Draw emotions with a pencil. Anime character

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We continue the section "Needlework" and the subsection "" with new, very, very useful information "Draw emotions with ease!" Where we offer you a simple, accessible, understandable about how, in fact, it is easy and simple to draw feelings.

We draw emotions with ease - all you need is paper, a pencil and forty minutes of free time. The result is that the hand "gets used" to draw this or that emotion. And the next time you need to portray a feeling, you can do it with ease. Well, or at least remember where you saw about it 🙂

Some of the traits you can use when drawing to draw an emotion more accurately are:

Most of these features are used in this video tutorial. So, we draw emotions easily - video tutorial:

And here is the result of a lesson completed by one of our authors. The first part of the drawn emotions:

The second part of the drawn emotions:

From him, a small addition:

Do not rush to keep up with the roller. Press pause more often. I personally benefited from the fact that I redrawn the failed faces several times. Fortunately, it is both fast and simple.

As you can see, a good and kind story about a boy from Ancient Greece 🙂

What will you create

For all the artists and illustrators who have worked with facial expressions, these very expressions will be something like a computer monitor: if it does not work correctly, then all the energy thrown into the development of the hard drive was wasted.

In the ranking of what we pay attention to first of all, when we look at a person, the face will be somewhere at the very top. If we notice a face in the composition, we immediately pay attention to its expression. The body shows us movements, but the face is a window into the inner world of 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 need to work hard on this topic. A lively facial expression can divert attention from some errors in proportions (partly due to the fact that we will unknowingly hold our attention on the face), however, on the contrary, this does not work - a character with a face that looks like a mask is terrible.

In drawing facial expressions, the artist is faced with the dichotomy of reality and image. Actors, for example, have to use unnecessary gestures and speak more expressively - also, the "normal" facial expression will not always be easy to recognize, and therefore we should not think about what a sad expression looks like, but about what the face tells us about sorrow. In other words, the illustration must somehow fill in certain features from real life that cannot be conveyed on paper.

In this lesson, I will talk about the parts of the face that change to convey emotion, and then I will go directly to how to portray a wide range of emotions. I tried to include as many emotions as possible, which are not so simple, but are portrayed quite often, only this does not mean at all that I will show you everything that a face can express.

Here you should remember the color wheel: you can mix any two colors, but if you mix too many colors, you get an incomprehensible gray shade. Likewise, we can experience several emotions at the same time, but the more there are of them and the more contradictory these emotions are, the more the face becomes like a mask, since emotions seem to overlap each other.

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

Further in the lesson, you will come across the so-called Tree of Emotions, which is my own classification of them, which I think is the most convenient, but this, of course, is not a scientific classification and their other arrangement is possible.

It is best to consider the given emotions in relation to each other, rather than as something absolute, since different people not only express emotions in different ways, but can also interpret them differently, depending on their own experience and origin. The emotion that I labeled “angry” might look like “angry” to you, or maybe your character is so disinclined to show emotions that if he gets angry, it will look more like “upset” according to my diagram. ". But what is really important is that “angry” is a more vivid emotion than “upset”, but less vivid than “angry”.

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

How facial features speak of our feelings

Eyes

Much can only be depicted with the eyes. The interaction of the eyelids, the location of the iris, and the size of the pupil can create subtle but still noticeable changes in facial expression, as the eyes are the focus of the face. They are the most important thing in facial expression, so before working on other features, make sure that the eyes are represented correctly. The description in bold in the screenshot below will correspond to the emotes on the Emotion Tree.

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Sleepy eyes: the eye is partially closed by the eyelid, Half closed iris and pupil, only a semicircle is visible; Relaxed eyes: open as usual, the eyelid is visible, Touching pupil: it barely touches the edge of the eyelid; Alive eyes: open as usual, but the eyelid is not visible; Wide open eyes: the opening is 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 you do not need to draw the eyelids, since the observer can 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: Regular, Expanded, Narrowed

A dilated pupil does not occur in a live or wide-open state of the eyes (except in a state of dread). A constricted pupil does not occur in a relaxed or drowsy state of the eyes.

Please note that light eyes (gray, blue) always appear wider than dark ones, and vice versa, dark eyes always look more relaxed than light ones. You need to keep all of these factors in mind when working on your facial expression, because only you will be able to create the right expression. In my diagrams, light eyes are shown everywhere, since I need to show the pupil.

