Understanding Facial Expressions

• Facial expressions are a critical element in the study of human figure and portraiture drawing.
• They convey the emotions and feelings of the subject, giving depth to the portrait.

Main Components of Facial Expressions

• The main features that contribute to facial expressions are the eyes, eyebrows, mouth, and shape of the face.
• Eyes: The shape of the eye, the size of the pupil, the position of the iris, and the creases and wrinkles around the eye can all reveal different emotions.
• Eyebrows: The tilt, shape, and position of the eyebrows are key indicators of a person's feelings.
• Mouth: The shape and position of the mouth, including its corners, as well as the visibility and shape of the teeth, can explain much about what the person might be feeling.
• Face Shape: Changes in muscles due to different emotions can subtly alter the shape of the face.

Recognising Different Facial Expressions

• Joy: Eyes crinkle at the corners, pupils may be slightly dilated, widened smile, raised cheeks, and raised or arched eyebrows.
• Sadness: Downward turn of the eyes, drooped eyebrows, flat or frowning mouth, and a narrowed or drawn face shape.
• Anger: Eyebrows slant down, eyes glare and may squint, lips pressed together or mouth slightly open, and a tightened or hardened face shape.
• Surprise: Widened eyes with raised eyebrows, opened mouth but relaxed lips, and a slightly stretched face shape.
• Fear: Eyes wide open and pupils dilated, eyebrows raised and curved, mouth opened with tense lips, and a slightly drawn face shape.

Drawing Facial Expressions

• The accurate portrayal is crucial for authentic representation of facial expressions. This involves keen observation and understanding of subtle facial muscles’ movements.
• It’s not just affecting the area around the emotions but also affecting the whole face to a certain extent.
• Overemphasising the features may result into a caricature instead of a realistic portrait. Balance is key.
• Practice sketching different facial expressions regularly to develop a strong sense in accurately capturing emotions.

Developing Skills

• Observing real faces and practicing drawing various emotions can help to improve expressive quality in portraiture.
• Artists can take advantage of mirrors, photographs, and live models to study and practice facial expressions.
• Creating a portfolio of faces showing different emotions can serve as a solid reference for future drawings.