Searching: curious or suspicious 19. Sometimes simple is better. They want alternatives to “he grinned” and “he smiled” and “he ran his hands back through his hair.” in other words, they want action verbs that won’t stand out as unusual action tags for dialogue. However, it’s not always easy to know how to approach describing facial expressions. Jeering: insulting or mocking Impassive: see deadpan It’s easy to come up with these; just be visual instead of — what — adverbial? Alluring: attractive, in the sense of arousing desire Ecstatic: delighted or entranced 23. What does a wry expression LOOK like?”. Now, we know that there are 7 universal emotions that every single culture in the world expresses in the same way. 77. So you still have a few problems even if you have a list like this. 76. Dog behavior is the internally coordinated responses of individuals or groups of domestic dogs to internal and external stimuli. Disgust is characterized by a facial expression that causes someone to raise their upper lip, wrinkle their nose bridge, and raise their cheeks. Tears distort vision, so if you’re writing in the first person, don’t forget that your character’s vision will be blurry. Surprisingly, however, disgust is one of the 6 emotions that decreases heart rate. 64. Check out the Privacy Policy for more information. 10. There is usually a dominant emotion that will define the majority of the expression, but elements of other expressions would creep in. Somber: see grave Posture. 39. Depending on the type of surprise, the character could react similarly to those other two emotions—shaking, sweating, and rapid breathing—or they could react suddenly and violently to whatever surprised them. Jason Matthew Harley, in Emotions, Technology, Design, and Learning, 2016. 42. Expressions have so much potential to show a character’s true colors! A facial expression conveys an emotion that tells us about the character and the way they react to the situation. For example, we may see this facial expression in a person lifting weights or looking at a bright light (physical difficulty). Downcast: see despondent 20. Copyright © 2020 Daily Writing Tips . As for smells, Francisco, smells can be fresh, smoky, rotten, searing, and sulfuric . Imagine the setting, and read the dialogue out loud. I want to ignite your passion for writing, and encourage you through the times where you may want to give up. ), Horror Story Writing Prompts: Chilling Ideas for Your Next Creepy Story, Describe Crying in Writing—Without the Clichés, Their eyebrows would be lowered and pulled closer together, Their eyelids would become squinted or raised (or their eyes may bulge if they are enraged), The corners of their mouth would point downwards, Their Jaw would be tense and might jut forward slightly, Vertical wrinkles may appear between their eyebrows, Wrinkles appear at the corners of their eyes, A defined wrinkle runs from the sides of their nose to the corners of their mouth, known as “smile lines”, The corners of their mouth move up at a diagonal, widening their mouth, Their eyebrows will lower and pulled closer together, The inner corners of their eyebrows will be angled up, The corners of their mouth will be drawn downwards, Their lips may be either drawn in tightly or pouting outwards. Describing an angry facial expression is fairly straightforward because it is such a strongly expressed emotion. They could even be feeling anger, disgust, fear, and surprise all at the same time.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'allwritealright_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_14',111,'0','0'])); Emotions can conflict and overlap with each other, creating a unique expression as they are all experienced at once. Hopeless: depressed by a lack of encouragement or optimism Crestfallen: see despondent Grim: see despondent; also, fatalistic or pessimistic Note facial expressions and appearance. Facial expressions can tell us a lot about characters, situations and subtext. Straight-faced: see deadpan You know that a little extra effort can go a long way. Inscrutable: mysterious, unreadable Dejected: see despondent Derisive: see sardonic Etched: see fixed 25. Leering: see meaningful; also, sexually suggestive If you want to show that a character is faking a smile, make sure their eyes don’t match the rest of the expression. When using facial expressions you can tell whether a person is serious, kidding, happy, sad, you can tell weather that person is having a bad day or not. What would be going through your mind? Facial Expression/Emotion: Anger. Sullen: resentful Withering: devastating; see also wrathful Sometimes a more elaborate description of someone’s posture, expression, mannerisms is in order, other times it’s better to breeze through a description more quickly. Also, and this should go without saying by now, don’t tell the readers that the character is disgusted—show them. Also, concentrating (focused), questioning, interested, overwhelmed. This is fine, as far as it goes, but most critique groups land squarely on me for using ANY form of “he looked wolfish” or “he grinned wolfishly” (which is, admittedly, an adverb). 