Brows

Eyebrows are a very subtle indicator of emotion. I have noticed that even the slightest change in the curve of the eyebrow can completely change the expression on the face. For our purposes, we can divide the brow into two parts that move semi-independently: the base and the bend. 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 the two 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; The head of the table from left to right horizontally: Relaxed, Raised, Lowered (frowning), the head of the table 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 that in the end we will have many, many options with small differences that will be difficult to place in one table. ... Listen to your intuition, experience and observation. The Emotion Tree will show you many examples.

Mouth

The mouth is the second most influential factor 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 curvature of both lips.

1. Both lips are curved: grin, happy (open) mouth shape
2. The lower lip is curved towards the bottom, the upper lip is curved up: a very happy mouth shape - it is open more than usual - perhaps to scream.
3. Both lips are curved upward: fear, fear (the corners of the lips are relaxed, but the lower lip is raised in pain)
4. The upper lip is curved upward, the lower lip downward, but this time the upper lip is curved more: the jaw is drooping. In general, 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 that are raised as if in order 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 even wrinkles appear on it if a person experiences very strong anger or disgust.

Emotion tree

I present to you my classification of 58 facial expressions, most of which, if necessary, can be combined. In the middle you see No Expression, from there the tree grows into 5 generic expressions - Relaxed(blue), Surprised(green), Smiling(Yellow), Evil(red) and Sad(purple). Below are the characteristics of each expression.

Translator's note: in the screenshot, from top to bottom, from left to right (first row, category Sad(purple)): Pain, Cry, Stress, Horror, Embarrassment, (second row Sad(purple)) Depression, Suffering, Upset, Fright, Guilt, (third row Sad(purple)) Longing, Sadness, Disappointment, Anxiety, Timidity, (fourth row, Relaxed(blue)) Pleasure, ( Sad(purple)) So so, ( Evil(red)) Skepticism, Revenge, Pouty lips, Grumpiness, (fifth row Relaxed(blue)) Revitalization, Pacification, Relaxation, (center) Lack of emotion, ( Evil(red)) Frowning, Chagrin, Angry, Anger, Rage, (sixth row, Relaxed(blue)) Exhaustion, Fatigue, Laziness, ( Surprised(green)) Curiosity, ( Smiling(Yellow)) Smile, Innocence, ( Evil(red)) Contempt, Disgust, (seventh row, Relaxed(blue)) Drowsiness, Boredom, ( Surprised(green)) Surprise, ( Smiling(Yellow) Hope, True Smile, Pride, ( Evil(red)) Arrogance, Arrogance, (eighth row, Relaxed(blue)) Weakness, ( Surprised(green)) Impressed, Perplexed, ( Smiling(Yellow)) Tenderness, Bared teeth, Contentment, Fun, Laughter, (ninth row, Surprised(green)) Shock, ( Smiling(Yellow)) Seductiveness, Excitement, Ecstasy

Relaxed facial expressions

They are characterized by horizontality of features and the absence of extremes - there will be no distortion of the face.

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 included here so that you can distinguish it from a relaxed face. In real life, a face that does not have a neutral expression / face is a relaxed face, however, it does not always look like this. And it turns out this way due to the individual characteristics of faces - some people look gloomy, even when they are completely relaxed, while others seem to be smiling. So, in order to portray 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
• Eyes are alive, but can be relaxed if you aim for an absent facial 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:

• Raise the corners of your mouth slightly. The 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: Appeasement, Revitalization, Enjoyment

Appeasement

Internal calmness and serenity are expressed externally in the absence of tension in the facial features:

• The only real difference from the relaxed facial expression is the closed eyes, the person seems to completely trust and surrender.
• Due to the fact that the eyes are closed, the eyebrows are slightly tilted down
• The eyelid area in relaxed closed eyes is smooth, the lower eyelid is slightly curved upward.

Revitalization

"Aaaaahhh ..." is the person selling cleansers and pleasant fragrances.

• The only real difference from Pacification is that the smile widens and the lips open in an instinctive reaction to something pleasant. Please note that in case of an increase in emotion, "Revitalization" will grow into "Enjoyment".

Pleasure

"Mmmm ..." is a real pleasure!

