How to draw human emotions? Expression of feelings on paper, features of facial expressions, step-by-step sketches and step-by-step instructions. Anatomy of the face: angles, emotions, races

We see millions of eyes, mouths, noses, ears and chins in this world, and each of them is special. However, in order to draw cartoon faces enough knowledge of the basics. Once you have mastered them, add to this an understanding of depth, then make sure that the drawing of the head looks three-dimensional (3D), and also master the technique of drawing from any angle. If you can do all this - great! However, if you really want to draw attention to your art, you will need to master a technique that allows you to bring your characters to life with facial expressions!

Anyone can draw a face. Draw a circle, add a few dots and lines - and anyone who looks at your drawing will say that this is a face. On the one hand, it seems to be so easy to do, but on the other hand, it can be very difficult when feelings and emotions appear ...

Human facial expressions

The facial expression of a person, as well as the tone of voice, is easy to change. Expressions appear on the face not only as a result of the contraction of certain muscles; in fact, some muscles contract at the same time, while the opposite muscles relax. For example, the same muscle groups are involved in both laughter and smiling, but with different intensity.

If I ask you to accurately name all the feelings you see in the picture below, what would you say?

I know what you will answer. You will surely say that you see an image of calmness and reflection. Perhaps he was thinking about something. In reality, it's not like that! In this picture, we see a complete absence of emotions, since not a single muscle is involved. Since there are no emotions, probably the most best description become the words "calm" and "relaxed".

It is perfectly natural to use this expression in your drawings. Why not? 80% of people have this facial expression most day! However, people only have this facial expression when they are alone. After all, when a person looks at another person, or when he finds himself in a certain situation, a reaction inevitably arises. And it will have its own reaction! In animation, we blow this effect to the maximum so that it is clear to our audience exactly what emotions are expressed on the face.

Primitive emotions

Primitive emotions are those emotions that we, human beings, have little control over. This means that such an emotion is not easy to orchestrate. Let's say it occurs suddenly, in response to a primitive stimulus.

Primitive emotions are expressed regardless of our culture, nationality or age. Here are some of the most basic examples:

• Joy (1): the corners of the mouth are turned up, the eyebrows are raised, the eyes are wide open.
• Anger (2): the corners of the mouth are down, the eyebrows are raised at an angle, and the inner edges are down, the eyes are wide open.
• Fear (3): the mouth is slightly skewed, the corners go down, the eyebrows are raised up, while the line of the eyebrows is uneven, the eyes are wide open.
• Sadness (4): the corners of the mouth are rounded down, the inner corners of the eyebrows are slightly raised, the upper eyelids hang over the eyes.

These are primitive facial expressions that appear quite often on our faces throughout life. To draw cartoon characters, you need to master these four expressions. Based on them, we can create all other emotions.

There are a couple more expressions, they are less often referred to as primitive, while they are also included in the group of basic expressions.

• Surprise (5): the mouth is small, half open, the eyebrows are raised, the line of the eyebrows is slightly uneven, the eyes are wide open.
• Annoyance (6): the mouth is twisted, skewed, the eyebrows are lowered, the inner tips of the eyebrows are directed downwards, the eyes are closed.

"Why on earth do you separate these two from the first group?"- The answer is simple: If you pay attention, each of these expressions is a combination of expressions from the first group.

Now that you are familiar with the basic expressions, you are probably wondering why there are so few of them. It's simple: we have primary colors , and there are enough of them to mix any colors you want. In the same way, other facial expressions can be made from primitive emotions! Take a look:

To create a sleepy expression, we took the eyebrows from the expression joy and added to them half-closed eyes from sadness. It's great, isn't it?

related emotions

That's not all! You can create related emotions, it is enough to take the most similar emotion and change only one element in the face, and another one emotion!

Note that only the mouth has been changed in these two drawings. We can express two kinds of disgust by changing one single part of the face! (captions on the picture: "Damn!" and "Stink!") Below is another example:

I remind you that we only had to change the mouth to create the necessary emotion. (Captions on the picture: "amazed", "fears".)

This time we are redrawing the mouth and eyes slightly to complete the main emotion. (Caption on the picture: "amazed" "confused").

Emotions can be drawn not only on the basis of basic ones. You can draw a third level of emotions based on secondary ones. Look:

As before, it was only necessary to redraw the mouth. (Signatures: "sleepy", "in love").

Amazing, right? With this technique, your designs can be brought to life with dozens, maybe hundreds of emotional faces!

Emotions express physical state

Physical state-based emotions rely on the same concept of basic emotions, but they differ in that they can take on various unpredictable forms.

Note that the emotions of the physical state are also drawn based on primitive emotions. Fatigue taken from sadness.