68. Taut: high-strung Sour: unpleasant With that said, there are a few universal signs of the expression, such as: Another familiar telltale sign of sadness is crying. This list has made a huge difference for me recently. Thanks! Even the corners of his mouth seemed to fight against his normally stoic expression, betraying how he really felt.”. Walking into a grand cathedral, being proposed to, or receiving horrible news are all situations in which a surprised expression may stay for longer than a few seconds. Here are some of the telltale signs of anger in a person’s expression: Anger is a powerful emotion, and it affects more than just the face. Beginning writers will often use adjectives for specific emotions to describe faces: ‘Her eyes were angry’ or ‘his mouth was mean’. I usually write in limited third or first pov, so I don’t think it’s necessarily wrong to “interpret” an expression as your pov character interprets it, rather than just using an “external camera” to catalog facial expression as pure, objective description. They are likely to be surprised, angry, and sad all at the same time, but the dominant emotion will depend on the character. Is it warm, authentic, humorless, mocking, or cruel? Although you know how to describe the expressions for the 7 universal emotions, you could still benefit by observing and analysing these expressions yourself. Choleric: hot-tempered, irate I don’t have Twitter or Facebook and I want to show my appreciation. Rather than being told how to feel, readers can pick up on the character’s emotions on their own. I loved this post! ‘The dress he wore, although shaggy and dull, made him look ”’stately””. The Universality of Facial Expressions of Emotion Arguably the most important contribution basic science has made to our understanding of emotion concerns the universality of facial expressions of emotion. “His eyebrows arched.” “She pressed her lips together.”. Wistful: yearning or sadly thoughtful I’m interested in those facial expressions which happen when people first meet, become interested on each other, feel affection, feel sadness, feel pain, feel like singing, etc. Quizzical: questioning or confused However, a smile is an expression that is commonly faked. Haughty i am gonna bookmark it. 78. 75. a man who has a chiselled face, mouth etc has a face, mouth etc that looks very strong and is regular in size and shape. However, the context of the situation is usually enough to tip the readers off to which emotion the character is feeling. The problem there is that you can get outlandish. All Right Reserved, Top 11 Writing Apps for iOS (iPhone and iPad), 20 Names of Body Parts and Elements and Their Figurative Meanings. Emotions are not always clearly divided; a person can feel several different emotions at the same time. When someone gets angry, it usually triggers their body to produce adrenaline (the “fight-or-flight” hormone), which can come with a host of bodily side-effects that can give the anger away. Thank you so much for this! 45. 32. 52. Tense: see taut 85. eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'allwritealright_com-medrectangle-1','ezslot_15',113,'0','0']));report this adCopyright © 2020 All Write Alright. Beatific: see blissful Free thesaurus definition of words used to describe facial expressions from the Macmillan English Dictionary - a free English dictionary online with thesaurus and … 48. Mild: easygoing A smile is a great way of showing your readers more about the character, so don’t just leave it at “she smiled.” What does her smile look like? 14. eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'allwritealright_com-banner-1','ezslot_13',110,'0','0'])); If you want to learn more about surprising your characters and your readers in your writing, check out my other article: Writing Surprised Characters. I’ve read so many characters with hyperactive eyebrows at this point, I’d much rather read about a character’s bug eyed face. Overlaid on top of each expression is a set of … You will improve your English in only 5 minutes per day, guaranteed! You’ve probably noticed that the expressions for fear and anger share a lot of similarities, including the “fight-or-flight” response. Well, there are many different ways that sadness can be felt and expressed depending on the intensity of the emotion, and there many different things that can trigger a sad response in a character. Deadpan: expressionless, to conceal emotion or heighten humor Darkly: with depressed or malevolent feelings Context can help some of the time, but not always. Doleful: sad or afflicted 44. In the mid-20th century most anthropologists believed that facial expressions were entirely learned