Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Spanish term or phrase:
como si tratase de dibujar con la luz de sus miradas
English translation:
as if trying to draw with the light of his/her gaze
Spanish term
United States
Laudable Lady Linguist
Native in: English 
Works in: Spanish to English, French to English, English to Spanish, and 3 more.
como si tratase de dibujar con la luz de sus miradas
Se echó de bruces sobre la cama todavía sin preparar, y en plena oscuridad, se puso a abrir los ojos como si tratase de dibujar con la luz de sus miradas quién sabe que cosas de la imaginación en el lienzo de las sombras...
A guy has just proposed to a naive young woman, and overwhelmed, she has escaped to a bedroom to try to process all of it.
"Light of her gaze" sounds too much like a description of Jesus Christ.
Muchas Gracias,
Barbara
Jan 2, 2021 06:09: Steven Huddleston Created KOG entry
Non-PRO (2): philgoddard, matt robinson
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Proposed translations
Mexico
Dual-Native English & Spanish Translator
Native in: English (Variants: British, UK, US, Canadian) , Spanish (Variants: Cuban, Puerto Rican, Argentine, Chilean, Venezuelan, Costa Rican, Mexican, Standard-Spain, US, Ecuadorian , Dominican, Latin American, Peruvian, Colombian, Uruguayan)
Works in: Spanish to English, English to Spanish
as if trying to draw with the light of his gaze
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Note added at 41 mins (2020-12-28 16:05:58 GMT)
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Correction: It should read "the light of *her* gaze."
...as if trying to draw with the light of his gaze who knows what object of the imagination upon a canvas of shadows/gloom...
| This is good, as long as I use "searching gaze", because otherwise it sounds to much like something Biblical, like the "light of his gaze", referring to Jesus, something I mentioned in my question. |
...as if to paint who knows what on the canvas of the shadows with the light of her perception
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Note added at 47 mins (2020-12-28 16:11:38 GMT)
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Or perhaps "using the light of her perception". I like "perception". I considered "vision" but went with the former.
Piercing the darkness with her mind's eye
| agree |
Carol Gullidge
: this sounds more logical - also more literary
36 mins
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Thank you Carol
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| agree |
Michele Fauble
10 hrs
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| agree |
Yvonne Gallagher
: this looks more like idiomatic English!
2 days 39 mins
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United Kingdom
I read the Alethiometer
Native in: Spanish
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English, French to Spanish, and 1 more.
as if by shining their light ... she could outline/give shape
Spain
Clarity, accuracy and speed
Native in: English 
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English
as if trying to draw forth who knows what from the shadows of her imagination and cast it there befo
There are many options, of course.
I chose to lose the drawing / painting analogy and replace it with "casting" which still expresses the creative process (otherwise the whole sentence becomes too wordy).
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Note added at 2 hrs (2020-12-28 17:28:42 GMT)
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Sorry, the answer is supposed to include:
cast it there before the light of her very eyes"
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Note added at 2 hrs (2020-12-28 17:30:18 GMT)
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In fact I mean:
..."cast it there before her, in the light of her eyes"
United Kingdom
experienced and well qualified linguist
Native in: English (Variant: UK)
Works in: Spanish to English, English, Spanish, and 3 more.
as if she was trying to draw from glances in the light
"In total darkness she opened her eyes as if she was trying to draw from glances in the light, who knows what things are in the imagination from the shadows."
Argentina
Resourceful, creative, passionate
Native in: Spanish (Variant: Latin American)
Works in: English to Spanish, Spanish to English
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