Have you ever noticed the features of a human face on a piece of wood, in an electrical outlet, or on a crisp, delicious cream cheese sandwich? Aside from the fact that you might have taken a cough syrup right before this, this is explained by the fact that people by nature are machines for recognizing familiar images. With a special penchant for recognizing faces and the information they display. Our brain automatically notices them even where they are not there.

As a character artist, it is a big oversight to not be able to imbue an inanimate object with life through expressive physiognomy; convey the feelings and thoughts of its owner; make us feel for this character, empathize with him, and even with age continue to feel a special sympathy for ordinary drawings on paper. It’s akin to magic (and maybe even a little absurd).

...However, since you're reading this, I guess there's no point in me advocating the benefits of making characters emotional. Instead, I will make some snarky comments about myself as I present my chaotic notes and subjective judgments regarding the drawing process.

WHAT YOU SHOULD UNINFORM FROM

There are many tricks that allow you to avoid painstaking work over the character's emotionality. Not that they're all harmful, but if you call yourself a character artist, you have to decide how much you'll limit yourself (and your characters) by relying on these tricks. Some examples:

Zauria-zheniya

Yes, I understand that they are “fashionable” (like the plague in the Middle Ages), but besides this they are absolutely monotonous, which makes them look like emoticons, and not real emotions.

Instead you can use distinctive features your characters to make their emotions unique. Or you can continue to plaster these mediocre smiley faces right on their faces, every time you need to revive them. And I will remain passive-aggressive in everything related to this topic.

Permanent “C” shaped Mouth(1 picture) .

Emotions created by an open mouth save incredible energy and time... but they also look incredibly boring and monotonous.

Flounder-faced commotion(2 picture) .

I am familiar with the practice of having some of a character's facial features, like a majestic flounder, placed on one side of the face. It's terribly sexy. In low-budget animation, they sometimes resort to drawing the mouth in profile in order to avoid animating the lips and chin. This is by no means a separate style and certainly not an excuse for not learning how to draw an emotion in profile.

HOW TO LEARN TO DRAW

A couple of controversial pieces of advice (It all comes down to observation).

TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

Think about everything you study! (It may not have much benefit, but it's worth it.)

Think about the structure of the character: what three-dimensional figures it consists of, and how they are connected to each other.

This is incredibly helpful in understanding how to draw a character from different angles with a face deformed by emotion.

(A.) Don't forget that all facial features are simultaneously involved in creating emotion. And the eyes, and eyebrows, and mouth compress, stretch, shift and twist at the moment when emotion appears on the face.

(b.) When recreating such compression and stretching, animators resort to deliberate violation of the anatomical structure of the body. The more they exaggerate, the more cartoonish the emotion appears.

A small change in the focus of the gaze already significantly changes the facial expression. The pupils drawn in the very center of the eyes depict surprise, as if the character is staring blindly into the distance.

Pupils drawn closer to each other look as if the gaze is focused on a close object, the face looks more fascinated, alarmed.

Practice. And as often as possible.

It's best to start with a rough sketch. Most emotions can be depicted with just a few lines, so there's no need to draw in detail to experiment with facial expressions.

These quick sketches are a great way to create more detailed drawings like the ones below.

(Just in case, below, in addition to everything else, I have also included notes on expressions that can debatably be called useful.)

To tone your muscles, come up with different situations for your characters. This will make you think about how to portray emotions more serious than the usual emotions of happiness, sadness, anger, etc. A specific situation usually requires a specific type of emotion: feigned curiosity, slight notes of rage, irritation, a sardonic grin...

For example, here is a passage with an incredibly stupid situation. Essentially, this is an exercise in drawing gestures and emotions.

Copying of this translation is permitted only with a link to this page.

Depicting anime emotions is not at all difficult. In this lesson you will highlight for yourself what we need to change in order to get this or that emotion, how to correctly show and express the character.

Now we will look at how small details can radically change the character of our character.

When you understand the principle behind the technique of drawing emotions, you will be able to draw absolutely any character and show the emotions you want!

1. Calm, sweet smile

The smile is emphasized by bright highlights in the eyes and the arch of the mouth.

Unlike the previous emotion, here the drawing of the eyes has changed a little, and the arc of the mouth has changed dramatically (it has become more straight).

It differs from the first drawing in the shape of the mouth.

It’s like a slightly improved version of “joy”, where the drawing of the eyes has radically changed.

As shown in the figure, the eyes are drawn with inverted arcs and dashes under them.

Rather, this emotion is something between embarrassment and disgust.

The eyes are more stern and the mouth is drawn in a “springy” manner. The nose is not shown here.

There are already dramatic changes in the entire face as a whole.

The mouth takes up a lot of space and is already drawn in with more than just a line. The teeth are drawn as fangs. Lines are visible above the nose. The eyebrows are arched downwards. There is less glare on the eyes and the pupils are darker, larger and virtually glare-free.

Everything is the same as in the previous case, only the emotions are less expressed and closer to a normal state.

Mouth without fangs. The eyes are brighter and have larger highlights.

Unlike the previous one, the mouth is drawn in an arc, the eyes are brighter.

The mouth is wide open, wide eyes, very small pupils, straight eyebrows, there are extraneous features.

An anime character who has absolutely no emotion on his face looks pretty boring. But if you change the line of your mouth a little, you and your character can start smiling. And learning how to draw anime emotions is not at all difficult; you only need a pencil, a piece of paper and a little practice.

Before you start drawing emotions, you need to draw your character's face. There are many ways to draw a face for an anime character, but let's focus on the simplest of them:

1. Draw a circle with a pencil. It doesn't have to be perfect shape.
2. We carry out vertical line in the middle of the circle.
3. We divide it into three equal parts with horizontal lines. The upper part is for the hair, the central part is for the forehead, and the lower part is for the eyes.
4. From the third horizontal line down, draw a rectangle whose height is 2/3 of the circle.
5. Draw a horizontal line down the center of the rectangle, and then another horizontal line Divide the bottom of the rectangle in half.
6. Connect the top corners of the rectangle to the bottom center point to form a triangle.
7. Now we draw the character’s eyes, nose and mouth along the auxiliary lines, as shown in the picture.
8. Draw the cheeks and jaw of the character.
9. Next, we draw the ears (their height is equal to the height of the eyes), a hairstyle and add pupils and highlights to the eyes.