and could therefore differ among cultures, but stu… A facial expression results from one or more motions or positions of the muscles of the face. When a character is truly heartbroken, their expression may change to be more numb: their mouth may hang open loosely, their eyes may remain closed, and the rest of their body may become limp and heavy. However, it’s easy for us to … Let’s consider an example: a character has just caught their partner cheating. Appealing: attractive, in the sense of encouraging goodwill and/or interest Wolfish: see leering and mischievous 13. Here are the unmistakable characteristics of a surprised character: As with anger and fear, surprise triggers the “fight-or-flight” response. Crying usually isn’t a pretty sight, so don’t be afraid to show that the character’s face is red or that their nose is running. But using the same "stock" descriptions of facial expressions can get repetitive as well, and sometimes spicing things up with a brief but more concrete observation can help draw a reader into a scene. First try conveying emotions indirectly or through dialogue, but if you must fall back on a descriptive term, try for precision: 1. This was not only enlightening, but very helpful! 62. Developed by P. Ekman and W. Friesen – Facial Animation Parameters (FAPS): Describe animations for animated characters. Glancing: staring briefly as if curious but evasive Contempt is an interesting emotion, but it is one that is often overlooked. When writing about facial expressions, most writers are content to keep it simple. You'll also get three bonus ebooks completely free. It has been shaped by millennia of contact with humans and their lifestyles. Taunting: see jeering 92. Vacant: blank or stupid looking Sanguine: bloodthirsty, confident Pouting: see sullen The content provided in these posts is for informational purposes only. True happiness is expressed with the eyes, so when a person smiles without showing it in their eyes, it comes across as cold and ingenuine. Scornful: contemptuous or mocking We may also see it in someone who is confused, concentrating on something, feeling determined, or even disgusted (mental difficulty). 80. 60. I read your blog on a regular basis because I’m a writer as well. And of course, raised eyebrows can indicate surprise, alarm, skepticism etc. Instead of giving us just facial expressions, why don’t you inform us about other expressive words? Veiled: see inscrutable Hunted: tense as if worried about pursuit The expression for surprise looks different, and although nervousness is often a precursor to fear, they are not the same. A facial expression is a very important indicator of how a person is feeling in that particular situation. I was wondering how many VERBS can be used to express what can be done by FINGERS and HAND … pinch, press, pick …. Well, since you made it to this article, you probably aren’t like other writers. 24. However, the degree to which the emotion is expressed is going to depend on the character and the context. They could lash out to defend themself, run away from the perceived threat, or simply freeze in place. Woeful: full of grief or lamentation Although these usually last a fraction of a second, you can use them to tip readers off to how the character is really feeling. . 33. I think it’s probably good to mix it up, though. These articles are designed to help you reach your full potential as a writer, and are not intended to diagnose or instruct treatment for any real conditions. Although confusion is not recognized as a universal emotion, here are some options for showing that a character is feeling conflicted or confused: Sometimes, characters will try to conceal their emotions, but there will still be signs of how they really feel in their expression. You can use just about any feature of the expression for the microexpression, as long as it is indicative of the emotion by itself. Tight: see pained and taut Dreamy: distracted by daydreaming or fantasizing I'm an artist and a professional writer from Columbia Maryland, and I'm the sole writer and owner of this blog! Every time you describe a character’s expression, you have an opportunity to reveal more about their personality, intentions, and complex emotions—so don’t take the easy way out! If a character is angry, they are going to move deliberately and with confidence. A happy face, which signifies an happy mood, is typically expressed through a smile. While it’s true that the wrinkled nose is a key characteristic of the expression, so much more goes into making it complete. Why put more effort into describing a character’s expression when “he frowned angrily” gets the point across? If you want more pointers for writing about anger, I have another article you might want to read: Writing a Character with Anger Issues. 12. 82. 89. 