The Making of Cartoon Characters [Expressions]

And when it comes to cartoonish characters, rich expressions are the key!

So, in this article, I’m going to show you some important expressions in cartoon style illustrations, divided into patterns.

In this article, I’ll show you some of the important facial expressions in this cartoon style illustration.

 

The look of joy

In this article, I’m going to introduce the four expressions of joy, anger and sadness, but I’ll start with the [joy] expression.

Point.
Arching eyebrows
Rounded eyes.
The corners of his mouth are up.

If the character has a happy expression, the eyebrows are often raised.
By making the eyebrows arched instead of straight, it’s easier to get the impression of a smile.

In many cartoon illustrations, the eyes are often drawn asymmetrically, but in the case of a smiling expression, it’s better to draw both eyes in the same way to create a softer impression.

You can make the eyes symmetrical by raising the corner of one of the mouths or shifting the position of the mouths to give it a cartoonish look.

 

A look of anger

In the case of an angry look

point
Each part is large.
Straight eyebrows
The mouth is full of shit.

If you want to draw an angry expression, make each part more assertive, and it’s easier to look angry.

As opposed to a joyful expression, try to make it asymmetrical with straight eyebrows.

The wider the eyes and the larger the mouth, the angrier the expression will appear.

Cartoon style illustrations are very expressive, so it’s okay to draw them as angry to the extreme!

 

The look of sorrow

Next up is the look of sorrow.

Points.
The figure-eight eyebrows.
The distance between the eyes and the eyebrows is close.
The corners of his mouth are dropping.

The key to painting a sad expression is to lower your eyebrows.
You can lower your eyebrows so low that they cover your eyes.

Drawing tears in your eyes will make you look sadder.
If you draw tears, use large tears to make it look more cartoonish.

Try changing the size of your mouth to match the scene you’re grieving for!

 

The look of fun

The last one is a fun look that is commonly used.

Point.
Short eyebrows.
Symmetrical eyes
Smaller mouth with raised corners

Expressions of fun are often depicted with a smirk on their faces, which is more subdued than expressions of joy.

So it’s important to make the face parts less extreme and make them look like fun.

You can create a happy expression by drawing the mouth with the corners of the mouth up near the nose.
It’s also cute if you’re smiling with your teeth showing.

 

Additions

So far, I’ve shown you various expressions, focusing on the eyes and mouth, and I’ve tried to draw some of the different types of noses.

The nose is a surprisingly important part of a cartoon style illustration.

The nose is often depicted as a feature of a character, although the shape of the eyes and mouth are changed to create the expression of the illustration.

There are various ways to draw it according to the character’s personality and impressions, such as making it larger or thinner, or not drawing it on purpose.

Using this article as a guide, try drawing each part of the character with a rich, cartoonish expression, giving it your own unique originality.

-Related Article-.
→Go to “The Making of a Cartoonish Character [Basic]”