Facial Expressions Application Sheet

So you have your buddy reference with you (which can be found here ---> ) either you have it printed and have it sitting right next to your drawing table or have the digital copy on your laptop/mac/iphone/tablet/cintiq ready to utilise, then I'd say that's a good start.


You're starting to take initiative, great! How about I help you out with one more step in the process of improving on your drawings of character expressions?


Download the Facial Expressions Application Sheet found on your right hand side where you can find a download drop box. Get the full size.


Next here are three suggestions that you can follow:

1. Print in A4 or A3 (highly recommended size - the bigger the better); place it on your drawing table; get some drawing tools based on your personal preference (lead pencils, mechanical pencils, erasers, pens, liquid paper etc); grab your favourite comic book/graphic novel/art-book series and find some characters that have expressions that have left you an impression the first time you read it, find something that grabs your attention - something that is just screaming for you to draw it; get motivated, get inspired and start drawing away - either practice by tracing, observational study, or (if you're advanced) re-interpret the expression in your own style!


2. Bring up the file in your laptop/computer/tablet and start searching the internet for references of your favourite characters from a comic/graphic novel series that you've recently been admiring or investing a lot of attention on. Now pick random scenes and study those expressions - can you improve it? Can you re-shape it to make it completely different? Try your best to use the expressions available on the sheet and translate it from the existing graphic novel/comic series into the sheet.


3. If you're already a pro artist and just need warm-up exercises then start drawing away! Use the expressions on the sheet and think up of characters that have really caught your attention lately. Next draw them in unexpected situations using expressions they they don't normally portray in the story! Or how about some quick sketches of your own original characters - flesh out their personality. Why not draw more than one character? Get your creative juices going!

There really is no rush in completelty this exercise, go as slow or as fast as you'd like!

Keep in mind - there is no hard or fast rules in using the FE Application Sheet above you, feel free to change the expression types that have already been suggested! Use liquid paper if you're doing it on paper or on the computer just use the erase tool and text-up something new!


Here's one I've prepared earlier (completed just yesterday! ---> ).


At the end of the day you're here to learn, and if you're serious about becoming an artist in the comics/video game/animation industry start drawing while you can, it's the only way you can improve. Make mistakes, learn from them, gain new ways to solve the problem.


Also not only will you have gained some drawing experiences but you've also completely an incredible set piece of drawings that you can show to your friends, teachers, industry pros and get feedback on it! In fact if it's good enough you can attach it as a portfolio piece!


Enjoy the process everyone! I'm going to keep practicing.