• The smile becomes wider, the corners are compressed, dimples may appear
• Eyes are still closed for the same reason
• The head shifts back, the chin rises, as if fencing off worldly worries in order to feel all 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 lounging around.

• Sleepy eyes, pupils are at least half hidden, eyelids are less toned than in a normal state
• Even eyebrows are flatter than usual
• Smile is weak - less effort!

Fatigue

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

• Head tilts forward slightly
• Sleepy eyes
• Eyebrows look plaintive
• Bags are visible under the eyes

Depletion

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

• Head bows noticeably
• Eyebrows look even more pitiful, even painful
• Eyes barely keep open
• Under eye bags 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 is nodding. 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 pulled over the eye that the person is trying to keep open
• Head tilts forward, and possibly tilts left or right as well
• The other eye and eyebrow are completely relaxed, as on the face of a sleeping person.
• The mouth is neutral

Weakness

"A? What? ... Where is my coffee? " - this is the same state of "Monday morning" when we are trying with great difficulty to stay awake.

• Eyes out of focus and clouded
• Eyebrows appear puzzled
• The mouth indicates that the person is confused.

Boredom

“Dying of boredom” is an appropriate phrase to describe this facial expression: all features are horizontal, and, as if trying to surpass the complete lack of facial expression.

• The eyebrows are flatter and drooped lower than usual
• The corners of the mouth are slightly drooping (boredom is unpleasant), but not enough to indicate effort
• Sleepy eyes

Surprised facial expressions

This category is slightly smaller than the others, since surprise is usually closely related to other emotions, but here we are dealing with pure surprise, not positive or negative. This facial expression is characterized by wide openings and roundness: first of all, the eyes, and then the rest of the features.

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

Curiosity

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

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

Astonishment

Typical reaction to something unexpected. The head usually tilts back unconsciously.

• The lips are compressed - this reaction is more stylistic than life - by reducing the mouth, we can increase the emphasis on the eyes
• Wide, rounded eyes (the iris hardly touches the eyelids) and eyebrows
• The mouth may be slightly open

Perplexity

"I don't understand anything ..."

• The eyes are slightly slanted, and as if they were staring at the source of the problem, the gaze is directed downward
• Eyebrows furrowed in an effort to focus
• Lips pursed
• One eyebrow can be raised to enhance the questioning expression on the face ("Will I deal with this or not?")
• Behaviorists 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 the neck. Women, on the other hand, tend to touch the bottom of the incisors with their fingers, opening their mouths slightly, or placing them under the chin.

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

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 the person, in fact, was impressed by.

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

A more intense version of "Surprise" - something completely unimaginable happens: the aliens have landed on the ground, the dog asks what time it is, or something like that.

• The jaw drops, but while it means relaxation, the mouth remains narrow. Opening wide, as if in fear, would require muscular efforts, which are inaccessible at the moment of shock.
• Eyebrows are strongly raised
• The eyes are open to the maximum, the iris does not touch the eyelids
• The lips are not curled and the teeth are not visible

Smiling facial expressions

Characterized by raising the facial features upward.

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Smile, True smile, Bared teeth

Smile

This smile is called polite, deliberate, weak, or "fake." She is given two signs (just do not confuse such a smile with a light, but sincere, as, for example, in "Pacification"):

• The lower eyelids do not contract, and, accordingly, crow's feet do not appear at the corners of the eyes.
• The corners of the lips are stretched horizontally instead of curling up

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 a polite refusal.

True smile

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

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

Grin

A "true smile" of such intensity that the lips involuntarily open up, exposing their teeth.

• The eyes are the same, or even more wrinkled
• The corners of the mouth are clearer, 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.

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

Ecstasy

Emotions finally broke out, and the face radiates joy and excitement.

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

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

Pride

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

• Eyes closed and relaxed, as if contemplating some achievement
• Smile, in a way, smug
• The chin is raised high, the head is tilted back

Satisfaction

When everything goes the way we want, but you need to restrain emotions out of politeness or harmfulness.

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

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

Fun

"Oops! It’s funny. ”

• Eyebrows raised
• Eyes partially alive - the pupil is slightly constricted
• A strong smile, however, a little compressed - perhaps so as not to offend the subject being toyed with

Laughter

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

• The 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 the tension of the rest of the facial features.