Positive emotions

Let's roughly divide the emotions of anime characters into positive, negative and neutral. Positive ones would include smiling, joy, laughter and falling in love.

How to draw anime emotions? When drawing, pay attention to the position of the eyebrows, the shape of the mouth and eyes. In a calm state, the character's mouth is depicted as a straight line or as a dashed line. Now let's look at how to use a pencil step by step for beginners:

1. We draw the character’s face, and in place of the mouth we make a slightly curved line. This will make you smile.
2. If you want your character to smile more or be happy, draw the mouth slightly open, like an upside-down D, and the lower eyelids of the eyes slightly raised, covering the iris.
3. To depict laughter, draw the mouth even more open, and the eyes closed and reminiscent of two arcs.
4. Tears of Joy are depicted with lowered eyebrows, a D-shaped mouth, teardrops in the corners of the eyes, and extra highlights on the eyes.
5. When a character falls in love, hearts appear instead of eyes, and their mouth resembles the number 3.

Neutral emotions

Neutral feelings include surprise, puzzlement, fatigue, indifference, and actions such as sticking out your tongue, sleeping, and winking.

How to draw anime emotions that are neutral? When drawing such emotions, the eyes are almost always modified, the position of the eyebrows and mouth changes.

To depict the puzzled anime emotion step by step, draw one eyebrow down and the other up. The character's eyes should look to the side or up. Make the mouth small and look like the letter L.

Surprise on the character's face is depicted with raised eyebrows, wide open mouth and eyes. The pupils are drawn small.

If you want to draw a very strong surprise, then remove the eyebrows from the character, and instead of eyes, draw two large circles with dots inside. The mouth is opened so wide that it merges with the chin.

For a tired character, draw the eyebrows and upper eyelids with straight lines, and draw the eyes with two dots. We make strokes under the eyes and draw an arc for the mouth.

To depict a character sticking out his tongue, draw the eyebrows as a wave, the eyes as two upside-down Vs, the mouth as a slanted line, and the tongue as an arch.

The sleeping hero's eyebrows are slightly tilted, his eyes are closed, and his mouth is open and looks like a small oval.

If you are depicting boredom, the eyebrows should be straight and slanted, the upper eyelids should be drawn with straight lines, and the eyes should be drawn with small semicircles. The mouth is open and slanted, shaped like an uneven oval.

To depict a wink, draw the eyebrows raised, one eye closed, and the mouth with a slight smile.

Negative emotions

Negative emotions: anger, sadness, tears, fear and shock.

How to draw the anime emotion of sadness? Start by drawing raised eyebrows, then add some highlights to the eyes and make the mouth arch. The character's tears are drawn as two streams from the eyes. The eyes may be open and looking down or completely closed.

To depict sobbing, draw closed eyes, from which tears flow in streams in different directions. At the same time, the mouth is open so much that the teeth are visible, which are depicted as an additional stripe, slightly uneven at the edges.

A frightened character has bowed eyebrows, wide open eyes, and a smaller iris. Three vertical stripes are drawn near the lower eyelid. The mouth is depicted open, shaped like the number 8.

Shock is depicted by raised eyebrows, eyes in the form of small circles with strokes below and a wide open mouth that merges with the chin.

How to draw the anime emotion of anger step by step? If you want to draw a dissatisfied character, then this is done with furrowed eyebrows and downturned corners of the mouth. To make the character's face seem even more irritated, wrinkles need to be added between the eyebrows, and the mouth should be drawn with clenched teeth. To do this, draw a slightly uneven oval and a broken line in the middle.

In rage, the character's mouth opens even more and his teeth become visible. The eyebrows arch even more, and the irises of the eyes become smaller.

Symbols that convey emotions

A feature of anime and manga is the use of symbols to display certain emotions. There are quite a few such symbols, but let’s focus on some of them. For example, a drop on a character's temple can mean stupor or overwork, while many drops symbolize nervousness and embarrassment.

Another well-known symbol is the veins or cross. It can be drawn on the character's head, cheek, or clenched fist. This sign indicates that the character is very irritated.

The sigh is represented by a small cloud next to the character's mouth. If a hero has spirals instead of eyes, this means that he is dizzy.

The spark that flashes in the character's eye symbolizes his irritation or rage, and the diamonds represent a predatory shine.

Eyes without pupils are drawn to characters who are very angry or who have lost control of themselves. The absence of a nose indicates the hero's resentment or dissatisfaction.

Flames in the eyes are a symbol of anger or determination, and small crosses mean that the character has lost consciousness.

There are millions of eyes, mouths, noses, ears, chins in the whole world and each with its own characteristics. However, to make cartoon faces, you just need to understand the basics. In this tutorial we will learn how to create emotions on the faces of cartoon characters in just a few steps.

Human facial behavior

Just like tone of voice, facial expression can be easily and quickly changed. Different expressions are not only the result of muscle contraction, but also the simultaneous action of some and relaxation of opposing muscles. For example, laughing and smiling use the same muscles, just with different intensities.

If you were asked to describe what feelings are pictured below, what would you say?

Surely you will say that the boy is thinking about something. Not really. This image expresses a complete lack of expression, since none of the facial muscles are tense.

In fact, this is the facial expression people use 80% of the day. When a person is alone, this is the expression on his face, but when a person is in a company, listening or talking, his face usually expresses various emotions.

Primary Emotions

Primary emotions are those emotions that arise from primary stimuli and people do not have sufficient control over them and their origin.

These basic emotions are expressed on our face regardless of culture, race or age. Below are the main ones:

• Happiness (1): The corners of the lips are raised upward - the eyebrows are raised upward - the eyes are wide open;
• Anger (2): The corners of the lips are lowered down - the tips of the eyebrows near the nose are lowered down - the eyes are wide open;
• Fright (3): The corners of the lips (sometimes the entire lip line) are randomly drawn down - raised eyebrows irregular shape- eyes wide open;
• Sadness (4): The corners of the lips are lowered down - the tips of the eyebrows near the nose are raised up - the eyes are with drooping eyelids.