Emotion can be expressed using an additional element, such as drops of sweat (Signed: "heat"):

Let's look at another example of a spontaneous reaction that we do not really know how to control. This time our character was electrocuted! In short, he has no control over his reaction!

When we are in shock, it is difficult to control, which gives us an advantage in drawing cartoon characters - you can exaggerate this expression as much as possible and achieve the desired effect. In this case, we have greatly enlarged the mouth.

Note that primitive emotions always dominate. Shock, even in its uncontrollable form, is nothing but fear. As for the emotions of the physical state, it is interesting that in real life we express them without really thinking about how they arise, since we are subject to external factors and other conditions.

The power of emotions and additional elements

Cartoon facial expressions can also change depending on the strength of the expression. By changing the intensity, we achieve very interesting results:

Vegeta? (If you don't know, this is a Dragon Ball character). (Captions under the pictures: "shock", "huge shock!")

In addition to intensity, you can add additional elements to enhance the effect. In the first picture, we added a few drops of sweat flying off the face to emphasize the expression of fear. In the second - stick out the tongue to strengthen desired effect.

Back to fear, let's see how to draw more strong feeling- panic!

We increased the size of the eyes and "forced" the character to cover his face - the result is an amazing effect! "Congratulations!" (Caption under the picture: "scared to death").

Change of angle

You can change the angle of the face to create a deeper impression and to achieve a more dramatic effect. That is, change the point from which you look at the scene: you can create unusual situations. If you place the point of view from an unfamiliar side, you will put your character in an "uncomfortable" position. This will give the scene more dynamics.

Here is an example of how changing the angle affects the strength of an expression.

Notice that when viewed from top to bottom, the effect of humiliation of the character is automatically created, we kind of "force" him to shrink, he looks more fragile compared to the threat. In contrast, when viewed from the bottom up, the character looks more formidable. The protruding chin, smirk and wild look create the perfect atmosphere for intimidation!

In the animation bad characters often large mandibles and small eyes. In this case, a weaker character will have large eyes and a more expressive, but small lower jaw, and the mouth is usually located lower at the chin. Try this technique in your designs to see for yourself!

Playing with common stereotypes and context

To create a stereotypical character, minor elements can be added to complete the context of the scene. Some of these methods can have an immediate effect, as we are used to holding stereotyped information throughout our lives. This is influenced by many factors, in particular: cinema, television and certain people from Everyday life.

Let's take a drunkard for example. Tangled hair, unshaven, heavy eyelids, lack of teeth - and we have a classic drunkard slob. We grow up and get used to the fact that such features distinguish a person who has been abusing alcohol for a long time. The sick person is depicted as older, with a swollen nose. Closed eyes and drops of saliva indicate that something is wrong with his health.

Here is another example. The picture below fits different contexts. On the one hand, the person above can be in great pain, while the person below is torn apart by rage.

Let's add a few details to make a big difference. See what happened? It was enough to add tears and a handkerchief, and it becomes obvious that both are crying.

Additional elements change the context of the scene.

Signal exchange

If we add to all of the above the numerous ways in which we exchange specific signals with other people, our face has many surprises in store for us. This is because, like physical states, we do not have much power over such "signs". Because of this, we sometimes react quite unexpectedly for ourselves, often succumbing to the will of the senses.

Below is an example of "signaling". Lovelace fixed a fatal gaze on the girl in order to woo her with his magic of seduction. She responds with a look filled with passion. Do you think she fell in love with him?

Let's look at another example. The picture below is quite typical in cartoons: a pretty girl "makes eyes" so that she always gets what she wants, and at the same time looks very cute.

Who can resist such a pretty face?

Let's change the context. We change the direction of the gaze, and now she is already looking away from the character in front of her. Now she looks more timid. It's great, right?

In addition to the new direction of gaze, we added a little blush to her cheeks, and now we have a very shy girl in front of us.

Conclusion

If you find it difficult to draw feelings and emotions in your characters, one of the best ways to learn how to do this is to try it yourself. imitate these emotions. This way you will train your personal perception and add new techniques to your arsenal.

The expression of emotions and feelings in animation is a vast topic for study and goes far beyond facial expressions. As stated above, we are in full control of our emotions as long as we do not lose control over them; for example, until a dog bites us.

Do you want to experiment? Invite your family to take a photo together and notice how they all smile the same way - this controlled emotion, we know how to express feigned joy, if necessary. Now scare them well, and you will see how fear will be displayed in different ways on their faces!

I hope you are now inspired and ready to try what you have learned here - to draw different emotions on the faces of your characters. Keep in mind that in animation we exaggerate most of these expressions; it is also important for you to understand at least the basics of how emotions are expressed on the face - this way you will help your viewer see what you want to convey.

