Hi everyone, this is Vanilla again. In this tips I’ll explain some useful points to help you draw facial expressions more naturally.

 

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The Basics of Expression — Eyes, Brows, and Mouth!

When it comes to facial expressions, the eyebrows, eyes, and mouth are the main features that show emotion.

In this tips, I’ll go through each one step by step and explain it in a simple and clear way.

Eyes — The Key to Emotion!

Let’s start with the eyes! They’re the real key to showing emotion.

If you can draw emotions through the eyes alone, you’re already one step closer to being a pro!

Try practicing eyes separately — you’ll see how much expression they can carry even without the rest of the face!

Now let’s go through some simple expressions.

1️⃣ Neutral look: Keep everything relaxed — eyebrows straight, eyelids open naturally.

 

2️⃣ Angry look: Lower the inner corners of the eyebrows and lift the lower eyelid a bit. That small tension gives more strength to the expression.

 

3️⃣ Surprised: Raise the eyebrows and open the eyes wider — it creates that sudden, surprised feeling.

 

 

4️⃣ Smiling eyes: Slightly lift the outer corners of the eyes and raise the lower eyelid a little. This gives the eyes a gentle, smiling look. Adding a bit of sparkle makes them feel warm and alive.

 

5️⃣ Suspicious or annoyed: Lower one eyebrow slightly and squint a little. It gives that subtle “really?” kind of look.

 

6️⃣ Crying or emotional: Eyebrows curved upward in the center, eyes slightly squinted, maybe add a tear to emphasize the feeling.

 

Small changes in the eyebrows and eyelids can completely shift your character’s mood.

Common Mistakes When Drawing Eyes

Why Your Eyes Look Off When Drawing Emotions?

 

One common mistake artists make when drawing eyes is forgetting that eyelids move with our gaze.

Try looking down for a second — you’ll notice your upper eyelid lowers naturally.

That’s why it’s incorrect to draw the eyes wide open when the character is looking down, unless they’re shocked or surprised.

 

In the first example, even though the eyebrows are raised to show sadness, the wrong eyelid position makes the emotion look off.

But once the upper eyelid was lowered a bit, the expression started to feel much more natural and emotional.

 

This doesn’t apply only to emotions — even in normal scenes, the eyelid follows the direction of the gaze.

You can see that in the second example, where the eyelid moves slightly depending on where the character is looking.

 

 

From Eyes to Mouth — Adding More Life to Expressions

Now that we’ve talked about the eyes and brows, let’s move on to the mouth — one of the most expressive parts of the face.

The mouth can completely change the mood of a character, so paying attention to its movement and shape makes a big difference.

Understanding the Mouth Shape

When drawing expressions, the mouth isn’t just a flat rectangle.

Think of it more like a soft diamond shape — it curves slightly, and the corners move depending on emotion.

If you draw it as a straight box, the face will look stiff and unnatural.

Try to add a bit of curve to the corners and keep the shape flexible — that’s what gives the mouth life and motion.

How Corners Affect Emotion

Let’s take the “shouting” example.

When the mouth is drawn too flat or squared, it loses energy.

But if you lift or angle the corners correctly, you’ll notice how the emotion becomes stronger and feels more real.

Even from a side view, you can see that the mouth wraps slightly around the face — this small change makes a huge difference in how natural the expression looks.

 

 

Examples of Dynamic Mouths

Here are a few examples — smiling, talking, biting, shouting.

See how the corners, direction, and tension of the lips change each time?

Each one shows a different kind of emotion and movement.

So when you draw, don’t just copy the shape — feel the motion behind it. That’s what makes expressions believable.

 

 

Bringing It All Together — Full Facial Expressions

Now that we’ve learned how eyes, brows, and the mouth work separately,

let’s put them together and see how they create full emotions!

Using 3D Head Models to Save Time!

After practicing eyes and mouths, it’s time to move on to the 3D head model!

In Clip Studio Paint, you can use the built-in 3D head model to adjust facial features easily.

Just click on “Adjust Facial Features” — from there, you can change the size of the eyes, nose, mouth, and even the face shape however you like.

This helps a lot to save time and keep proportions consistent before starting your sketch!

 

 

Sketching Over the 3D Model

Here, I placed the 3D model and drew my own version of the face on top of it.

This method lets you use the model as a guide for structure and perspective,

but still keep your own drawing style and personality in the final result.

It’s a great balance between accuracy and creativity!

Time-Saving Tools in Clip Studio Paint

Now let’s look at a few tools that make editing easier!

The Liquify tool helps you adjust lines by gently pushing or pulling them —

super useful when you want to slightly move the eyebrows or resize the eyes to match an expression like anger or surprise,

without needing to redraw everything from scratch.

If you’re working with vector layers, there’s also a control point tool (the one I marked in red).

By clicking the line, you can edit and move it freely, just like with Liquify —

perfect for small fixes and quick adjustments!

 

 

Happiness — From Soft Smiles to Big Laughs

There are different levels of happiness.

A small smile feels calm and friendly, a wider one shows joy, and a full laugh brings energy and life.

You can control the feeling by adjusting how much the cheeks rise and how open the mouth is.

Normal vs. Evil Smile

A happy smile brightens the face and eyes,

while an evil smile often comes with half-closed eyes, a tilted head, and shadows that change the mood completely.

 

 

Anger — Different Levels of Intensity

Light anger shows through a small frown and tense brows.

Stronger anger pulls the features tighter, and at its peak — the mouth opens, the brows close in, and the emotion explodes with tension.

Controlled vs. Explosive Anger

Calm anger looks cold and restrained,

while explosive anger feels powerful and raw — lighting and contrast make a big difference here too.

 

 

Subtle Emotions — Small Changes, Big Impact

Not every expression needs to be dramatic or exaggerated.

Sometimes, emotions are quiet and restrained — like suspicion, annoyance, or hidden sadness.

Small shifts in the eyebrows or eyelids can completely change how the face feels.

Paying attention to these tiny details will make your characters feel more alive and natural.

Sadness — Different Ways to Show It

Sadness appears differently from person to person.

In the first example, the man tries to hold it in — his expression is tense, his lips pressed together, and his eyes slightly lowered.

The girl, on the other hand, shows it openly with puffed cheeks and teary eyes — her sadness looks softer, almost innocent.

 

 

Adding Expressive or Comedic Styles

Sometimes I like to use expressions in a more humorous or chibi way, especially for webtoons or light moments.

In this style, expressions are easier to exaggerate — no need to stick to realistic anatomy!

You can play around with shapes, stretch the mouth, or even bend the eyes for extra comedic impact.

It’s all about the feeling, not the perfect drawing.

 

 

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I hope these tips helped you understand facial expressions a little better!

Keep observing, practicing, and most importantly

have fun drawing emotions