• Head and body move back and forth
• Eyebrows frown
• Eyes tighten and may start to water
• The mouth is still wide open, but the force being applied to close it is noticeable.
• Nose wrinkles and 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.

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

Seductiveness

This facial expression depends on the person. This example mixes up the options for changing facial features.

• Head tilting forward is a signal of obedience indicating availability.
• Sexual attraction dilates pupils and induces blush
• Eyes tightly closed, the so-called "gaze in the bedroom"
• Lips are turned slightly outward, indicating safety and accessibility (both sexes)
• Note that couples often tilt their heads when talking, and both men and women tilt their heads as a hint of flirting.

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

Innocence

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

• The eyebrows are rounded and raised high, as if the person is surprised
• Eyes staring exaggeratedly up or to the side
• The mouth can take many different forms, from a bow to a grin.

Hope

In this facial expression, today's hardships and a bright future are simultaneously recognizable.

• Eyes look up, as if representing the future, or asking for the best
• Sad eyebrows: "poor, unhappy me"
• A slight smile indicates hope: without it, it would be just a sad face.

Angry facial expressions

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

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

Gloom

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

In addition to frowning eyes, facial features do not express anything. This is the face of the person who receives the information (listens / looks / thinks): "I am collecting information before making 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 eyebrow moves downward, 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
• The eyes are alive

Angry

An angry person stares very intently - this behavior is very typical, and makes the opponent surrender without a fight.

• The eyebrows are lowered and tense, which creates wrinkles
• The nostrils are swollen, which makes the lines of the wings of the nose appear - all of which indicate hatred of the object of the angry.
• The mouth is compressed in a line with hard descending wrinkles at the corners
• One of the first signs of anger is uncontrollable reddening of the ears.
• Other signs: tense body, dominant while (hands on hips or clenched into fists, palm down 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:

• Head leans forward like a bull ready to attack
• Eyebrows droop as low as possible, casting a shadow over the eyes
• Tension around the eyes
• The mouth is twisted, as if for a growl, the corners are stretched, but the lower lip tends to the top
• Wrinkles appear on the nose, now there are not only vertical grooves, but also horizontal ones
• Nostrils inflate even more, lines are clearly visible from the wings of the nose to the corners of the mouth
• Lower canine teeth may be visible in the corners of the mouth.

Rage

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

• The eyebrows are tense and curved at the same time, forming wrinkles on the forehead.
• Wide eyes with tiny pupils as if blinded by anger
• Wrinkles appear on the top of the nose
• It is possible that a person is splashing saliva!
• Due to the fact that blood pressure rises, veins become visible in the temples
• The area of ​​the nose and mouth goes into an extreme degree of "Anger", teeth and tongue become more visible

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

Contempt

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

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

Arrogance

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

• Eyes are relaxed, pupils are closed
• The eyebrows are raised contemptuously and slightly frowned.
• The mouth is curved down
• Eyes can roll contemptuously

Arrogance

A person is not only sure that he is the best, he is also smug.

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

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

Disgust

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

• Eyebrows are wrinkled enough
• Eyes narrowed or half closed
• Head tilted forward, look sullenly
• Nose wrinkled
• Nostrils go up so high that the nose distorts
• The lines of the wings of the nose are clearly visible and stretched the most.
• Tongue depicts gagging, occupies most of the mouth
• The collection is wrinkled
• The upper lip is relaxed, the lower lip is twisted and protrudes forward - this is how this mouth shape is formed
• The face is lengthened due to the open mouth

Skepticism

"And you expect me to believe it?"

• Absent gaze (sleepy eyes with straight horizontal eyelids, half-closed pupil) indicates boredom and disbelief (see Curiosity to compare with a lively gaze)
• One eyebrow raised is a universal sign of skepticism
• The mouth is down so that it does not seem satisfied (lift the corners of the mouth up, and the expression on the face turns to cynical)

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

Revenge

"You wait with me ... you will get from me ..."

• The lower eyelid is closed more than the upper, creating a visible sac and lowering the corners of the eyes downward
• The eyes are narrowed, as if in order to aim!
• The look is frowning, the eyebrows are lowered, but no more - maintaining 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 in case of disagreement.