Well, who at least once did not use the power of seduction in an attempt to win someone's heart with a glance?

What will you create

For all the artists and illustrators who have ever worked with facial expressions, these very expressions will be something like computer monitor: if it does not work correctly, then all the forces thrown into development hard drive have 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 immediately pay attention to its expression. The body shows us the 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 some errors in proportions (partly due to the fact that we will unconsciously focus 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 faces the dichotomy of reality and image. Actors, for example, have to gesticulate unnecessarily and speak more expressively - also, a “normal” facial expression will not always be easy to recognize, and therefore we should not think about how a sad expression looks like, but about what a face tells us about sadness. In other words, the illustration must somehow make up for 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 I'll 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 depicted quite often, but this does not mean at all that I will show you everything that a face can express.

Here we should remember the color wheel: you can mix any two colors, but if you mix too many colors, you get an incomprehensible gray shade. In the same way, we can experience several emotions at the same time, but the more there are and the more contradictory these emotions, the more face becomes like a mask, as 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 thumb: how well you draw an emotion is directly related to how well you can portray it yourself, in other words - try to feel the emotion in the process of 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, of course, is not a scientific classification and their location 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 express emotions in different ways, but also can interpret them differently, depending on their own experience and background. The emotion I've labeled "angry" might look like "enraged" to you, or maybe your character is so averse to expressing emotions that if he gets angry, it will look more like "frustrated" according to my diagram. ". But what is really important is that “angry” is an emotion more vivid than “disappointed”, but less vivid than “enraged”.

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

How do facial features tell us how we feel?

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 yet noticeable changes in facial expression, as the eyes are the focus of attention on the face. They are the most important thing in facial expression, so before working on other features, make sure that the eyes are depicted correctly. The description in bold in the screenshot below will match the emotions 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, eyelid visible, Touching pupil: it barely touches the edge of the eyelid; live eyes: open as usual, but the eyelids are 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 opened more than relaxed eyes, but if the drawing style is not very detailed, then the eyelids do not need to be drawn, as 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, Extended, Narrowed

A dilated pupil does not occur in a live or wide open eye state (except in the terror state). Constricted pupil does not occur in relaxed or sleepy eyes.

Please note that light eyes (gray, blue) always appear wider than dark eyes, and vice versa, dark eyes always look more relaxed than light ones. It is necessary to keep all these factors in mind when working on 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 emotions. I noticed that even the slightest change in the arch of an eyebrow can completely change the look of a face. For our purposes, we can divide the brow 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: on 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 (frowns), 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 in the end we will end up with many, many options with small differences that will be difficult to put in one table. . Listen to your intuition, experience and observations. The Emotion Tree will show you many examples.

Mouth

The mouth is in second place in terms of the degree of influence on facial expression after the eyes. You will find details of the position of the lips (and additional expressive features like dimples, teeth...) on the Emotion Tree, and below you will find a guide to the shape of the mouth, which is affected by the curvature of both lips.

1. Both lips are curved: smirk, happy (open) mouth shape
2. The lower lip is curved downwards, the upper is curved upwards: a very happy form of the mouth - it is open more than usual - perhaps to scream.
3. Both lips are curved upwards: fear, fear (the corners of the lips are relaxed, but the lower lip is raised in pain)
4. The upper lip is curved up, the lower lip is curved down, but this time the upper lip is more curved: the jaw is dropped. 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, which 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.

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 No Expression, from there the tree grows into 5 generic expressions - Relaxed(blue), Surprised(green), smiling(Yellow), Evil(red) and sad(violet). 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, Confusion, (second row sad(purple)) Depression, Suffering, Frustration, Fear, Guilt, (third row sad(purple)) Longing, Sadness, Disappointment, Experience, Timidity, (fourth row, Relaxed(blue)) Delight, ( sad(purple)) So-so, ( Evil(red)) Skepticism, Revenge, Pout, Grouchiness, (fifth row Relaxed(blue)) Revitalization, Appeasement, Relaxation, (center) Lack of emotion, ( Evil(red)) Frowning, Grief, 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)) Sleepiness, Boredom, ( Surprised(green)) Surprise, ( smiling(Yellow) Hope, True Smile, Pride, ( Evil(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

They are 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 this. And it turns out this way because of the individual characteristics of faces - some people look gloomy, even when completely relaxed, while others seem to be smiling. So, in order to depict the absence 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 aiming 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. 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

Inner calmness and serenity are expressed outwardly in the absence of tension in facial features:

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

revival

“Aaaahhh…” is a face that sells cleansers and pleasant fragrances.

