Sphere Eyes: Difference between revisions

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(Doing my part for the examples by fleshing them out some)
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'''Bertha''': "No! Really!"|''[[Square Root of Minus Garfield]]'', [http://www.mezzacotta.net/garfield/?comic=873 2011-10-9]}}
'''Bertha''': "No! Really!"|''[[Square Root of Minus Garfield]]'', [http://www.mezzacotta.net/garfield/?comic=873 2011-10-9]}}


The nature of drawing and animation lends itself to exaggerated and unrealistic depictions of living creatures, due to the freedom that the artistic form affords. Often cartoon characters are given large (or small), round/bulging eyes shaped like a geometric sphere or oval, often with tiny little dots for pupils. Alternatively, if a character with separate eyes has excited or scared expressions, his/her eyes can then change into this style.
The nature of drawing and animation lends itself to exaggerated and unrealistic depictions of living creatures, due to the freedom that the artistic form affords. '''Sphere eyes''', as well as oval-shaped ones, are often employed in certain cartoon and art styles - or else for specific moments or gags - as a means to allow for the widest or, rather, most exaggerated forms of expression possible. Often cartoon characters are given large (or small), round/bulging eyes shaped like a geometric sphere or oval, which are connected to each other and often use tiny little dots for pupils. Alternatively, if a character with separate eyes has excited or scared expressions, their eyes can then change into this style.


Note that these eyes are '''connected''' to each other. If you want to add examples that include separate eyes, then do so on the inversions list. Otherwise, they're [[People Sit on Chairs]].
If you want to add examples that include '''separate''' eyes, then do so on the inversions list. Otherwise, they're [[People Sit on Chairs]]. Compare [[Conjoined Eyes]], which uses just one eyeball with two pupils.

Compare [[Conjoined Eyes]], which uses just one eyeball with two pupils.


Not to be confused with [[Wide Eyes and Shrunken Irises]].
Not to be confused with [[Wide Eyes and Shrunken Irises]].
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== Played straight ==
== Played straight ==
=== [[Comic Books]], [[Newspaper Comics]] and [[Web Comics]] ===
=== [[Comic Books]], [[Newspaper Comics]] and [[Web Comics]] ===
* [[Garfield]] is an example, since he (and most other characters in the strip) has huge eyes.
* [[Garfield]] and most other characters in his strip have huge, oval-shaped eyes.
** Jim Davis always uses this trope on his strips like ''[[U.S. Acres]]''.
** Jim Davis frequently uses this trope, as seen in his other strips like ''[[U.S. Acres]]''.
** Surprisingly, despite practically being a trademark of Jim Davis, the sphere eyes were gained through [[Art Evolution]], as the characters originally had normal circle eyes.
** Surprisingly, despite practically being a trademark of Jim Davis, the sphere eyes were a result of [[Art Evolution]], as the characters originally had normal circular eyes.
* Most characters in ''[[Heathcliff]]'' have these too.
* Most characters in ''[[Heathcliff]]'' have these too.
* Mother Goose, Grimm and Attila in ''[[Mother Goose and Grimm]]''.
* Mother Goose, Grimm and Attila in ''[[Mother Goose and Grimm]]''.
* Opus from ''[[Bloom County]]''.
* Opus and Bill the Cat from ''[[Bloom County]]''.
** And don't forget Bill the Cat.
* Most of the characters in ''[[Buckles]]'', such as the title character.
* Most of the characters in ''[[Buckles]]'', such as the title character.
* ''[[Sherman's Lagoon]]'' is also an example of this.
* ''[[Sherman's Lagoon]]'' is also an example of this.
* The characters in ''[[Pearls Before Swine]]'' usually have these too.
* Several of the characters in ''[[Pearls Before Swine]]'', usually the humans and crocodiles. The other characters, such as
* This is also used in ''[[FoxTrot]]''. It was even parodied in one strip where Paige cuts ping-pong balls in half and puts them over her eyes to give the impression that she's not falling asleep in class.
* ''[[FoxTrot]]'' generally uses this for every character that isn't Jason. It was even parodied in one strip where Paige cuts ping-pong balls in half and puts them over her eyes to give the impression that she's not falling asleep in class.
** Exactly the same happens in Calvin & Hobbes, but since the characters are not normally drawn with Sphere Eyes it looks a bit creepy.
** Exactly the same happens in Calvin & Hobbes, but since the characters are not normally drawn with Sphere Eyes it looks a bit creepy.
* ''Adam@Home'' is another example.
* ''Adam@Home'' is another example.
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=== [[Video Games]] ===
=== [[Video Games]] ===
* [[Rayman]] and other characters in the game have sphere eyes.
* [[Rayman]] and other characters in the game have sphere eyes.
* Present in pretty much any [[Rareware]]-made game you could care to name.
* Present in pretty much any [[Rareware]]-made game you could care to name, such as ''[[Banjo-Kazooie]]'' and ''[[Donkey Kong 64]]''.
** And by extension, [[Donkey Kong]] and his pals in Nintendo's post-Rare games.
** And by extension, [[Donkey Kong]] and his pals in Nintendo's post-Rare games.
* Human Peasants (as well as Sheep) in ''[[Warcraft]] 3'' are rather conspicuous for this, in contrast to most other units whom are modeled with regular eyes.
* Human Peasants (as well as Sheep) in ''[[Warcraft]] 3'' are rather conspicuous for this, in contrast to most other units whom are modeled with regular eyes.
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=== [[Western Animation]] ===
=== [[Western Animation]] ===
* [[Matt Groening]] uses this trope often by doing this to the majority of characters in ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and ''[[Futurama]]''.
* [[Matt Groening]] uses this trope for the majority of characters in ''[[The Simpsons]]'' and ''[[Futurama]]''.
* [[SpongeBob SquarePants]] also has huge sphere eyes.
* [[SpongeBob SquarePants]] has huge spherical eyes.
* Most characters in ''[[South Park]]''.
* Most characters in ''[[South Park]]''.
* In the [[Disney Animated Canon]], some of the comic relief/cartoony characters, most notably Sebastian in ''[[The Little Mermaid]]'' and Mushu in ''[[Mulan]]'', have sphere eyes.
* In the [[Disney Animated Canon]], some of the comic relief/cartoony characters, most notably Sebastian in ''[[The Little Mermaid]]'' and Mushu in ''[[Mulan]]'', have sphere eyes.
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* ''[[Rocko's Modern Life]]'' (however, it is inverted with the title character)
* ''[[Rocko's Modern Life]]'' (however, it is inverted with the title character)
* ''[[Catscratch]]''
* ''[[Catscratch]]''
* Buddy from ''[[Animaniacs]]''.
* Buddy from ''[[Animaniacs]]''
* Norbert from ''[[The Angry Beavers]]''.
* Norbert from ''[[The Angry Beavers]]''.
* ''[[Regular Show]]''
* ''[[Regular Show]]''