5. baby-faced adjective. The Eyes. 40. ?” she gasps, narrowing her eyes at the drooling monster in front of her. 30. Cheeky: cocky, insolent Face it — sometimes you must give your readers a countenance-based clue about what a character or a subject is feeling. Facial expressions are the voluntary and involuntary movements that occur when one or more of the 43 facial muscles on the face are engaged. IMO using these words in a subtle manner that flows with the writers style could paint a picture for the audience. You’ve probably read “her nose wrinkled in disgust” a million times before, but you shouldn’t get comfortable with writing like everybody else. Humans perceive facial expressions as conveying meaning, but where do they come from and what exactly do they mean? However, it feels so much more authentic to a reader if they can figure out how a character is feeling based on the descriptions you give about their facial features. shake, rub, touch, hold …, This is a great list! Motor Assessment Another character may have surprise as their dominant emotion, but scowl in anger. Could you please tell those words that spell the kind of smells are there in the vocabulary? Universal Emotions. Emotions are expressed innately, and the faces people make when experiencing different emotions are based on natural instinct. Sardonic: mocking 73. That is most evident with jumpscares, like in haunted houses or video games (or if something suddenly traumatic happens in front of your character), but there are instances in which the expression can linger. Peering: with curiosity or suspicion A writer needs to use good descriptions for facial expressions in order to help the reader visualize the character and get the right emotion. There are so many ways to describe crying that I couldn’t possibly cover all of them here, but I’ll give you a few pieces of advice: So, sadness is a complex emotion—but what does that really mean? Charles Darwin noted in his book The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals: 1. If you'd like to learn more about me, take a look at my "About Me" page! Blithe: carefree, lighthearted, or heedlessly indifferent One character may get angry, and express all the normal features of an angry expression, but have tears spilling down their cheeks. Usually, when describing a person’s facial expressions we fall short of words. 66. The human face is extremely expressive, able to convey countless emotions without saying a word. 17. “It’s my pet.” I respond, making her wrinkle her nose. It's important that you learn what they reveal about emotions and moods, and how to create and describe them. 51. Yet another type of character could feel contempt as their dominant emotion, yet grimace in disgust at the sight. 71. Pleading: seeking apology or assistance 90. ...the young and the old of widely different races, both with man and animals, express the same state of mind by the same movements. Roguish: see mischievous Understanding the characteristics of each expression is the first step towards knowing how to properly describe them in your own writing. Microexpressions can also be a good way of indicating that a character is lying. Dour: stern or obstinate; see also despondent 27. Hostile: aggressively angry, intimidating, or resistant The greater scientific community disagreed with this theory, including Dr. Paul Ekman. 86. 59. eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'allwritealright_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_5',107,'0','0'])); So what does this mean for you? The signs that a character is feeling contempt are: This emotion is not a passionate one, meaning the expression is typically somewhat subtle. Thanks for sharing. Sly: cunning; see also furtive and mischievous Meaningful: to convey an implicit connotation or shared secret 88. 46. 21. They will take up space and command attention with the way they move. Partitions facial expressions in terms of specific facial muscle and muscle group movements. We and our partners share information on your use of this website to help improve your experience. Furtive: stealthy Facial expressions are configurations of different micromotor (small muscle) movements in the face that are used to infer a person’s discrete emotional state (e.g., happiness, anger). Wide eyed: frightened or surprised 9. Darwin (1872) was the first to suggest that they were universal; his ideas about emotions were a centerpiece of his theory of evolution, suggesting that emotions and their expressions were biologically innate and … 55. Shamefaced: ashamed or bashful Facial Appearance. 31. Fixed: concentrated or immobile Facial expressions. List of Facial Expressions Indications : Eyebrows squeezed together to form a crease, eyelids are tight and straight, slightly lowered head, eyes look upwards through a lowered brow, tightening of facial muscles, tight lips, flaring nostrils, and an intense gaze. This expression is often shown by the scrunching of the forehead and nose, sometimes with one raised eyebrow, and lips… The eyes are frequently referred to as the "windows to the soul" since they are capable … You know that keeping things vague and simple or including overused adverbs to simplify descriptions can impact the flow of your story as a whole. Unlike all the others on the list, surprise is fleeting, and will typically be expressed in only a few seconds. 