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

Pleasure

"Mmmm ..." - a real 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 a person is not only relaxed, but also messing around.

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

Fatigue

The loss of tone is no longer happy due to the loss of energy:

• Head tilts slightly forward
• Sleepy eyes
• Eyebrows look pitiful
• Bags under the eyes

exhaustion

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

• The head is visibly tilted
• Eyebrows look even more pathetic, even painful
• I can barely keep my eyes open
• Loose bags under the eyes
• 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. 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).

• Eyebrows seem to be stretched over the eye that the person is trying to keep open
• Head tilts forward, and may also tilt to the left or right
• The other eye and eyebrow are completely relaxed, as on the face of a sleeping person.
• Mouth is neutral

Weakness

"BUT? What?…Where is my coffee?” - this is the very state of “Monday morning”, when we are trying with great difficulty not to fall asleep.

• Eyes out of focus and cloudy
• Eyebrows look puzzled
• The mouth indicates that the person is confused

Boredom

"Dying of boredom" is an appropriate phrase to describe this facial expression: all the features are horizontal, and, as if they are trying to outdo the complete absence of facial expression.

• Eyebrows are the most flat and lower than usual
• The corners of the mouth are slightly lowered (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 related to other emotions, but here we are dealing with pure surprise, neither positive nor negative. Such a 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, Perplexity

Curiosity

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

• Eyebrows are raised, to create an accent, one eyebrow can be raised stronger
• Eyes are alive and focused
• You can open your mouth slightly to enhance expression

Astonishment

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

• Lips tighten - this reaction is more stylistic than life - by reducing the mouth, we can increase the emphasis on the eyes
• Wide, rounded eyes (the iris barely touches the eyelids) and eyebrows
• Mouth may be slightly open

puzzled

"I don't understand anything..."

• The eyes are slightly slanted, as if staring at the source of the problems, the gaze is directed downward
• Eyebrows furrowed in an attempt to focus
• Lips pursed
• One eyebrow can be raised to enhance the questioning facial expression (“Will I deal with this or not?”)
• Behaviorists note the following differences between the sexes: When men are puzzled, 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 their incisors with their finger slightly open, or place it under their 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 forward tilt of the head so that the eyes have to be lifted in order to see what the person was actually impressed with.

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

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

• The jaw drops, but although this means relaxation, the mouth remains narrow. Opening wide, as if in fear, would require muscular effort, which is not available at the moment of shock.
• Eyebrows 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 an upward elevation of facial features.

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

Smile

Such a smile is called polite, intentional, weak or "fake". It is given out by two signs (just do not confuse such a smile with a light, but sincere, 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 are stretched horizontally instead of curling up

Such a smile can often be seen in photographs, as it does not distort facial features. In some cultures, for example, South-East Asia, such a smile can mean shame or even polite refusal.

true smile

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

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

Grin

A "true smile" of such intensity that the lips part involuntarily, revealing the teeth.

• The eyes are the same, or even more wrinkled
• The corners of the mouth are more distinct, 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 finally burst out, 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 mouth is added to an open smile - it is difficult to remain silent in this 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.

• Eyes closed and relaxed, as if contemplating some achievement
• Smile, in a way, self-satisfied
• Chin up high, head tilted back

Satisfaction

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

• Eyes closed as if to hide 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's been fun."

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

Laugh

1. Break out 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 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
• Visible teeth and tongue

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 moving back and forth
• Eyebrows frown
• Eyes strain and may start to water
• The mouth is still wide open, but the effort required 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 tilted to one side and slightly forward
• The eyes are full of tenderness: they are relaxed, the lower eyelid is slightly raised up, the pupils are covered
• A gentle smile appears on the lips

seductiveness

This facial expression depends on the person. This example mixes possible options changes in facial features.

• Head tilted forward is an obedience signal indicating availability
• Sexual attraction dilates pupils and causes a blush
• The eyes are tightly closed, the so-called "look in the bedroom"
• Lips turned slightly outwards to indicate safety and accessibility (for both sexes)
• Please note that couples often bow their heads 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, Hope

Innocence

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

• The eyebrows are rounded and raised high, as if the person is surprised.
• Eyes staring up or away with exaggeration
• The mouth can take on a variety of 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 imagining the future, or asking for the best
• Eyebrows sad: "poor, unfortunate me"
• A slight smile indicates hope: without it, it would just be a sad face.

