; Set rotation x to 90

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXctf4pOphnoE5hHLk2RhIHXirKvbJA5IWU3MCYyNFplLSnltfywn2DKHWQmk97esm4LBpGacgwTRn6YCYI4lx2scZOlPofBvyXbwZyZS8Y6q6aJirV3Y8F7ZJgOXUepQPH7nqCA?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Tick the checkmark to finalize sphere

Click to activate polygon selection; click on the gear icon to open the advanced selection tools; Set tolerance to 1, click on highlighted region to select it

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfzb3ILiDZrqt1SGh_lCvHyiWet2SHCtv09yV2FFttY7zsr3cltjrOZBW_D0DBbqGF655EEIFSAQLUIE2g0BNxcJE3kuQVq8JMMkZm6CjuI5-4uQtTgkeuhcxRxBYIHTWc7Vgix?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Click to activate face selection; set loop selection to true, click on highlighted face to select loop from the object.

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdQ_CGlqg8imdeQbpKRM3qq3czY1oPsvKUzqmvVLOOqFHXEB_s6Pp2EAFPBa87di3pyC6jspiYq8jbmZPYaaKq4uTOUAY6BhAP76aurvj57E_i1YlaRdIZN7T8Oly1mJKCvnHJq?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Click ‘x’ to close selection settings panel, click delete button to delete selected objects

From the right panel choose materials; Set settings to textures, texture category to custom, click add image button to load new image, click load image from tutorial button to add image, click eye.png button to apply texture

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfNx26CF-DCoBeBrXmanaKyvD4Skk4PcbJDFfFSlvCo5o2Xz4MXi2dCg0J1olWRYo_reMYXYVeTq6Zu6ecAr2tBXxhpRwqJGco_UkH6oVMMiQtY8J5nDW5aAgr5z_WeyEOiotkM?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Click solid button to set rendering mode

Set settings to uv, uv generate mode to unwrapping

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdr9yM1m4D6knkgC9Eo6VStoR6q3Mcu4XXzfVqa36bdUbhbHMxOvo_bYfKJgdaVF6u5Vl_IqiJPtJHGND3_TFfWeSNl5Nl_Sg5RJ_xAXXP54VJGsVSS0SSWZ_VwqCZecGycpWI?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Click generate uv button to generate uv, click select and split parts button to select parts to split, click on highlighted regions to select it

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXf7CgvAmeP8o7J_bprANcko576Et7ZuKhxCEn_NF4s3Uz6Wkm550bXrb02IfunGHHNDr2m6T5oM_iLkWGicZA5QilYQ9kc9mDJ3BnhtX2Q9FQOIxSK5KFESwDHCFnKiy46_v2KV?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Click split selected parts button to split selected parts, click select and split parts button to select parts to split, click on highlighted regions to select it

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfw_l_oJh2Tj7R48ApVXCmCFHo6SuzJ3M167uLDW_x--PgBp9WxKFJKakwP_g3rOHvwg2_CBe6t-mbtVzTCsTW4-s44TaBupcsxV3zA_TAoARBpt39-MAi6hJ3BbNmSDEhpRO2_?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Click split selected parts button to split selected parts, click select and split parts button to select parts to split, click on highlighted regions to select it

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdwwYKtLePv7lJ5-DxCrCJquGFVxX1frsPQFyLlGCyc4bnyVpu7_N1kJExfks_vMiEoDTGRAEWCj-sbO7RbdRzRBJQW0O0CjE0MSzFBsw_Vi648BtVUrweHH0EUttCcxM7uXrM?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Click split selected parts button to split selected parts, click select and split parts button to select parts to split, click on highlighted regions to select it

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXf473eOjo8tggspC7vR2PTvmCAtgYW2lVAznMt-_jZ7Mzk36i9XGA13Mgl1BDv5iE56cX6Yqe9tQ8C9y9dSeIIdnHuHzXRo2iAcMSxbPVpKElsSytMvjoy0imrxlVNhhzpNKgXz?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Click split selected parts button to split selected parts, drag highlighted gizmo to highlighted point to move profile

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXc-sSjZISmf7JQERw53ybDk2gQGaaOi_hEKWJtNmTtolLubFZ8dSq8HjIi0IULD_O4uZXNcl5U0vdHZyHIwpSZ5mZb47KJWhTAAwTMGjhagEJ-5sVYwFAkM5oxTXp0UG6qHOrM?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Drag highlighted gizmo to highlighted point to move profile

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcGjN7DDYon3vsCIHieqHLp2-iZMI6jd9A8VrGXWwhKDeWt07R75UZBItbUE5DBhzviURMEUAFr45JgqzNHwmYsUJWX8Ci_MOq_z8eAoR_KBvNR5bF5Kfz1tmQmfKcLT8rKz3hl?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Drag highlighted gizmo to highlighted point to move profile

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXflRzPwbf1V1HXHXJ_FdmlKNBPxzhbuJMVr33BOt2So-SKwdNuKwmlzEMi2hALspN9vGVTNoyJ39CCE70TRGLP4QFi06WfxqyvCzHqWcFN5iZHhssLCevl7fkGFHzTkZeIwKs4?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Drag highlighted gizmo to highlighted point to move profile

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXewOjqT3HNpIOHCsK0bPq2k6SWCPzs6g6GYjtwS4IZx_NBqBHJzGCigQDn9z4QAE15M120VsrrAEvr7Y1oY3d3jHI8kGv__82w4QS0wTmUYLf8QSVhqEHJZSID37i8u7iZ10uMy?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  
  