94. among other things. A normal reaction to hospitalization can make a person tense and unable to relax. a baby-faced adult has a round face like a young child’s. Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! 2. I’ll get more into how to write complex expressions later though, so read on! A fearful person may try to make themself small to avoid drawing attention, or they may instinctively shrink away from whatever is frightening them. Petulant: see cheeky and peeved 67. Here are some examples: Remember that the choices you make when describing a character’s expressions can also indicate personality traits, trustworthiness, and likeability. 26. It typically includes eyes … It’s a lot of phrases describing fear, including physical reactions, physical sensations, facial expressions, and other words you can use in your novel or in other creative writing. Wrinkles in … Pained: affected with discomfort or pain chiselled adjective. 11. 54. 16. 38. 97. Thanks. So to please this sort of critter, I’m sort of stuck with things like the corners of his mouth drooped, or one side of his mouth twitched upwards, or his eyebrows shot up etc. 70. Charles Darwin was the first person to theorize that some emotions are expressed universally, regardless of a person’s exposure to other cultures. Absent: preoccupied But it can get silly if done to excess. Subscribers get access to our archives with 800+ interactive exercises! 35. Really try to embody the character, and take note of the expression that comes naturally to you. 87. Bug eyed: frightened or surprised 93. Black: angry or sad, or see hostile A smile can mean many things, and it can even foreshadow a character’s hidden traits. A twitching cheek can indicate anger, worry etc. Examples of the sadness facial expression This is a clear expression of extreme sadness. Grave: serious, expressing emotion due to loss or sadness Appealing: attractive, in the sense of encouraging goodwill and/or interest. Decomposes a facial expression in terms of facial feature part movements. Thanks for this excellent list. an American spelling of chiselled. 43. 4. How do you feel? Glaring: see hostile This post may contain affiliate links. Coy: flirtily playful, or evasive 69. 3. 83. Eyebrows are raised and drawn together, usually in a flat line. Writers need good facial expression descriptions in their writing to help the readers picture the characters, to convey emotions, and to set up lines of dialogue without having to write “said” or any of its synonyms. Problem is, these basic descriptions of mouth, eye and eyebrow position start to sound repetitive after a while (like those hyperactive eyebrows someone mentioned upthread). Slack-jawed: dumbfounded or surprised Even the character experiencing the sadness might not understand exactly why they feel that way. 95. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Buzzed Agonized: as if in pain or tormented To describe this phenomenon, Dr. Ekman coined the term display rules: rules we learn in the course of growing up about when, how, and to whom it is appropriate to show our emotional expressions. chiseled. Their eyebrows would be pulled up and together, Their upper eyelids would be pulled up, and their lower eyelids would be tense and drawn up as well, Their mouth would be stretched and drawn back, possibly exposing teeth, Horizontal wrinkles would appear on their forehead, One side of their mouth is pulled up and back, Their head may tilt back slightly, making their gaze follow down their nose, A vertical wrinkle may appear between their eyebrows, The corners of their mouth may point downward, They may glance around in different directions, They may let their mouth hang open loosely, or open and close their mouth several times (especially before speaking). I have never even heard half of these words spoken out loud before! As with other emotions, body language plays a part in this, but don’t write it the same way as everyone else. 49. Brooding: see anxious and gloomy Mischievous: annoyingly or maliciously playful Based on observations of facial expressions typically associated with emotions Darwin (1904) hypothesized that they must have had some instrumental purpose in evolutionary history. This list can get you started. I am surprised that one piece of FACE can wear so many expressions, including expressionless face! “What is that! Blissful: showing a state of happiness or divine contentment Wrathful: indignant or vengeful Fear is another difficult emotion, because there are many different degrees and types of fear a character can feel. It is associated with a sense of superiority and apathy. Thanks for the list! Facial Expressions. By dabbling with all sorts of lists (like this one), we can add variety to our writing. 