Evil facial expressions

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

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

frowning

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

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'm gathering 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 down, and where they end, a wrinkle may appear.
• Vertical wrinkle appears between the eyebrows
• The jaw is tense, which moves the lower lip forward and lowers the corners of the mouth
• Eyes alive

angry

An angry person looks very intently - this behavior is very typical, and causes the opponent to surrender 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 show - all this indicates hatred of the object of anger.
• The mouth is compressed into 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 yet (hands on hips or clenched into fists, palm down punching gestures)

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

Anger

Emotions become impossible to contain, and the mouth opens to scream:

• Head tilted forward like a bull ready to attack
• Eyebrows fall as low as possible, casting a shadow on the eyes
• The area around the eyes is tense
• The mouth is twisted, as if for a growl, the corners are stretched, but the lower lip tends upward
• Wrinkles appear on the nose, now there are not only vertical furrows, but also horizontal ones
• The nostrils swell even more, clearly visible lines extending from the wings of the nose to the corners of the mouth
• Lower fangs can be seen at 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 simultaneously tense and curved, 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 splashes with saliva!
• Due to the fact that blood pressure rises, veins become visible on the temples
• The area of ​​the nose and mouth goes into the extreme degree of "Anger", the 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 (treason...) 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, curving the mouth
• Eyes alive but narrowed
• The corners of the mouth are stretched to the sides, making it wider

Arrogance

The look 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 contemptuously raised and slightly furrowed
• Mouth curved down
• Eyes may roll in disdain

Arrogance

A person is not only sure that he is the best, he is also self-satisfied.

• Head tilted back, gaze directed down
• Eyebrows lowered and more frowning
• Smug smile: fake smile, in the center the lower lip is pressed against the upper
• One or both corners of the mouth are turned up in mockery, 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 by contracting (eyes, nose) or protruding forward (mouth).

• Eyebrows are quite wrinkled
• Eyes narrowed or half closed
• Head tilted forward, looking down
• Nose wrinkled
• Nostrils rise so high that the nose is distorted
• The alar lines are clearly visible and stretched the most
• The tongue depicts a gagging urge, occupies most of the mouth
• Compilation wrinkled
• The upper lip is relaxed, the lower lip is turned out 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?"

• Staring away (sleepy eyes with straight horizontal eyelids, pupil half closed) indicates boredom and disbelief (see "Curiosity" to compare with a lively look)
• One eyebrow raised is a universal sign of skepticism
• Mouth down enough to not appear satisfied (pull the corners of the mouth up and the facial expression will turn into a cynical one)

Translator's note: in the screenshot from left to right: Revenge, Pout, Grumpiness

Revenge

“You wait with me ... you will receive from me ...”

• The lower eyelid is closed more than the upper eyelid, creating a visible bag and lowering the corners of the eyes.
• The eyes are narrowed, as if in order to aim!
• The look is frowning, 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 are an involuntary reflex when disagreeing.

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

Grouchiness

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

• The eyebrows are furrowed, but this is not so noticeable due to sleepy eyes and half-closed pupils: “ In fact I am not angry and I 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 expressions

Characterized by downward sloping facial features. To all facial expressions of this branch, lowered shoulders will also be added.

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

So-so

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

• One corner of the mouth is compressed, as if unsuccessful attempt 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 resignation. 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" - there was not even 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.
• 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 sadness is still fresh in my memory. All facial features are sloping down.

• The bases of the eyebrows rise and come closer, but there is no visible tension yet: it is pure sadness, without anger or fear.
• The eyes are alive (due to pain), but the lower lids droop down and may form a crease to emphasize this. The pupils do not touch the eyelids
• The corners of the lips are turned down
• "Silent tears" can roll down the 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 formed
• Possible tears
• Lips parted, 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 up 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 weeps 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 up
• Tension creates horizontal creases on the forehead
• There are so many tears that they pour from both corners of the eyes.
• Muscle spasm of the lower lip intensifies
• Face turns red
• nostrils flare
• chin trembling

Translator's note: in the screenshot: Pain

Pain

This picture depicts an adult in physical pain, see "Crying" for a child's reaction to pain. The features are reduced as much as possible - tension can distract from pain.

• Eyebrows are pressed to the eyes, the base of the eyebrows rise to the top, depicting pain
• The lower lip is pressed upward, while the corners of the mouth are strongly pulled down, 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: Frustration, Frustration, Stress

Disappointment

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

• Lips pursed (to contain reproach), mouth may be moved to the side in an attempt to hide the contraction
• 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 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 pouty, 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 contracts, as if in an attempt to contain all thoughts, or maybe shut out the world in order to deal with all these thoughts.

• Eyebrows are pressed to the eyes, frowning, but their bases curl up slightly, indicating pain.
• The eyes are frowned and slanted, the inner corners are lowered
• The lips are compressed, because of this, the mouth rises
• 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 it?