These are the basic facial expressions and we use them most often throughout our lives. For a cartoon, it is mainly necessary to develop other expressions based on the basic ones.

There are two more expressions that complement the group of basic ones:

• Surprise (5): Small and half-open mouth - eyebrows raised above irregular shape - eyes wide open;
• Nonsense! (6): The corners of the lips are randomly lowered down - the tips of the eyebrows near the nose are lowered down - the eyes are closed.

“Why was it necessary to separate these two emotions from the first group?”

Simple: these expressions are variations of the first group of expressions.

Now, you might be wondering, why are there so few basic forms of expressing emotions? It's very simple: there are primary colors that can be mixed to create others, just as there are primary emotions that can be mixed to create other secondary expressions! Just take a look:

Note that to create the sleepy expression, we took the brows from the expression of happiness and mixed them with the almost closed eyes of sadness. Cool, isn't it?

Family emotions

The fun doesn't end there! The family of emotions consists of those emotions, for the construction of which it is necessary to change only one component in the previous one.

Note that only the mouth has been changed in the drawing. We can express two different feelings, starting from the basic (“nonsense!” - “something smells unpleasant”).

Here is another example (“surprise” - “fear”):

Here, too, only the mouth was changed.

This time we use the mouth and eyes to create another version of the same primary emotion ("surprise" - "confused").

We can extract the third emotion from the secondary one:

Fantastic, isn't it? It's entirely possible that you'll end up with dozens or even hundreds of possible emotional faces for your design by applying these techniques!

The physical side of emotions

Primary emotions and physical states are very close concepts. One form of emotion can mean another.

Please note that the physical emotion follows from the primary one. Fatigue comes from sadness.

We can enhance the emotion by simply adding an additional element - drops of sweat (“hot”):

Let's look at another example of a physical reaction. This time our character is being electrocuted! In short: control over the reaction is completely lost!

We exaggerated the expression of the mouth to get the desired result.

Please note that primary emotions are dominant. Shock, even if uncontrollable, is a variant of fear.

Intensity and additional elements

Depending on the intensity of the expression of emotion, we can create very interesting results:

In addition to intensity, we can insert additional elements into the image to enhance the emotion. In the first image we will add a few drops of sweat, which emphasizes the fear. In the second case we add a language.

Let's return to fear. Let's adjust the image to explore a more intense feeling of panic!

We enlarge the character's eyes and close his face.

Angle changes

To achieve a stronger impact, you can change the viewing angle of the scene.

Please note that when placing the stage corner from top to bottom, it creates an impression of inferiority to our character. In contrast, when we position the camera from bottom to top, we make our character more threatening! The prominent chin and sneer help create the perfect atmosphere for expressing menace!

In cartoon style, menacing characters tend to have large chins, weak characters have large eyes but smaller jaws, and the mouth is always very close to the chin.

Try these methods in your projects and you will see!

Playing with social stereotypes and context

To make our characters more stereotypical, we can add some elements that reinforce the context of the scene.

Please note that the drunk has dirty hair, an unshaven appearance, heavy eyelids and one tooth sticking out of his mouth. The patient has a large nose and considerable age, his eyes are closed and saliva is visible when coughing.

Here's another example. The picture below can be applied in several contexts. The man on top feigns pain, the man below feigns rage.

Let's change the picture. Let's add tears to two characters and a cloth to the hand of one of them and they cry.

Facial signals

People use facial expressions to convey certain signals to other people.

Below is a clear example of signal exchange. The heartthrob directs his gaze to the girl. Did she fall in love with him?

Let's look at another example. A common cartoon scene: a cute girl who always gets what she wants.

Let's change the context. We only changed the direction of the eyes. This detail made the girl more shy.

Conclusion

If you have difficulty expressing the feelings and emotions of your characters, then the best way to achieve results is to practice perceiving the emotions of other people.

We hope you are motivated to learn how to express different emotions. And remember that for caricatures you need to exaggerate expressions and understand the basics of instantaneous expression.

Translation - Duty room.

What will you create

For all the artists and illustrators who have ever worked with facial expressions, those same expressions are like a computer monitor: if it doesn't work correctly, then all the effort put into designing the hard drive has been wasted.

In the ranking of what we pay attention to first when we look at a person, the face will be somewhere at the very top. If we notice a face in a composition, we will immediately pay attention to its expression. The body shows us movements, but the face is a window into inner world a person, and the ability to correctly show this very inner world is what distinguishes a good, observant illustrator (or, for example, a writer) from a bad one. That is why we must work hard on this topic. A lively facial expression can distract attention from any errors in proportions (partly because we will unconsciously linger on the face), but it doesn't work the other way around - a character with a mask-like face is terrible.

In drawing facial expressions, the artist faces the dichotomy of reality and representation. Actors, for example, have to gesticulate excessively and speak more expressively - also a “normal” facial expression will not always be easy to recognize, and therefore we should think not about what a sad expression looks like, but about what the face tells us about sadness. In other words, the illustration must somehow complement certain signs from real life that cannot be conveyed on paper.

In this tutorial, I'll talk about the parts of the face that change to convey emotion, and then move directly into how to portray a wide range of emotions. I tried to include as many emotions as possible, which are not so simple, but are depicted quite often, but this does not mean that I will show you everything that a face can express.

Here we should remember color wheel: You can mix any two colors, but if you mix too many colors, you'll end up with an odd gray tint. Likewise, we can experience several emotions at the same time, but the more of them and the more contradictory these emotions are, the more the face becomes like a mask, since the emotions seem to overlap each other.

There is no clear recipe for how to learn to portray a facial expression well, there is only one rule - the rule of thumb: how well you draw an emotion is directly related to how well you can depict it yourself, in other words, try to feel the emotion while drawing like a real actor.