Revision as of 02:35, 30 September 2019

Oh yeah, his eyelids could move on his huge round eyes.

Bertha: "Your eyes look like hard-boiled eggs."
Jon: "You don't say!"
Bertha: "No! Really!"

The nature of drawing and animation lends itself to exaggerated and unrealistic depictions of living creatures, due to the freedom that the artistic form affords. Sphere eyes, as well as oval-shaped ones, are often employed in certain cartoon and art styles - or else for specific moments or gags - as a means to allow for the widest or, rather, most exaggerated forms of expression possible. Often cartoon characters are given large (or small), round/bulging eyes shaped like a geometric sphere or oval, which are connected to each other and often use tiny little dots for pupils. Alternatively, if a character with separate eyes has excited or scared expressions, their eyes can then change into this style.

If you want to add examples that include separate eyes, then do so on the inversions list. Otherwise, they're People Sit on Chairs. Compare Conjoined Eyes, which uses just one eyeball with two pupils.

Not to be confused with Wide Eyes and Shrunken Irises.

Examples of Sphere Eyes include:

Played straight

Comic Books, Newspaper Comics and Web Comics

  • Garfield and most other characters in his strip have huge, oval-shaped eyes.
    • Jim Davis frequently uses this trope, as seen in his other strips like U.S. Acres.
    • Surprisingly, despite practically being a trademark of Jim Davis, the sphere eyes were a result of Art Evolution, as the characters originally had normal circular eyes.
  • Most characters in Heathcliff have these too.
  • Mother Goose, Grimm and Attila in Mother Goose and Grimm.
  • Opus and Bill the Cat from Bloom County.
  • Most of the characters in Buckles, such as the title character.
  • Sherman's Lagoon is also an example of this.
  • Several of the characters in Pearls Before Swine, usually the humans and crocodiles. The other characters, such as
  • FoxTrot generally uses this for every character that isn't Jason. It was even parodied in one strip where Paige cuts ping-pong balls in half and puts them over her eyes to give the impression that she's not falling asleep in class.
    • Exactly the same happens in Calvin & Hobbes, but since the characters are not normally drawn with Sphere Eyes it looks a bit creepy.
  • Adam@Home is another example.
  • Citizen Dog also uses these eyes.
  • Plus, it was used for characters in Matt Groening's comic strip Life in Hell.
  • The Groening-inspired character designs of Isaac Baranoff's Horndog and Here Wolf.
  • Sergeant Schlock from Schlock Mercenary. Justified as he's a Blob Monster, and the eyes are both discontiguous with the rest of his body, and interchangeable.
  • Bob from The Inexplicable Adventures of Bob

Fan Art

  • When chibi (aka Super-Deformed) artwork is commissioned of more ordinarily drawn art, this type of eyes is a common choice because it fits the character design well and emphasizes the animation of the simplified face.

Video Games

  • Rayman and other characters in the game have sphere eyes.
  • Present in pretty much any Rareware-made game you could care to name, such as Banjo-Kazooie and Donkey Kong 64.
    • And by extension, Donkey Kong and his pals in Nintendo's post-Rare games.
  • Human Peasants (as well as Sheep) in Warcraft 3 are rather conspicuous for this, in contrast to most other units whom are modeled with regular eyes.
  • Hero Smash
  • Bubsy
  • Omnom.

Web Animation

Western Animation

Inversions

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