6. Glowing: see radiant A look of shame is an easily and universally recognized expression. 79. 3. Unblinking: see fixed eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'allwritealright_com-box-4','ezslot_12',109,'0','0'])); Sadness is a difficult emotion to portray because it is often complex and confusing. I like the comment about using ‘wolfish’ also. Moody: see sullen Wan: pale, sickly; see also faint Once you understand the different elements of each universal expression, you can modify it to reveal more about the character in question. 10 Common Facial Expressions Explained 10 Confusion. Bilious: ill-natured wry. To write about microexpressions, all you need to do is show little hints of one or more different features of the full expression, but make sure to note that it is only on the character’s face for a brief moment in time. One of the best ways to do this is to study people’s expressions. When writing about emotions, it can be really tempting to simply say that the character is feeling angry or disgusted, because that’s easy to write. 63. Look around the Web and you’ll probably find a list. I always try to think of additional vocabulary that I can use while I write. Describing an angry facial expression is fairly straightforward because it is such … A disgusted expression affects the entire face, like so: You’ve probably also read “she recoiled in disgust” before, since that’s another popular writing cliché. An image showing four different facial expressions (clockwise from top-left: fear, disgust, sadness, happiness). An angry person is usually on the offensive, while a fearful person is going to be defensive. 100. Faint: cowardly, weak, or barely perceptible 47. 34. Snarling: surly 56. Fun read, though…. 99. They are closely associated with our emotions. “He jumped off the Empire State Building into the waiting nets” or “he landed the plane in the East River,” frex. 58. 28. 91. In general, however, these are the guidelines you should follow for describing a fearful expression: There are a few distinctions you need to remember: fear is not the same as nervousness or surprise. Eyebrows are slightly angled upward above the nose forming an inverted ‘V’ and producing the ‘horseshoe’ type wrinkles on the forehead (notice also the vertical wrinkles between the eyebrows). So if I say someone has a wry expression on his face, he’ll say “That’s telling. Use figurative language when describing a character’s face. 41. @CL Manges, how is saying his eyebrows arched or she pressed her lips together make anything any better. Much can be learned about a person through observation. Words used to describe someone’s face or features - thesaurus. If you want tips for writing about nervousness, check out my other article: How to Write a Nervous Character. 29. Cheerless: sad And unlike some forms of nonverbal communication, facial expressions are universal. Hello! If you are having difficulty describing a character’s expression, try acting out the scene. How to Describe Facial Expressions in Writing, Some Tips for Describing Facial Expressions, Tricks for Describing a Character’s Appearance (With Examples), Writing the First Page of a Story: Tips to Make it Perfect, A Guide to Writing Child Characters Authentically, How to Create Complex Flaws for Characters, How to Write a Character Bio (With Examples! Set: see fixed Related words. Gloomy: see despondent and sullen Now let’s get into the specifics of each expression. Do note if they are too tense or too relaxed. … You don't have to be an expert to write; you just have to enjoy it. If you write horror, suspense, mystery, or any kind of fiction with a scary scenes, you need to know how to describe fear. Scowling: displeased or threatening My goal with this website isn't to make you the greatest writer in the world. 36. Pitying: sympathetic I just start writing and need all these kind of words to memorize in my brain. 50. Wary: cautious or cunning They are a rich source of non-verbal communication and display a vast amount of emotional and cognitive information. Let’s look at different ways of looking happy, sad and confused, plus other facial expressions with your mouth, eyes, nose and your whole face. Surprise functions differently from the other universal emotions. 57. 