Further in the lesson you will meet the so-called Tree of Emotions, which is my own classification of them, which I consider the most convenient, but this, naturally, is not a scientific classification and their arrangement may be different.

It is best to consider these emotions in relation to each other, rather than as something absolute, since different people Not only do they express emotions differently, but they can also interpret them differently, depending on their own experiences and background. The emotion I've labeled "angry" might look like "furious" to you, or maybe your character is so averse to emotional displays that if he gets angry, my chart says it's more like "upset." " But what’s really important is that “angry” is a brighter emotion than “sad,” but less vivid than “furious.”

Well, here you go interesting fact: Research shows that facial expressions of happiness, sadness, rage, fear, surprise, disgust and interest are identical across cultures.

How facial features tell us about our feelings

Eyes

Much can be depicted only with the help of the eyes. The interaction of the eyelids, the position of the iris, and the size of the pupil can create subtle but still noticeable changes in facial expression, since the eyes are the focal point of the face. They are the most important thing in a facial expression, so before you work on other facial features, make sure the eyes are depicted correctly. The description in bold in the screenshot below will correspond to the emotions on the Emotion Tree.

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Sleepy eyes: the eye is partially covered by the eyelid, Semi-closed iris and pupil, only a semicircle is visible; Relaxed eyes: open as usual, eyelid visible, Touching pupil: it barely touches the edge of the eyelid; Alive eyes: open as usual, but eyelids are not visible; Wide open eyes: opening large and round, Free pupil: does not touch the edges of the eyelids

Under Alive I mean the eyes in their natural state when we are active. They should not be more open than relaxed eyes, but if the drawing style is not very detailed, then there is no need to draw eyelids, since the observer may perceive them as a sign of some other emotion.

Also, the pupil can be of three sizes:

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Normal, Expanded, Narrowed

A dilated pupil does not occur in a lively or wide-open state of the eyes (except in a state of terror). A constricted pupil does not occur in relaxed or sleepy eyes.

note that light eyes(gray, blue) always seem wider open than dark ones, and vice versa, dark eyes always look more relaxed than light ones. It is necessary to remember all these factors when working on facial expressions, because only you will be able to create the right expression. My diagrams show light eyes throughout because I need to show the pupil.

Brows

Eyebrows are a very subtle indicator of emotions. I have noticed that even the slightest change in the arch of the eyebrow can completely change the expression on one's face. For our purposes, we can divide the eyebrow into two parts that move semi-independently: the base and the arch. Semi-independent, since with the movement of one part the other always moves a little. Both parts can be relaxed, raised or lowered, and the combination of these two movements gives us a new facial expression, as you can see in the table below:

Translator's note: in the screenshot: Parts of the eyebrow from left to right: base, bend; Table header from left to right horizontally: Relaxed, Raised, Lowered (frowns), table header from top to bottom vertically: Relaxed, Raised, Lowered.

Each movement has a certain gradation of intensity, which also affects the shape of the eyebrow as a whole (and can also form wrinkles above the nose and on the forehead), so in the end we will end up with many, many options with small differences that will be difficult to place in one table . Listen to your intuition, experience and observations. The Tree of Emotions will show you many examples.

Mouth

The mouth is in second place in terms of influence on facial expression after the eyes. You will find details of the position of the lips (and additional expressive characteristics, such as dimples, teeth...) on the Emotion Tree, and below you will find a reminder about the shape of the mouth, which is influenced by the curve of both lips.

1. Both lips are curved: grin, happy (open) mouth shape
2. The lower lip is curved down, the upper is curved up: a very happy shape of the mouth - it is open more than usual - perhaps to scream.
3. Both lips are curved upward: fright, fear (the corners of the lips are relaxed, but the lower lip is raised painfully)
4. The upper lip is curved up, the lower lip is curved down, but this time the upper lip is curved more: the jaw drops. Overall the mouth is relaxed.
5. The lips look as if they are trying to connect in the center: the reason for this is the corners, which are raised as if to growl: this is an angry open mouth.

Nose

The nose, to put it mildly, is not the most expressive part of the face, but it still changes with certain emotions (anger, crying, disgust, awakening) and wrinkles even appear on it if a person experiences very strong anger or disgust.

Tree of emotions

I present to you my classification of 58 facial expressions, most of which can be combined if necessary. In the middle you see Absence of Expression, from there the tree grows into 5 generalized expressions - Relaxed(blue), Surprised(green), Smiling(Yellow), Wicked(red) and Sad(violet). Below are the characteristics of each expression.

Translator's note: in the screenshot, top to bottom, left to right (first row, category Sad(purple)): Pain, Cry, Stress, Horror, Confusion, (second row Sad(purple)) Depression, Suffering, Frustration, Fear, Guilt, (third row Sad(purple)) Longing, Sadness, Disappointment, Experience, Shyness, (fourth row, Relaxed(blue)) Enjoyment, ( Sad(purple)) So-so, ( Wicked(red)) Skepticism, Revenge, Pouting, Grouchiness, (fifth row Relaxed(blue)) Revitalization, Peace, Relaxation, (center) Lack of emotions, ( Wicked(red)) Frowning, Sadness, Anger, Anger, Fury, (sixth row, Relaxed(blue)) Exhaustion, Fatigue, Laziness, ( Surprised(green)) Curiosity, ( Smiling(Yellow)) Smile, Innocence, ( Wicked(red)) Contempt, Disgust, (seventh row, Relaxed(blue)) Drowsiness, Boredom, ( Surprised(green)) Surprise, ( Smiling(Yellow) Hope, True Smile, Pride, ( Wicked(red)) Arrogance, Arrogance, (eighth row, Relaxed(blue)) Weakness, ( Surprised(green)) Impressed, Puzzled, ( Smiling(Yellow)) Tenderness, Grin, Satisfaction, Fun, Laughter, (ninth row, Surprised(green)) Shock, ( Smiling(Yellow)) Seductiveness, Excitement, Ecstasy

Relaxed facial expressions

Characterized by horizontal features and the absence of extremes - there will be no facial distortions.

