This was a request and at first I wasn’t sure if I had anything to provide with, but as it turn out it got a little longer than I expected because there were actually things I had to say!! Wow!!
Anyway, this is some guidelines I follow when I try to make the face expressfull, more specifically the mouth! It is often neglected, since it’s actually pretty hard, I’ll admit. But I’m here to help (hopefully…)! A mouth expression tutorial as per request. Enjoy and hopefully it will help some a little. ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ
Draw the teeth at the right angle.
This is super important. The upper jaw follows the angle of the head, and the lower jaw will depend on how open it is. Make sure you have a rough estimate of where the teeth are, and how much of them you’re going to see!
The lips will VERY roughly follow the same angle as the teeth. It really depends on the character, but it gives you a sense at least.
If you DON’T do this, you’re going to lose so much volume and the mouth is going to end up looking unrelatable. I showed this example in this tutorial:
It’s not just the lips!
The cheeks, chin, and tongue play a role too!
Try look at your own mouth or references! I have a very pliable and large mouth, so that’s one reason why my characters have it too lmao.
ASYMMETRYYYYY (ง ͠° ͟ل͜ ͡°)ง
I cannot emphasize how important asymmetry is when drawing expressions. It applies not only to the eyebrows to achieve the Dreamwork Face™, but also the mouth. Seriously if you draw a symmetric mouth I will deliver myself to your mailbox and then shout at you until you fix it.
Look at the difference between these two for example: which one has more “life”?
I think you get the idea.
Push and squish - give it flow
Here’s an old drawing I have but it illustrates how I think when I squish the mouth, and use folding and wrinkles to my advantage.
Look at your own face and see where skin bundles up, where it creases the most and when bumps appear on your chin. Subtle details makes all the difference!
One VERY effective detail is illustrated in the first sketch, where I pull upwards on one side, and downwards on the other. That’s a good detail to use when the character is making a skewed expression, or is extremely frustrated. I encourage you to play around with that concept bc it’s ~super effective~!
EXAMPLES:
Happy:Your entire mouth is pushed upwards, not just the corners of your mouth!
I tend to draw a :3 mouth bc I’ve been drawing Lance too much….. You don’t have to but it’s basically imprinted in my motor memory by now.
Pouting/frowning: corners are pushed down, middle pushed slightly up. Sometimes, there’s a slight dip in the middle too. It can give a sense that the character is biting their lips.
Showing frustration/intimidating/is intimidated: basically showing a lot of teeth. The corners are as open as possible and the middle sorta more squished. An extremely important detail here is showing some of the gums, and open space between the cheeks and teeth. That way it looks like the mouth it open to it’s full potential. Here is also where you basically MUST add folds and bumps, or else it’s not going to look relatable.
(Here I am again with the pulling upwards on one side and downwards on the other, as illustrated on the last sketch)
And then again, here’s just another doodle showing how important it is to show the gums. It’s the same face twice, but the second one looks slightly more frustrated doesn’t it?
As you can see, this last one is very versatile and I draw it a lot. Play around with the basic shape and see how much subtle details makes a lot of difference!
That’s it!
I hope that cleared some things up and was somewhat helpful! Enjoy drawing ✨
Do you draw? Do you want to make money drawing? Are you like, sixteen, and unable to get a job? Well no matter your age or skill level, being open for commissions is a great way to practice your craft while making some cash. Taking commissions is pretty simple, but the hardest part is getting started. And I’ve learned the hard way over several years that there are lots of little obstacles that can get in the way of taking commissions efficiently. So if you’re interested in starting your own little art business, let me be your guide!
one character design thing id recommend is don’t be afraid to explore drawing different body types epically when drawing exaggerated proportions. it can do a lot for simple designs and can create some fun characters
made a lil’ tutorial for how I approach drawing bushes. I use this same general process for drawing grass too!
used a basic round brush btw! for those who want to know what brush I use
also to elaborate a bit for what happens between step 5 and 6, it’s really just repeating the process of colorpicking and making marks, I don’t know how to explain it I’m sorry asdhfljh
also also would like to mention that it’s important to check your values and make sure you have enough contrast! make sure your light/mid/darks are clear
BRAND NEW TUTORIAL! LONG SKIRTS! I’m posting a BRAND NEW 2-PART How to THINK tutorial EVERY 2 DAYS this month for #LEARNUARY + TONS of tutorials from my favourite artists ONLY over on our GIANT TWITTER ALL THIS MONTH right over HERE!
Let’s talk about perspective and how to put characters into perspective.
Use your vanishing and parallel lines as measurement tools! The Horizon line can help, but I find using the vanishing lines way more helpful and practical, especially when it comes to different perspectives.
Process of Contact ✍️ My first ever solo show is now live at Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra, CA! The show will run until 5th of December, go check it out if you can I wish I could be there to see you all!