Set transformation to rotate, drag highlighted gizmo to highlighted point to rotate profile

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeOXLShc8t4mpj8gFgiLpegPbA4AGMoG3O4Cps_68bRJytaaXPjRVMrSq3a73LafuURGfTb67BLw5F6VGbx2As4bd3Q31TdYr62n87vsqcQpOdm4eUr0lUfZmZjOEKHvJUwJcgE?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Set transformation to scale; drag highlighted gizmo to highlighted point to scale profile

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXe9HWzKDTT6ykm2V4wIngVaFzgypCSbZEP4cA3O_XFd8LdfCplJREGGaUh0jpc1SYhnmn4lEVNsQs8-WvWJA5xE2rko9425al1p0bAvnxIVMknTDvzLkVa456S65tSffU_aZ2lC?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Drag highlighted gizmo to highlighted point to scale profile

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcj3ybYHbZrPDUx3CzwQKDdvOnmj3O672SPuaRRVWO_gn9kxGHYhFAqIaeJe3lSc_TXa1F0Lrdmy2MHgvOekS98jks8SdjAtuPhyIzMQKOQTA8jVU8yqrwdFJYIyfB4hwSNWsda?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Tick the checkmark to finalize materials

From the 3D Shapes category on the toolbar choose sphere; set radius to 40, position y to 10, , position z to 13, rotation x to 90. 

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXc7Wxd5qJDFAk3mr-RVaBpnh_TNUHVjscF0BbXd8wF9Cl5YwMhB9mxT8URgb2Q5AAqh4UcXBHwQVadyWc4S5ft5PNdgJ3nxQAtto9u8KjoZUGefayFPyeRPHjJiSA_-avdi-y8?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Tick the checkmark to finalize sphere

Click solid+wireframe button to set rendering mode; Click to activate polygon selection; click on highlighted region to select it

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXf4Ii3zU1TA-n6duZcH_BOhlSqJNycGjSBqs7hCZQWWmn8HZ8gUDn2WifcnNRGE43Wno9TH2eed27cYLyDB7WBu1GNggjOW-FSZWD-JGgScpuO3bTpouGec5VZJNgfcwO7AHVOg?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Click to activate face selection

Click on the gear icon to open advanced selection tools; set loop selection to true, click on highlighted face to select loop from the object. 

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcpu7WAayk0vCvcs3N-hhGzQxBs1Y0pfoyKJSvpLEfAp5LaAhNeOG1D5floFBHUa2XIrOorquh59cCtwPcyEx2kNI3GmjuAFIEvHRQRZh_juLAvb_ckMHWBYQACMeLZg9d9rlKN?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Click ‘x’ to close selection settings panel

From the utilities category on the toolbar choose split

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcsxUBZIrkpnnwhe0ejQr2TGKrYbvKkGrbL6ybCrIIAdm7tOapUE9S_5THs0odnfevPXbDYGjvdlf9yy9PCSiA765lIcs6cF7pgsbWcyPcIqvrSE-8DitlK-5oBVYpawUWAOGzq?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

From the right panel choose materials; Set settings to textures; texture category to custom, click add image button to load new image, click load image from tutorial button to add image, click eye1.jpeg button to apply texture

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeMta1-96jfsaNUtpZGNBq1YCBVxM_jgwagJQQUKYvCY_A6lr7Kri_XGov8DSxH-aK31JBZeqfpjhpDUu3UMtm24v2DNzIrtz1Mzuhc54AJamHvYKj66XDHloC4BV1cSyMtA9W7?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Click solid button to set rendering mode; Set settings to uv, mapping to face uv

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeUCkR5xEBYfpyXpQw7SehzgLJfX6Kg5kX151bkXgAJK_kfXYSy12jNZFH4182xk3KWZgTTFk5JrmEuXBU9fMoGP3_4PQh8sgtpyHoFPhYgWoWHakWlhvpHNHoHXoD8jIIWAko?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

Tick the checkmark to finalize materials

From the edit menu on the top toolbar choose union, click smooth button to enable smooth rendering

![](https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcVF8KI7GquodogjU07MElj1qPvqyNQWjjnE96TYM3n9ovbAC2p8vipGOgAHywyvqSNK41_9odXOwlU_F3lqdKQAd1DA2p2mjLLH5VqCSAfjhW35IYN3iumbPy_BnWNo7XLUKQL?key=btfvH6NXPXvX9Szh2o69zGgz align="left")

  

As you continue honing your design skills, remember that SelfCAD offers a wealth of resources to support your learning journey. To deepen your understanding and explore more advanced features, consider checking out the interactive tutorials ([https://www.selfcad.com/tutorials](https://www.selfcad.com/tutorials)) available on the SelfCAD website. The tutorials page provides a treasure trove of guides, tips, and tricks that cater to designers of all levels.

More structured learning experience can also be accessed at the SelfCAD Academy ([https://www.selfcad.com/academy/curriculum/](https://www.selfcad.com/academy/curriculum/)), [https://www.youtube.com/@3dmodeling101](https://www.youtube.com/@3dmodeling101), and 3D Modeling 101 series ([https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL74nFNT8yS9DcE1UlUUdiR1wFGv9DDfTB](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL74nFNT8yS9DcE1UlUUdiR1wFGv9DDfTB)). This comprehensive resource offers in-depth courses taught by industry experts, allowing you to master the intricacies of SelfCAD at your own pace.