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: No facial expression, Relaxed

Lack of expression

A face that lacks any expression is the starting point for all emotions, but it is given here so that you can distinguish it from a relaxed face. In real life, a face with no expression/a face with a neutral expression is a relaxed face, however, it does not always look like that. And it turns out this way because individual characteristics faces - some people look gloomy even when completely relaxed, while others appear to be smiling. So, in order to depict the lack of facial expression on paper, you need to pay attention to the following details:

• There is no expression on the face, however, it is not relaxed
• Eyebrows in a neutral position
• The eyes are lively but can be relaxed if you're going for a blank expression
• The pupil barely touches the edge of the eyelid
• Lips closed and neutral (straight horizontal line)

Relaxed expression

To separate this facial expression from its absence on paper, it is necessary to emphasize the feeling of relaxation:

• Slightly lift the corners of your mouth. A smile is almost imperceptible, but thanks to this it becomes clear that the person is experiencing rather pleasant emotions.
• Eyebrows are also neutral
• The eyes are relaxed, the pupil is closed and slightly dilated

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Peace, Revitalization, Enjoyment

Pacification

Inner calm and serenity are expressed externally in the absence of tension in facial features:

• The only real difference from a relaxed facial expression is that the eyes are closed, as if the person is completely trusting and surrendering.
• Due to the fact that the eyes are closed, the eyebrows bend slightly downwards
• The eyelid area in relaxed closed eyes is smooth, the lower eyelid is slightly curved upward.

Revival

"Aaaaahhh..." is a face selling cleansers and pleasant scents.

• The only real difference from "Pacification" is that the smile widens and the lips part in an instinctive reaction to something pleasant. Please note that if the emotion intensifies, “Revival” will develop into “Enjoyment”.

Pleasure

“Mmmm...” - true pleasure!

• The smile becomes wider, the corners are compressed, dimples may appear
• Eyes still closed for the same reason
• The head moves back, the chin rises, as if fencing off worldly worries, in order to feel the beauty of the moment

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Laziness, Fatigue, Exhaustion

Laziness

Heavy eyelids and a smile tell us that the person is not only relaxed, but also idle.

• The eyes are sleepy, the pupils are at least half hidden, the eyelids are less toned than in their normal state
• Even the eyebrows are flatter than usual
• A weak smile means less effort!

Fatigue

Loss of tone is no longer pleasing due to loss of energy:

• The head leans forward slightly
• Sleepy eyes
• Eyebrows look pitiful
• There are bags under the eyes

Exhaustion

There is no energy left at all, the person is weakened.

• The head bows noticeably
• Eyebrows look even more pitiful, even painful
• I can barely keep my eyes open
• Bags under the eyes stand out
• The jaw is so relaxed that it drops slightly

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Drowsiness, Weakness, Boredom

Drowsiness

The man nods off. This is a slightly different fatigue, in this case, it is not associated with overexertion, and, accordingly, it is not expressed on the face (unless the person is tired and sleepy at the same time).

• The eyebrows seem to be stretched over the eye that the person is trying to keep open.
• The head leans forward, and may also lean to the left or right
• The other eye and eyebrow are completely relaxed, like on the face of a sleeping person
• Mouth is neutral

Weakness

"A? What?...Where's my coffee? - this is the same state of “Monday morning” when we try with great difficulty not to fall asleep.

• Eyes are unfocused and cloudy
• Eyebrows appear puzzled
• The mouth indicates that the person is confused

Boredom

“Dying of boredom” is a suitable phrase to describe this facial expression: all the features are horizontal, and as if they are trying to outdo the complete lack of facial expression.

• Eyebrows are flatter and lower than usual
• The corners of the mouth turn down slightly (boredom is unpleasant), but not so much as to indicate effort
• Sleepy eyes

Surprised facial expressions

This category is a little smaller than the others, since surprise is usually closely associated with other emotions, but here we are dealing with pure surprise, neither positive nor negative. This facial expression is characterized by wide opening and roundness: first of all, the eyes, and then other features.

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Curiosity, Surprise, Puzzle

Curiosity

The only difference from the lack of facial expression is the interest expressed in the eye area.

• The eyebrows are raised; to create an accent, one eyebrow can be raised more strongly
• Eyes alive and focused
• You can open your mouth slightly to enhance expression.

Astonishment

A typical reaction to something unexpected. The head will usually tilt back unconsciously.

• The lips are compressed - this reaction is more stylistic than life-like - by making the mouth smaller, we can increase the emphasis on the eyes
• Wide, rounded eyes (the iris almost does not touch the eyelids) and eyebrows
• The mouth may be slightly open

Puzzled

“I don’t understand a thing...”

• The eyes are slightly squinted, and seem to be staring at the source of the problem, gaze directed downwards
• Brows furrowed in an attempt to focus.
• Lips pursed
• One eyebrow can be raised to enhance the questioning expression on the face (“Am I going to figure this out or not?”)
• Behavioral scientists note the following differences between the sexes: When men are confused, they tend to rub their chin, twitch their earlobes, or scratch their forehead/cheeks/back of neck. Women, on the other hand, tend to touch their finger to the bottom of their incisors with their mouth slightly open, or place it under their chin.

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Impressed, Shocked

Impressed

This is a reaction not just to something unexpected, but to something that a person did not consider possible at all. Usually this expression is accompanied by a tilt of the head forward so that the eyes have to be raised in order to see what actually impressed the person.

• The eyes are wide open, but the eyebrows are neither rounded nor raised (the opposite of Curiosity), as if the whole face has not yet fully believed in what is happening
• Jaw drops slightly

A more intense version of "Wonder" - something completely unimaginable happens: aliens land on earth, a dog asks what time it is, or something like that.

• The jaw drops, but although this signifies relaxation, the mouth remains narrow. Opening wide, as if in fear, would require muscle efforts that are not available at the moment of shock.
• Eyebrows are very raised
• The eyes are open to the maximum, the iris does not touch the eyelids
• Lips are not curled and teeth are not visible

Smiling facial expressions

Characterized by upward elevation of facial features.