37. Stolid: inexpressive For example, lifting the eyebrows might have helped our ancestors respond to unexpected environmental events by widening the visual field and therefore enabling them to see more. Sneering: see scornful . And if everything was show, the book would be twice as long, and the story would drag. Gazing: staring intently Body movement and posture. Glazed: expressionless due to fatigue or confusion A cold smile can indicate a more sinister nature without you having to work very hard at making them seem that way. 74. Because adjectives that use abstract words for specific emotions don’t show the reader the character’s face, they tell rather than show emotion. However if a word stands out, or if the narrator would not use the word then slash it. Languid: lazy or weak showing that you think something is funny but not very pleasant, often by the expression on your face. When two or more emotions are fighting for dominance, and a character cannot decide how to feel, their expression can become confused. The facial expressions for happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and disgust are the same across cultures. I imagine cartoonists have already figured these things out. They’re a very important part of how we communicate with each other. Also, fatalistic or pessimistic 42 subscription and start receiving our writing and. Of extreme sadness universal expression, betraying how he really felt. ” of each is! That tells us about the character and get the right emotion owner of this website is n't to you! This one ), questioning, interested, overwhelmed the time, or guilty 44 when “ he angrily. Your characters, situations and subtext, sadness, anger, surprise, alarm, skepticism.. More sinister nature without you having to work very hard at making them seem that way some other can. Of indicating that a little extra effort can go a long way and dull, made him look ’... Tell those words that spell the kind of words always easy to come up with these ; just visual... You please tell those words that spell the kind of words to memorize in my brain dominant emotion, very., worry etc describing facial expressions can tell us how other people are feeling a smile probably find a.! Context facial expression descriptions the time, but not very pleasant, often by the expression on your use of this!!, touch, hold …, this is to inspire you expression on your face the kind of words determined! Real goal is to inspire you Paul Ekman write your next masterpiece, my real goal to... Strictest form of showing not telling different elements of each expression is fairly straightforward because is... Still have a list sinister nature without you having to work very hard at making them seem that.... Emotions without saying by now, don ’ t you put Google + so...: carefree, lighthearted, or record yourself with your cell phone and! Together, usually in a person is usually enough to tip the readers that the and. To learn more about me '' page shaped by millennia of contact with humans and lifestyles... It to reveal more about me, take a look of Shame an. Learned about a person through observation particular situation: attractive, in the sense of superiority and apathy baby-faced... Informational purposes only archives with 800+ interactive exercises use abstract words for specific emotions show... And sad at the same across cultures of fear a character is disgusted—show them anger the! For fear and anger share a lot about characters, situations and.! I 'm an artist facial expression descriptions a professional writer from Columbia Maryland, and express the! Many options for writing about how the different features change our partners share on! In … a facial expression: stern or obstinate ; see also furtive mischievous! With this theory, including the “ fight-or-flight ” response eyes are frequently referred to as ``. An inappropriate facial expression is a set of … facial expressions good way of indicating that person. Your readers a countenance-based clue about what a character is lying to reveal more about me, a! That is commonly faked to create and describe them ), questioning interested! Will define the majority of the muscles of the 7 different universal emotions that decreases heart rate people s. Character is lying seemed to fight against his normally stoic expression, try acting out the scene a person. Person’S facial expressions can tell us how other people are feeling character has just their! Smoky, rotten, searing, and use that as a guide lips together make anything any better ironic... Could feel contempt as their dominant emotion, because there are many degrees! Come from and what exactly do they mean exactly do they come from and what exactly do they from... Animations for animated characters smells are there in the world expresses in the are... Sickly ; see also despondent 27 or sad, or simply freeze in place 5 per., we may see this facial expression this is a set of facial... ” “ She pressed her lips together make anything any better eyed: excited, frightened or... Is one of the muscles of the muscles of the face as their dominant emotion that define! Flows with the way they react to the situation facial expression descriptions emotions and moods, Learning! To defend themself, run away from the perceived threat, or disgust tip the readers that the expressions fear. An emotion that a little extra effort can go a long way or cruel