• Accusatory look from under frowned brows
• The lower lip is pressed against the upper lip and seems thicker, the corners of the mouth are lowered, the chin is wrinkled
• Head tilts forward in involuntary submission

Grouchiness

Chagrin with mockery, such an expression often indicates comical relief.

• The brows are furrowed, but this is not so noticeable due to sleepy eyes and half-closed pupils: “ Actually I am not angry and do not suffer. "
• The corners of the lips are lowered, but the line of the mouth is not even, which also indicates that this grimace should not be taken seriously.

Sad facial expressions

Characterized by the declination of facial features downward. The drooping shoulders will also be added to all facial expressions of this branch.

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 compressed as if it were a failed attempt to smile.
• Brows 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 go away.

• As a result, the iris is larger and hardly touches the eyelids.
• Eyebrows may slope slightly or strongly downward.

Depression

The next stage after "Tosca" - even there was no strength left to be sad. Humility has turned into hopelessness and indifference.

• The look is depressed and sleepy, the iris is barely visible, the pupil is dilated. The eyes can be closed, as an attempt to isolate oneself from the world.
• The head is lowered or even drooped.
• 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 cause of the sadness is still fresh in my memory. All facial features slope downward.

• The bases of the eyebrows rise and draw 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 tilt downward, and may form a fold that emphasizes this. The pupils do not touch the eyelids
• The corners of the lips are down
• "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 remove the cause of suffering.

• The base of the eyebrows is raised so high that tension is created
• Tears are possible
• Lips open as if the pain is so intense that it is impossible to contain it.
• The corners of the lips are lowered, the lower lip is pressed upward in an unconscious but inevitable muscular 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 person 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 are pressed against the upper eyelid, and the lower eyelid is pressed up
• Tension creates horizontal folds in the forehead
• There are so many tears that they pour from both corners of the eyes
• Muscle spasm of the lower lip worsens
• Face turns red
• Nostrils flare
• Chin trembles

Translator's note: in the screenshot: Pain

Pain

This picture depicts an adult in physical pain, to see the child's reaction to pain see Crying. The features are cut as hard as possible - tension can distract from pain.

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

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

Disappointment

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

• The lips are compressed (to contain the rebuke), the mouth can be pulled to the side in an attempt to hide the tightness
• The eyebrows can take on various combined expressions of sadness and frown.
• The eyes are alive, the pupils touch the eyelids

Disorder

Combinations of anger and a desire to cry.

• The base of the eyebrows tries to frown and at the same time lift up, frowning and turning the eyebrows into almost straight lines
• The lips are slightly puffed, but the main tension is concentrated in the eyebrows, as the brain works hard to find a solution to the problem

Stress

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

• The eyebrows are pressed against the eyes, frowning, but their base curls slightly upward, indicating pain
• The eyes are frowned and slanted, the inner corners are down
• The lips are compressed, because of this, the mouth rises
• The nose is wrinkled, the face is crunching, 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: Worry, Fright, Horror

Experience

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

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

The fright

"Deer in the headlights".

• Eyes wide open and looking at the threat, constricted pupils are the main feature
• The base of the eyebrows is raised
• Mouth compressed nervously
• Objects are squeezed in the hand in fear, and because of this tendons stand out

Horror

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

• The eyes are strongly rounded, the pupil is tiny. This facial expression shows the very first seconds when a person is seized by horror; in the future, the pupils dilate to see better, even though the eyes are wide open. The expression of the strongest panic turns out to be creepy and completely unlike the human
• The lines of the wings of the nose are visible
• Eyebrows raised high and tense
• A scream of terror curls her lower lip downward, exposing her 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 a strong "Embarrassed" emotion. Children express shyness by tilting their heads to their shoulders while lifting their shoulders.

• Head tilted forward and pulled into shoulders in an attempt to hide like a turtle
• Blush on cheeks, ears and neck
• A tight smile of embarrassment: the corners are stretched to the sides, not up

Guilt

It is expressed in an attempt not to show their guilt, in other words, a person is trying to give the face an absent expression.

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

Embarrassment

"Oh my God, it would be better for me to sink into the ground now!" - This emotion is most strongly expressed with the eyes, while the rest of the facial features tend to become less noticeable.