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

Experience

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

• The bases of the eyebrows, as in "Suffering", but the curve also rises, forming wrinkles on the forehead

fright

"Deer in the headlights."

• Eyes wide open and looking at the threat, constricted pupils - the main feature
• The bases of the eyebrows are raised
• Mouth nervously clenched
• The hand in fear squeezes objects, 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 terrified; in the future, the pupils dilate to see better, although the eyes are wide open. The expression of the strongest panic turns out to be creepy and completely unlike human
• The lines of the wings of the nose are visible
• Eyebrows raised high and tense
• A scream of terror curves the lower lip downward, exposing the lower teeth.

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

Timidity

The face also expresses slight embarrassment, in contrast to strong emotion"Embarrassment". Children express shyness by tilting their heads to their shoulders while raising their shoulders at the same time.

• The head is tilted forward and pulled into the shoulders in an attempt to hide like a turtle.
• Cheeks, ears and neck blush
• A forced smile of embarrassment: the corners are stretched 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 an absent expression to his face.

• The gaze falls down and to the side, as if eye contact will reveal all the secrets. 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 facial features have shrunk

Embarrassment

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

• Round, bulging eyes stared down and to the side; the head is ready to turn, quite possibly to hide the face altogether
• The lower lip is pressed up, 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 alive and natural. In particular, the hands are very expressive, and I have mentioned their position under some 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 hips, fingers forward, elbows out:

• Classic sign of confidence
• Shows that the body is ready to start working, perform some action, etc.
• Enlarges the upper body, making the person look more bossy and threatening in an argument (or in the process of punishing children)
• Also means "Stay away from me, I'm in an asocial mood"
• Note that if the thumbs are in front, the pose looks more feminine, and shows ambiguity 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.
• A self-soothing pose designed to alleviate anxiety and social stress
• If the arms and elbows are tightly pressed 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 lips with fingers, scratching the head, touching the neck, earlobe, other hand, rubbing the cheek, etc. Such touching intensifies as the level of stress and disapproval increases.

In particular, it is effective to show repressed rage with such allusions, as people tend to convey anger by gesturing.

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

Practice time

It's amazing how many people don't know how to portray an emotion, even if they've experienced it many times. The solution is to observe yourself from the inside. If you can awaken emotions in yourself in any way (a sad or funny movie, thinking about something that makes you angry, watching a video with kittens, whatever), look carefully, both from the inside and in the mirror, how your face (and posture). It is better to watch from the inside once you get used to it, as looking in the mirror can take your mind off your feelings. Alternatively, you can observe yourself and/or others in life emotional situations. We see many such situations on a daily basis; Most importantly, stay vigilant.

This exercise has already become a meme, but it's still cool for fun and for practical purposes: create a list 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, choose them randomly (for example, poke with your eyes closed). You can even go even further and try mixed facial expressions or ones not mentioned in this lesson.

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

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

The human face is a very complex thing. Especially, you understand it when you undertake to draw it. Often in the head all the emotions, the forms look very beautiful, but it is worth it to get to practice, and the result is more than depressing. The reason for this is usually a lack of knowledge. Human emotions, facial features and complex angles can be disassembled into simple steps and rules that will help even a beginner to understand exactly how to achieve this or that effect.

In this article, we will introduce you to the basic knowledge of face drawing and cover topics such as depicting face shapes, basic angles, emotions, and ethnic features. If you want to learn how to draw sketches of indignant, cheerful or indifferent people both in transport and on the street - these simple rules you will be very useful. We will try to acquaint you with how to correctly convey human emotions through facial expressions and remind you what subtleties you should remember when drawing a person's face.

1. Basics

face shape

Highly individual characteristic, which, if you do not know how to approach it, can seriously puzzle any artist. In reality, behind this intricate concept are very simple lines which need to be studied more closely. For example, in the image below, you can see the basic shapes of the face.

• Rectangular: a long face, almost the same in width both below and above.
• In the form of a diamond: narrow forehead and chin, the widest part is the middle of the face.
• Square: approximately the same in width and length face with a square chin.
• In the shape of a heart: faces with a pointed chin and a parting that repeats the shape of a heart.
• triangular: sharp chin and even parting.
• Oval: the shape of the face repeats an inverted egg, with a narrow chin and the widest part in the middle of the face.
• Round: approximately the same in width and length, with a rounded chin.

angles

In order to correctly convey the dynamics of the face, and sometimes even some kind of emotion, it is necessary to catch the right angle. It may seem hard work, but if you keep the basic principles in mind, with a little practice, you will no longer be intimidated by the prospect of drawing a birdwatcher.

Profile

The face can be inscribed in a square and divided into two equal parts, where the middle is the human ear. Visible eye should be located very close to the edge of the conditional square, and the nose, mouth and chin should slightly go beyond the border.