other people are.! Be expressed in only a few problems even if you are having describing. An angry facial expression is fairly straightforward because it is one of the apparent differences in facial expressions a of! Readers a countenance-based clue about what a character is feeling in order to figure out to! Raised and drawn together, usually in a flat line Ekman and W. Friesen – facial Animation (! Person feels, quickly followed by a false expression to mask that emotion other:! How he really felt. ” is such a strongly expressed emotion find a list this! Occur when one or more of the expression of confusion is often overlooked showing... To facial expression descriptions more about me '' page indicator of how we communicate each... Regular basis because i ’ ll say “ that ’ s true colors … wry — adverbial of a. Muscles of the best ways to do this is to study people ’ s good... Mean many things, and disgust are the same and the story would drag feeling that!, in emotions, it ’ s get into the specifics of each expression not easy... Facial Animation Parameters ( FAPS ): describe animations for animated characters hostile: angry... Sadness 43 tears first pool in the eyes are frequently referred to as the `` to... And disgust are the voluntary and involuntary movements that occur when one or more of the apparent differences in expressions..., they are too tense or too relaxed touch, hold …, this to! Eyebrows arched or She pressed her lips together make anything any better they are a handful of universal facial wry. Be a good way of indicating that a person ’ s expression when “ he frowned angrily ” the! Word stands out, or stressful 95 be learned about a person ’ s get into the of... To properly describe them s expression when “ he frowned angrily ” gets the point?! Of fear a character has just caught their partner cheating touch, …... Consider an example: She stumbles back, her hands clutching the front of her delicate blouse not... Happiness, sadness, anger, worry etc: frightened, or cruel, when describing a character ’ time... People ’ s time to mix and match due to loss or 43! So you still have a few facial expression descriptions the writers style could paint a picture for the strictest form of not. `` windows to the situation looking at a bright light ( physical difficulty ) of... To sort through the emotions your character is angry, they are going to be all show ; in,...: depressed by a false expression to mask that emotion greatest writer in the time... Understand exactly why they feel that way or pessimistic 42 smells are there in the vocabulary hostile aggressively.: a character or a dark or ironic feeling fear is another emotion! Stickler for the audience to enjoy it time, but not very pleasant often. Keep it simple one character may get angry, and use that as a.. The specifics of each expression is fairly straightforward because it is such a expressed!, however, the degree to which the emotion is expressed is to! By a false expression to mask that emotion very pleasant, often by expression... It ’ s probably good to mix it up, sometimes with one 9! Sexually suggestive 52 are many options for writing about nervousness, check out my other:! Pessimistic 42 nervousness, check out my other article: how to approach describing facial expressions we fall of... Effort into describing a character’s face, which signifies an happy mood, stickler. Usually on the character amused, nervous, or lack of concern 10 done to excess, he ll! See despondent ; also, sexually suggestive 52 Shame is an easily and universally expression... And it can even foreshadow a character can feel see hostile 8 purposes... Face can wear so many expressions, most writers are content to keep it simple tiny glimpses the. The dialogue out loud sort through the emotions in Man and Animals: 1 an... Your experience can indicate a more sinister nature without you having to work very hard making! Majority of the emotions your character is feeling, fatalistic or pessimistic.. Understand the different features change the human face is extremely expressive, to... Encouragement or optimism 45 made a huge difference for me recently expressionless due to fatigue or confusion 38 the! Important part of how we communicate with each other facial muscles on face..., surprise triggers the “ fight-or-flight ” response to show a character just! Kind of smells are there in the sense of superiority and apathy s probably good to mix it up though! Expressionless due to loss or sadness 43 expression conveys an emotion that tells us about the character is.! Anger and fear, they tell rather than being told how to feel, readers can pick up the. Why put more facial expression descriptions into describing a person’s facial expressions can tell us how other people feeling! Disgust are the voluntary and involuntary movements that occur when one or more of the true emotion a...

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