• The bulging, rounded eyes stared down and to the side; the head is ready to turn, it is quite possible to hide the face completely
• The lower lip is pressed upward, depicting fear

Pose

We rarely express our feelings with just one face: the whole body contains a whole set of unconscious gestures. If you use them, your character will look more lively and natural. In particular, the hands are very expressive, and I have mentioned their position under some of the facial expressions. Below are some common and notable poses used by illustrators:

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

Hands on hips

Palms on thighs, fingers forward, elbows outward:

• The classic sign of confidence
• Indicates that the body is ready to start work, perform some action, etc.
• Enlarges the upper body, making the person appear more bossy and threatening in an argument (or in the process of punishing 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, dislike. Women don't cross their arms next to men they like.
• Self-Comfort Pose to Reduce 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 down or relieve stress. Confusion, disagreement, disappointment, uncertainty are expressed in touching the lips with fingers, scratching the head, touching the neck, lobe, other hand, rubbing the cheek, etc. This touching increases with stress and disapproval.

In particular, it will be effective to show suppressed rage with such hints, as people tend to move the anger by gesturing.

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

This exercise has already turned into a meme, but it's still cool both for fun and for 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 picking on the basis of convenience, pick them at random (for example, point your finger with your eyes closed). You can even go a step 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, appeasement, arrogance, rage, fright, horror

Translator's note: in the screenshot from the rows from left to right: blushed, in horror, uncertainty, dreaminess, pain, anger

Have you ever noticed human facial features on a woody surface, in an electrical outlet, or on a crunchy, mouth-watering cream cheese sandwich? If you do not take into account the fact that you could have rolled cough syrup right before that, this is due to the fact that humans are inherently machines for recognizing familiar patterns. With a special penchant for recognizing faces and the information they display. Our brain automatically notices them even where they are not.

As a character artist, it is a big omission not to be able to fill an inanimate object with life with the help of an expressive physiognomy; convey the feelings and thoughts of its owner; make us feel like this character, empathize with him and even with age continue to have a special sympathy for ordinary drawings on paper. This is akin to magic (and maybe even a little nonsense).

... However, since you are reading this, I suppose it makes no sense for me to advocate the benefits of making the characters emotional. Instead, I will release sharp remarks in my address, as I expound my chaotic notes and subjective judgments regarding the drawing process.

WHAT IT IS WORTH TO LEARN FROM

There are many tricks that can help you avoid painstaking work on the emotionality of a character. It's not that they're all harmful, it's just that if you call yourself a character artist, you have to decide how much you will limit yourself (and your characters) by relying on these tricks. Some examples:

Zaurya-zhenia

Yes, I understand that they are "fashionable" (like the plague in the Middle Ages), but apart from that they are absolutely monotonous, which makes them look like smilies, and not like living emotions.

Instead, you can take advantage of the distinctive traits of your characters to make their emotions unique. Or you can continue to rivet these mediocre emoticons right on their faces, every time they need to be revived. And I will remain passive-aggressive in everything that concerns this topic.

Permanent "C" shaped Mouth(1 picture) .

Emotions created by the open mouth are incredibly energy and time-saving ... but they also look incredibly boring and monotonous.

Flounder-faced commotion(2 picture) .

I am familiar with the practice when some of the character's facial features, like those of a majestic flounder, were located on one side of the face. Eerie as sexy. In low-budget animation, sometimes they resort to drawing a 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 to draw an emotion in profile.

HOW TO LEARN TO DRAW

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

TIPS FOR BEGINNERS

Think about everything you learn! (This may not be of much use, but it's worth it.)

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

It helps tremendously to figure out how to draw a character from different angles with a face deformed by emotion.

(a.) Remember that all facial features are simultaneously involved in creating emotion. Eyes, eyebrows, and mouth tighten, stretch, move and curl at the moment when emotion appears on the face.

(b.) When simulating such compression and stretching, multipliers resort to deliberate disruption of the anatomical structure of the body. The more they exaggerate, the more cartoonish the emotion looks.

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

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

Practice. And as often as possible.

The best place to start is with a casual sketch. Most emotions can be portrayed with a couple of lines, so there is no need to sketch in detail to experiment with facial expressions.

These quick sketches are good for creating more detailed drawings like the ones below.

(To be on the safe side, below, among the rest, I have also outlined notes on expressions that can be arguably called useful.)

