An expression is not only a mouth. The eyebrows, the eyelids and the mouth move together. Change only the mouth and the face looks like a mask with a sticker on it.
- Happy: mouth corners up, cheeks lifted, eyes narrowed a little.
- Surprised: brows raised high, eyes wide, mouth open.
- Angry (cross): brows pulled down toward the nose, mouth tight and flat.
- Sad: inner ends of the brows raised, mouth corners down.
- Worried: brows tilted up in the middle, mouth uneven.
- Sleepy: upper lids lowered, brows relaxed.
Key idea
Eyebrows, eyelids and mouth change together: raised brows and an open mouth for surprise, lowered brows and a tight mouth for anger.
Why it works
The muscles of the face are connected. A real smile lifts the cheeks, which pushes up the lower lids and narrows the eyes. Surprise raises the brows, which opens the eyes wide. People read faces quickly, and they read the eyes and brows as much as the mouth.
Worked example: Read the face
A face has its brows pulled down and together, and the mouth pressed into a flat line. What does it show?
- Brows pulled down toward the nose: a frown.
- A tight, flat mouth goes with it.
Answer: Anger (a cross face).
Common mistake
People change only the mouth and leave the brows and eyes the same. A smile with worried brows looks nervous, not happy. Draw the brows and lids first; they carry much of the feeling.
Try it in a mirror: make each face and watch what your brows and lids do.