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Smile, True Smile, Grin

Smile

This type of smile is called polite, intentional, weak, or “fake.” Two signs give it away (just do not confuse such a smile with a light but sincere one, as, for example, in “Pacification”):

• The lower eyelids do not shrink, and, accordingly, crow's feet do not appear in the corners of the eyes.
• The corners of the lips stretch horizontally instead of curling upward

This kind of smile can often be seen in photographs, as it does not distort facial features. In some cultures, such as Southeast Asia, such a smile can mean shame or even polite refusal.

True smile

A true smile (also known as a cheekbone smile) is a reflex that cannot be faked.

• The lower eyelids contract, often creating wrinkles called crow's feet.
• The corners of the mouth rise upward, and because of this, the entire smile line seems to rise on the face

Grin

A “true smile” of such intensity that the lips involuntarily part, exposing the teeth.

• The eyes are the same, or even more wrinkled
• The corners of the mouth are clearer, and lines are visible that connect them to the wings of the nose.
• The sudden appearance of teeth is a very strong signal of happiness

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Excitement, Ecstasy

Excitement

This emotion rushes out, so that the facial features, although tense, become more open.

• The eyes are wide open, but you can still see the tension in the lower eyelid
• Eyebrows raised
• Very wide open smile

Ecstasy

Emotions have finally broken through, and the face radiates joy and excitement.

• Eyebrows are rounded and raised high
• The eyes are rounded, the iris may not touch the eyelids
• An open smile is accompanied by an open mouth - it is difficult to remain silent in such a state

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Pride, Satisfaction

Pride

In this case, it is considered as a neutral emotion; for an emotion with a negative connotation, see Arrogance and Arrogance.

• The eyes are closed and relaxed, as if contemplating some achievement
• The smile is, in a sense, self-satisfied
• Chin high, head tilted back

Satisfaction

When everything turns out the way we want, but we need to restrain our emotions out of politeness or harm.

• Eyes closed, as if hiding satisfaction
• The lower eyelid is pressed against the upper eyelid, adding wrinkles
• A wide smile is sincere, but at the same time the mouth is compressed in order to hide gloating - this also adds wrinkles

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Fun, Laughter 1, Laughter 2

Fun

"Oops! It turned out funny."

• Eyebrows raised
• The eyes are partially alive - the pupil is slightly constricted
• A strong smile, however, a little compressed - perhaps so as not to offend the subject being made fun of

Laughter

1. Burst into laughter: the head suddenly tilts back. All tension is located in the lower part of the face, the eye area is still relaxed

• Eyes are closed and can be relaxed
• The mouth is wide open, the upper lip is almost flat, and the lower lip forms a parabolic curve
• Eyebrows are rounded and set high
• Nostrils flare
• Teeth and tongue visible

2. Laughter is a rude reaction: over time, stress (and even pain) becomes noticeable with tension in the rest of the facial features.

• The head and body move back and forth
• Eyebrows frown
• The eyes become strained and may begin to water
• The mouth is still wide open, but the effort to close it is noticeable
• The nose wrinkles and the nostrils flare

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Tenderness, Seductiveness

Tenderness

When looking at a loved one, a child, or something cute.

• The head leans to the side and slightly forward
• The eyes are full of tenderness: they are relaxed, the lower eyelid is slightly raised upward, the pupils are closed
• A gentle smile appears on the lips

Seductiveness

This facial expression depends on the person. In this example they mix possible options changes in facial features.

• The head leaning forward is a signal of obedience, indicating availability
• Sexual attraction dilates pupils and causes blush
• The eyes are tightly closed, the so-called “bedroom gaze”
• Lips slightly turned outward, indicating safety and accessibility (for both sexes)
• Please note that couples often tilt their heads down when talking, and both men and women bow their heads as a hint of flirting.

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Innocence, Nadezhda

Innocence

"Who am I? I have no idea what you're talking about." This is a comical facial expression, as someone who really wanted you to look innocent would maintain a relaxed expression and a straight gaze.

• Eyebrows are rounded and raised high, as if the person is surprised
• Eyes staring upward or to the side with exaggeration
• The mouth can take a variety of shapes, from a bow to a grin.

Hope

This facial expression simultaneously recognizes today's hardships and a bright future.

• Eyes look upward, as if imagining the future, or asking for better
• Sad eyebrows: “poor, unhappy me”
• A slight smile indicates hope: without it it would just be a sad face

Angry facial expressions

Characterized by tension, particularly in the area between the eyebrows, which reaches a maximum in some expressions.

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Frowning, Sadness, Angry

frown

A slightly frowning expression may mean that someone is getting angry, but it doesn't have to be; Frowning can also mean doubt, trying to focus, or trying to remember something. On a smiling face, a frown makes the expression more severe.

Apart from frowning eyes, the facial features express nothing. This is the face of the person who receives information (listens/watches/thinks): “I gather information before I make a verdict.”

• The eyes are alive and receive information.

Chagrin

There is no ambiguity here: this emotion is weaker than Angry, but it clearly indicates irritation.

• The base of the eyebrows moves downwards and a wrinkle may appear where they end
• A vertical wrinkle appears between the eyebrows
• The jaw is tense, which moves the lower lip forward and lowers the corners of the mouth
• Eyes are alive

Angry

An angry person stares very intently - this behavior is very typical, and causes the enemy to give up without a fight.

• Eyebrows are low and tense, which creates wrinkles
• The nostrils are flared, which makes the lines of the wings of the nose appear - all this indicates hatred towards the object of anger.
• The mouth is compressed into a line with hard, downward wrinkles at the corners
• One of the first signs of anger is uncontrollable redness of the ears.
• Other signs: tense body, dominant bye (hands on hips or clenched into fists, palm down striking gestures)

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Anger, Rage

Anger

It becomes impossible to restrain emotions, and the mouth opens to scream:

• The head leans forward like a bull ready to attack
• Eyebrows go as low as possible, casting a shadow on the eyes
• The area around the eyes is tense
• The mouth is twisted, as if to growl, the corners are stretched, but the lower lip tends upward
• Wrinkles appear on the nose, now there are not only vertical grooves, but also horizontal ones
• The nostrils flare even more, lines running from the wings of the nose to the corners of the mouth are clearly visible
• The lower fangs may be visible at the corners of the mouth

Fury

Complete transition to blind animal anger. What happens to the human face in this state can be compared to an angry lion or wolf.