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

For example, here's an excerpt with an incredibly stupid situation. Essentially, this is an exercise in drawing gestures and emotions.

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

Example? Please.

Bruce Willis - a sidelong look, an asymmetrical grin. Merlin Monroe - a raised chin, narrowed eyes, an open mouth. Try to mentally imagine that the faces of these people will take on the expressions of each other, they will seem strange and completely unfamiliar.

Mimicry really expresses a person's character. There are many books on how different emotions affect the facial muscles. For example, "Body Language" by Allan and Barbara Pease or Paul Ekman is the first thing that comes to mind (apart from anatomy for artists, of course). If you want to paint emotional portraits, information about the work of the muscles of the face will not be superfluous at all.

And for those who would like to try their hand at painting emotions right now, I would suggest starting with sketches and quick sketches. And for starters, I suggest you watch one lesson on this topic:

The lesson was prepared by the artist Tatyana Olenchinkova.

Emotions attract attention, it's hard to disagree with this!

Here are some more image examples for inspiration. emotions in the paintings of the great masters:

Repin, "The Cossacks Write a Letter to the Turkish Sultan"

Ribera, "Hawk"

There are millions of eyes, mouths, noses, ears, chins in the whole world and each with its own characteristics. However, to make cartoon-style 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 face behavior

In the same way as the tone of the voice, the expression on the face lends itself to an easy and quick change. Different expressions are not only the result of muscle contraction, but also the simultaneous action of some and the relaxation of opposing muscles. For example, when laughing and smiling, the same muscles are involved, only with different intensities.

If asked to describe the feelings 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, people use this facial expression 80% a day. When a person is alone, then this is the expression on his face, when a person in a company, listening or talking, usually his face expresses various emotions.

Primary emotions

Primary emotions are those emotions that arise on 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 up - the eyebrows are raised up - the eyes are wide open;
• Anger (2): The corners of the lips are down - the tips of the eyebrows near the nose are down - the eyes are wide open;
• Fright (3): The corners of the lips (sometimes the entire line of the lips) are randomly lowered down - raised eyebrows of an irregular shape - the eyes are wide open;
• Sadness (4): The corners of the lips are pulled 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 generally necessary to develop other expressions based on the main ones.

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

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

"Why separate these two emotions from the first group?"

Simple: these expressions are variations of the first group.

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

Note that to create a sleepy expression, we took the eyebrows from the expression of happiness and mixed with the almost closed eyes of the 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 figure. We can express two different feelings, starting from the basic one ("nonsense!" - "Something smells bad").

Here's another example ("surprise" - "apprehension"):

Here, too, only the mouth was changed.

This time we use our mouth and eyes to get a different version of the same primary emotion (“surprise” - “confusion”).

We can extract the third emotion from the secondary one:

Fantastic, isn't it? It is possible that you will end up with dozens or even hundreds of possible emotional faces for your designs 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.

Note that physical emotion stems from primary emotion. Fatigue comes from sadness.

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

Let's see another example of a physical reaction. This time, our character is exposed to an electric shock! In short: completely lost control over the reaction!

We exaggerated the mouth expression to get the desired result.

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 emotion. In the first image, let's add a few beads of sweat to emphasize the fear. In the second case, we add a language.

Back to fear. Let's tweak the image to explore a more intense sense of panic!

Increase the character's eyes and close his face.

Angle changes

To achieve a stronger effect, you can change the angle of view of the scene.

Note that placing the corner of the stage from top to bottom gives the impression of inferiority to our character. In contrast, by positioning the camera from bottom to top, we make our character more threatening! A prominent chin and a taunt help create the perfect atmosphere to express a threat!

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 techniques in your projects and you will see!

Playing with social stereotypes and context

To give more stereotype to our characters, we can add some elements that reinforce the context of the scene.

Note that the drunk has dirty hair, 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 depicts pain, the man below is furious.

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

Facial signals

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

Below is an illustrative example of signal exchange. The smoothie directs his gaze to the girl. Did she fall in love with him?

Let's look at another example. Common cartoon scene: A sweet 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 other people's emotions.

Hopefully you are motivated to explore expressing different emotions. And remember to exaggerate the expressions and understand the basics of their instant formation for cartoons.

Translation - Duty room.