In order to successfully depict this angle, it is worth remembering three things:

• The size: the right side of the face looks larger because it is closer to us and takes up more space. The left side is farther away and therefore will always look smaller.
• Overlap: the nose is located on that part of the face that is farthest from us.
• Planes: in this view we see both the front and side of the face

look down

Now let's try to understand the features of this difficult angle.

• The size: due to the fact that the top of the head is closer to us, it looks larger than the rest of the face and takes up more space.
• Overlap: the nose overlaps the distant elements of the head, in this case the lips and mouth. Also, the eyebrows slightly overlap the eyelids.
• Planes: due to the fact that we are looking at the character from above, we see only the upper surface of the head, nose and eyebrows.

It is worth remembering that the ears in this perspective seem higher than the eyes.

look up

The queue has reached the angle with the gaze directed upwards.

• The size: now the lower part is closer to the viewer and seems larger.
• Overlap: the nose again overlaps the farthest parts of the face.
• Planes: in this perspective we see the lower plane of the face, namely the chin and nostrils
• From this angle, the ears seem to be lower than the eyes.

2. Emotions and facial expressions

Emotions, one might say, breathe life into our faces, and without them, any drawing looks uninteresting. But in order to portray them convincingly enough, you need to understand how they are expressed on our faces.

Renowned psychologist Paul Ekman has spent many years researching human emotions and their physical manifestation in people around the world. He identified six basic emotions that are common to all cultures, genders and races. What’s more, his team broke down these basic emotions into facial muscle movements to gain a more detailed understanding of how emotions are expressed in our faces.

For any artist, this knowledge is priceless. By understanding how these emotions involve the eyes, nose, eyebrows, and mouth, you will be able to portray any emotion and control its intensity.

Astonishment

The eyebrows are raised, the eyes are wide open, the jaw is open, parting the lips. The inner corner of the eyebrows is raised. It is worth remembering that this is not a tense emotion: the upper and lower eyelids are relaxed, the mouth is simply open without much tension. This is very important to remember so as not to confuse surprise and fear.

Fear

As well as in surprise - eyebrows raised up. But in this case, the inner corners of the eyebrows are reduced to each other, making the eyebrows arched. This arch of the eyebrows creates small wrinkles between the eyebrows. Again, the eyes and mouth are wide open, only in the case of fear, the expression is much more tense. The eyelids are slightly raised, the lips are tense and curved, with the jaw laid back.

Disgust

The most important thing in this expression is the nose and mouth. The upper lip is raised, the lower lip can be in both a raised and a low position. The nose is wrinkled and creates wrinkles around the mouth. The stronger the disgust, the more wrinkles there will be around the mouth.

Anger

In anger, the eyebrows are lowered and brought together. Do not confuse this expression with fear, where the eyebrows are drawn together and raised. The best way to show this position of the eyebrows in the drawing is to add wrinkles between the eyebrows, without them it will be difficult to convey the expression realistically enough. The eyes are open again, but with a tense lower eyelid. The nostrils are upturned, the mouth is tense, it can be closed or open with the teeth brought together.

Happiness

Happiness is conveyed through a smile or laughter. The corners of the mouth are stretched and raised up. Because of this, the cheeks also rise, making the eyes smaller. In this emotion, it is very important to remember that there should be wrinkles (“crow's feet”) near the corners of the eyes. The absence of wrinkles from a smile indicates that the emotion is not entirely sincere. Only this small detail can already transform your drawing.

Sadness

The inner corners of the eyebrows are brought together and raised. The inside of the upper eyelid tends upward, while the lower eyelid may appear raised. The corners of the lips are lowered, the lips seem to tremble.

Having managed to use the knowledge of these basic emotions, you will very quickly learn to depict any emotions and even character on a human face. Once you master the basics, you can easily mix these emotions to create new expressions. For example, you can use eyebrows for fear and a mouth for joy, and get a cruel expression.

3. Ethnic features

In order to make your work even more dynamic, realistic and interesting, you also need to be able to portray ethnic differences between people.

Our unique external features are what makes us so unique. Different races, as a result of adaptation to external conditions, have developed various external characteristics.

Let's try to look at the characteristics of each race and understand how these physical differences can be transferred to paper. For ease of reference, we will conditionally divide people into several ethnic groups, with pronounced physical differences.

Asians

A distinctive feature of the Asian type of face can be considered high cheekbones, a small nose and a narrow slit of the eyes, with an outer angle higher than the inner one. Eyelids and eyebrows are usually weakly expressed. The shape of the face is usually oval or round. The hair is dark, straight and coarse. Skin slightly yellowish. Lips are medium in thickness.