• The eyebrows are both tense and arched, forming wrinkles on the forehead.
• Wide-open eyes with tiny pupils as if blinded by anger
• Wrinkles appear on the upper part of the nose
• It is quite possible that the person will splutter!
• Because of what rises arterial pressure, veins become visible on the temples
• The nose and mouth area goes into an extreme state of “Anger”, teeth and tongue become more visible

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Contempt, Arrogance, Arrogance

Contempt

A response to something disgusting, in a physical (bad smell...) or moral (cheating...) sense.

• The head tilts back, the gaze is directed downwards
• The nostrils rise, the wings of the nose become visible, and the lip curves on one or both sides
• The lower lip presses against the upper, curving the mouth
• The eyes are alive, but narrowed
• The corners of the mouth are stretched to the sides, making it wider

Arrogance

The expression on Lucius Malfoy's face. It is contempt, but with zero intensity: cold contempt. Here the object of contempt is not worthy of an emotional reaction.

• Eyes relaxed, pupils closed
• Eyebrows raised contemptuously and slightly frowned
• Mouth curved down
• Eyes may roll in disdain

Arrogance

A person is not only confident that he is better than everyone else, he is also smug.

• The head is tilted back, the gaze is directed downwards
• Eyebrows lowered and more furrowed
• Smug smile: a fake smile with the lower lip pressed against the upper lip in the center
• One or both corners of the mouth are raised in mockery, indicating cunning and superiority

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Disgust, Skepticism

Disgust

A universal reflex reaction, mainly to food, but can also extend to intangible objects. All facial features reject the subject of disgust, shrinking (eyes, nose) or protruding forward (mouth).

• The eyebrows are quite wrinkled
• Eyes narrowed or half-closed
• The head is tilted forward, the gaze is from under the brows
• Nose wrinkled
• The nostrils rise so high that the nose becomes distorted
• The lines of the wings of the nose are clearly visible and stretched the most
• The tongue imitates gagging and occupies most of the mouth.
• The selection is wrinkled
• The upper lip is relaxed, the lower lip is turned out and protrudes forward - this is how this shape of the mouth is formed
• The face lengthens due to the open mouth

Skepticism

“And you expect me to believe this?”

• A vacant gaze (sleepy eyes with straight horizontal eyelids, pupil half-closed) indicates boredom and disbelief (see Curiosity for a comparison with an animated gaze)
• One eyebrow raised is a universal sign of skepticism.
• The mouth is lowered so much that it does not appear satisfied (raise the corners of the mouth upward and the facial expression turns cynical)

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Revenge, Pouting lips, Grouchiness

Revenge

“You wait with me... you will get it from me...”

• The lower eyelid is closed more than the upper eyelid, creating a visible bag and drooping the corners of the eyes
• The eyes are narrowed, as if to take aim!
• The look is gloomy, the eyebrows are lowered, but no more - saving anger for a more opportune moment.
• The mouth is compressed and wrinkled so that it is almost the same width as the nose

Pout

“I don’t like it at all, but I can’t/won’t mind.” Most often, this facial expression occurs in children, but slightly pouting lips is an involuntary reflex when disagreeing.

• An accusatory glance from under frowned eyebrows
• The lower lip is pressed against the upper and appears thicker, the corners of the mouth are drooping, the chin is wrinkled
• The head bends forward in involuntary submission

Grouchiness

Distressed with mockery, this expression often indicates comical relief.

• The eyebrows are furrowed, but this is not so noticeable due to the sleepy eyes and half-closed pupils: “ In fact I’m not angry and I’m not suffering.”
• The corners of the lips are downturned, but the line of the mouth is not straight, which also indicates that this grimace should not be taken seriously.

Sad facial expressions

Characterized by downward inclination of facial features. All facial expressions of this branch will also include drooping shoulders.

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: So-so, Melancholy, Depression

So-so

"Pfft." The expression is almost neutral, with a slight hint that not everything is so good.

• One corner of the mouth is clenched, as if it were a failed attempt to smile.
• Eyebrows are neutral
• The eyes are relaxed, the pupil touches the eyelids

Yearning

The main difference from "Sorrow" is the eyes, which are comparatively relaxed in humility. This is what sadness turns into over time, as the pain subsides but does not disappear.

• As a result, the iris is larger and almost does not touch the eyelids
• Eyebrows may droop slightly or strongly

Depression

The next stage after “Tosca” - I didn’t even have the strength left to be sad. Humility turned into hopelessness and indifference.

• The look is depressed and sleepy, the iris is barely visible, the pupil is dilated. The eyes may be closed as an attempt to shut out the world.
• The head is lowered or even hung.
• The eyebrows can be almost neutral, as if it takes too much energy to keep them in a “sad” position.

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Sadness, Suffering, Crying

Sadness

A look full of pain, the reason for sadness is still fresh in memory. All facial features slope downwards.

• The bases of the eyebrows rise and come closer, but there is still no visible tension: this is pure sadness, without anger or fear
• The eyes are alive (due to pain), but the lower eyelids slope downwards and can form a fold, which emphasizes this. Pupils do not touch eyelids
• The corners of the lips are downturned
• "Silent tears" can roll down your cheeks

Suffering

Pain and confusion at the same time, there is no humility, but there is a desperate desire to eliminate the cause of suffering.

• The bases of the eyebrows are raised so high that tension is created
• Possible tears
• The lips are parted, as if the pain is so strong that it is impossible to contain it
• The corners of the lips are turned down, the lower lip is pressed upward in an unconscious but inevitable muscle reaction that occurs before crying.
• The pupil does not touch the eyelids, as the eyes are wide open in fear (the person is afraid that he will not be able to eliminate the pain)

Cry

The man is crushed and sobs uncontrollably; this facial expression shows the maximum distortion of facial features in this branch.

• The eyes are almost closed, as the eyebrows press on the upper eyelid, and the lower eyelid is pressed upward
• Tension creates horizontal folds on the forehead
• There are so many tears that they flow from both corners of the eyes
• Muscle spasm of the lower lip intensifies
• Face turns red
• Nostrils flare
• The chin is shaking

Translator's note: in the screenshot: Pain

Pain

This picture depicts an adult experiencing physical pain; to see the child’s reaction to pain, see “Crying.” The features are contracted as much as possible - tension can distract from the pain.

• The eyebrows are pressed to the eyes, the bases of the eyebrows rise to the top, depicting pain
• The lower lip is pressed upward, while the corners of the mouth are strongly drawn down, exposing clenched teeth and even the lower gum
• Eyes closed or narrowed
• Nose wrinkled
• Upper lip raised
• Characteristic folds resembling parentheses appear around the mouth, which also indicate tension.

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Frustration, Frustration, Stress

Disappointment

In children, disappointment would look like sadness, but in adults, sadness is shaded by reproach.

• The lips are pursed (to hold back a reproach), the mouth may be moved to the side in an attempt to hide the clenching
• Eyebrows can take on various combined expressions of sadness and frowning
• The eyes are alive, the pupils touch the eyelids

Disorder

A combination of anger and the desire to cry.

• The bases of the eyebrows try to frown and at the same time rise, wrinkling and turning the eyebrows into almost straight lines
• The lips are slightly pouting, but the main tension is concentrated in the eyebrows, as the brain is working hard, trying to find a solution to the problem.

Stress

When there is too much going on in the head, the whole face shrinks, as if in an attempt to contain all the thoughts, or perhaps to shut out the world in order to deal with all these thoughts.

• The eyebrows are pressed to the eyes, frowning, but their bases curl upward slightly, indicating pain.
• The eyes are frowned and squinted, the inner corners are downcast
• The lips are compressed, causing the mouth to rise
• The nose is wrinkled, the face seems to crunch, even the tip of the nose rises slightly
• The shape of the mouth resembles a wave, and seems to say, “Where to start? How to deal with this?

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Experience, Fright, Horror

Experience

An expression close to "Suffering", but with less anger and more fear.

• The base of the eyebrows is as in "Suffering", but the arch also rises, forming folds on the forehead

Fright

"Deer in Headlights."

• The eyes are wide open and look at the threat, constricted pupils are the main feature
• The bases of the eyebrows are raised
• Mouth clenched nervously
• The hand squeezes objects in fear, and because of this the tendons stand out

Horror

All facial features are open, the skin turns pale, and the hair stands on end.

• The eyes are very rounded, the pupil is tiny. This facial expression shows the very first seconds when a person is overcome by horror; Subsequently, the pupils dilate to see better, even though the eyes are wide open. The expression of extreme panic is creepy and completely unlike human
• The lines of the wings of the nose are visible
• Eyebrows raised high and tense
• A scream of horror bends the lower lip downwards, exposing the lower teeth

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Timidity, Guilt, Embarrassment

Timidity

The face also expresses mild embarrassment, as opposed to the strong "Embarrassment" emotion. Children express shyness by bowing their head to their shoulder and at the same time raising their shoulders.

• The head is bowed forward and pulled into the shoulders in an attempt to hide, like a turtle
• The cheeks, ears and neck are flushed
• A tense smile of embarrassment: the corners are pulled out to the sides, not up.

Guilt

It is expressed in an attempt not to show one’s guilt, in other words, a person tries to give his face an absent expression.

• The gaze falls down and to the side, as if eye contact will reveal all the secrets. The head will most likely be turned away
• The face is not expressive, as the person is trying to divert attention from himself
• It seems that the facial features have shrunk

Embarrassment

“Oh God, it would be better if I fell into the ground now!” - this emotion is most strongly expressed through the eyes, while other facial features tend to become less noticeable.

• The rounded, bulging eyes stared down and to the side; the head is ready to turn, quite possibly to hide the face completely
• The lower lip presses upward, feigning fear.

Pose

We rarely express our feelings with just our face: the whole body contains a whole set of unconscious gestures. If you use them, your character will look more alive and natural. The hands in particular are quite expressive, and I've mentioned their position under some of the facial expressions. Below are some common and noticeable poses used by illustrators:

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Hands on hips, Hands crossed, Hands touching body

Hands on hips

Palms on hips, fingers facing forward, elbows out:

• A classic sign of confidence
• Shows that the body is ready to get to work, perform some action, etc.
• Enlarges the upper body, making the person appear more dominant and threatening in an argument (or when disciplining children)
• Also means "Stay away from me, I'm in an antisocial mood"
• Note that if the thumbs are in front, the pose looks more feminine, and shows uncertainty rather than aggression.

Arms crossed

• Classic defense pose
• Disagreement, a person is closed to contact, arrogance, hostility. Women don't cross their arms around men they like.
• Self-soothing pose to alleviate anxiety and social stress
• If the arms and elbows are pressed tightly to the body, this indicates acute nervousness.

Hands touch the body

We unconsciously touch ourselves to calm ourselves down or relieve stress. Confusion, disagreement, disappointment, uncertainty are expressed by touching the lips with fingers, scratching the head, touching the neck, earlobe, other hand, rubbing the cheek, etc. This type of touching increases as stress and disapproval levels increase.

In particular, it can be effective to show repressed anger through such cues, since people tend to convey anger by gesticulating.

Please note that in children, the hand behind the head can express jealousy.

This exercise has already become a meme, but it's still cool for both fun and practical purposes: create a sheet of your favorite character (your own or any existing one), and then add a certain number of facial expressions to it. To avoid choosing based on convenience, select them randomly (for example, point your finger with your eyes closed). You can even go further and try mixed facial expressions or ones that weren't mentioned in this tutorial.

Translator's note: in the screenshot in rows from left to right: smile, peace, arrogance, rage, fear, horror

Translator's note: in the screenshot, in rows from left to right: blushing, terrified, uncertainty, daydreaming, pain, anger