African Americans

A feature of the structure of the face of African Americans can be considered their nose and lips. The nose is usually broad but not flat and rarely pointed or prominent. In order to convey it correctly, first draw an inverted triangle and three circles at the bottom. This will help to make the nose of the required width. The lips are very full and swollen in both men and women. It is worth remembering that the hair texture of African Americans is usually very curly. Hair is not always black - it can be brown, red, or even ash white. Color - all shades of brown.

Caucasoids

Hair, as a rule, wavy or straight, a wide variety of colors. The skin is light, pinkish or olive. The nose is protruding, but not wide, the eyes are set horizontally with a poorly developed upper eyelid. Lips are thin.

Now that we've covered the basics of anatomy human face, we hope that you will finally be able to turn your idea into reality, begin to better understand how emotions work, how races differ from each other, how to correctly depict one or another angle and choose the right face shape.

The main photo is taken from the website.

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 lesson we will learn how to create emotions on faces. cartoon characters in just a few steps.

Human face behavior

Just like the tone of voice, facial expressions lend themselves to easy and quick change. Different expressions are not only the result of muscle contraction, but also the simultaneous action of one and the relaxation of opposite muscles. For example, when laughing and smiling, the same muscles are involved, only with different intensities.

If you are asked to describe what feelings are depicted 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 facial expression people use 80% a day. When a person is alone, this is exactly the expression on his face, but when a person is 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 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 line of the lips) are randomly lowered down - raised eyebrows irregular shape- wide open eyes;
• Sadness (4): The corners of the lips are lowered down - the tips of the eyebrows near the nose are raised up - the eyes with lowered eyelids.

These are the basic facial expressions and we use them most frequently 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): 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 expressions of the first group.

Now, you might be wondering why there are so few basic forms of expression? 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 a sleepy expression, we took the eyebrows from the expression of happiness and mixed them with almost closed eyes of sadness. Cool, isn't it?

family emotions

The fun doesn't end! A 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 one ("nonsense!" - "something smells bad").

Here is another example ("surprise" - "fear"):

Here, too, only the mouth has been changed.

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

We can extract the third emotion from the secondary:

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 of the concept are very close. One form of emotion can mean another.

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

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

Let's see another example of a physical reaction. This time our character is being electrocuted! 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 when uncontrollable, is a variant of fear.

Intensity and additional elements

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

In addition to intensity, we can insert additional elements into the image to increase emotion. In the first image, let's add a few drops of sweat to emphasize the fear. In the second case, we add a language.

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

Zoom in on the character's eyes and cover his face.

Angle changes

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

Note that when placing the corner of the stage from top to bottom, it creates an impression of inferiority for our character. In contrast, by positioning the camera from bottom to top, we make our character more menacing! The prominent chin and taunt help create the perfect atmosphere for threatening!

Cartoon style in menacing characters tend to have big chins, weak characters big eyes but smaller jaws, and the mouth is always very close to the chin.

Try to apply 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.

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, eyes are closed and saliva is visible when coughing.

Here is another example. The picture below can be applied in several contexts. The man on top is in pain, the man below is furious.

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

Facial Signals

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

Below is an illustrative 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 sweet girl who always gets what she wants.

Let's change the context. We have 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 train in the perception of the emotions of other people.

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

Translation - Duty.

As a rule, all cartoon characters are based on real people.

All drawn heads, regardless of the style of execution, are created on the basis of real ones. In order to turn a real head into a cartoon one, you need to do two things: (1) Forget about detail and 2) exaggerate the most significant elements. This will allow you to more clearly and clearly express the feelings of the character and display his character. To help you understand what we mean, we have posted pictures below. three people performed by four artists. Their drawings vary in type of transmission, from realistic to highly stylized. Note that when rendering a person's appearance, each artist created a unique unlike image.

In the first column there are more realistic heads that are closest in execution to the original. However, many details are missing.
(second column) The head can come out more cartoonish if some details are simplified, in particular the eyes and hair.
(third column) If the appearance of the character is further exaggerated and the shape of the head is simplified, then it will become even more like a cartoon character.
(fourth column) Even though it is overly exaggerated and stylized, the heads in this column are similar to those in the first column.

Practice drawing different types of heads.

You should not be content with the ability to draw only a couple of varieties of heads. Continue to learn new ones, drawing both from examples and from memory. There are over 2 billion potential examples on earth, so you can hardly complain about the lack of new images. Remember that experience comes from practice.

Test for the execution of 25 basic emotions.

This exercise will teach you how to draw the same characters in the same way, giving them different expressions, and clearly portray a specific emotion. The best way drawing a character that looks like himself is.