Tag: animating the eyes

Caricaturing the Face: Exaggerated Expressions

One of the biggest challenges in designing facial expressions for animation lies in deciding how realistic or exaggerated the design should be. Interpreting and adapting real-life references plays an important role, but it’s also essential to understand when to push the boundaries of realism to better convey emotion and expression. In this clip from a live AnimSchool lecture, instructor Hans Dastrup demonstrates using a reference image to create a more stylized and appealing pose for the face.

One key to effective facial animation is understanding the balance between mimicking real-life expressions and adjusting them to suit the character and animation style. Avoid directly copying facial expressions from reference material without considering the unique needs of the character, as replicating a facial expression exactly as it appears in real life does not always translate well in animation. Mimicking expressions can often result in awkward or less appealing designs, especially if the goal is to achieve clarity and emotional impact.

Matching the reference exactly.

To create a more visually pleasing expression, subtle changes, like simplifying, are often necessary. For instance, in the process of creating a smile, adjusting the mouth shape and adding slight asymmetry can go a long way, as real human faces are inherently asymmetrical and can help maintain a more natural look. A smile in real life might have one side slightly higher than the other, and exaggerating this asymmetry can enhance the character’s expression.

When working with the eyes, it’s important to consider the character’s anatomy. In animation, characters often have larger eyes with exaggerated white areas, which can make them appear more expressive. However, it’s crucial to avoid pushing this too far, as extreme eye shapes can lead to unnatural or unsettling appearances. By adjusting the eye shape slightly, such as making the lower eyelid flatter, a more balanced and appealing look is created without overdoing the exaggeration.

Adjusted eye and mouth shapes to incorporate asymmetry.

Another important consideration is the character’s overall design. For instance, in a happy character, a more graphic and simplified mouth shape may work better than trying to replicate a realistic smile. Pushing the design in this way helps to exaggerate the emotion and adds visual clarity, making it more readable to the audience. The expression doesn’t have to be entirely unrealistic must be entirely unrealistic—it’s about finding the right level of push to enhance the emotion without distorting it beyond recognition.

Pushing the final expression.

While it’s important to consider real-life references, animation often requires tweaking those references to fit the style and emotional needs of the character. By simplifying, adding asymmetry, and adjusting features like the eyes and mouth, animators can create more engaging and believable facial expressions that convey the intended emotion. Ultimately, the goal is to find the balance between realism and stylization to craft a performance that resonates with the audience.

Watch the full clip from an AnimSchool lecture here:

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Animating Eyebrows

Animating eyebrows plays a crucial role in conveying facial emotions and enhancing the overall appeal of animated characters. Though often overlooked, brows are essential in portraying mood and personality. In this clip from a live AnimSchool lecture, instructor Justin Weg explains the importance of eyebrow animation.

When animating eyebrows, think of them as a single unit – try to connect them with a line flowing into one another, while matching the shape/expression of the eyes. This will create a smooth and cohesive look, which is key in creating a natural, expressive character. The brows tend to react to the inner emotional state of the character, so connecting them helps maintain this unity.

Additionally, keep in mind that brows are very dynamic shapes, with the inner sections being more active and expressive than the outer. When the brows go down, the inner brows tend to crunch in. When the brows go up, they will pull out.

One key technique in animating brows is having them lead the head/body movement. When a character is about to speak or make a dramatic gesture, the brows often move ahead of the rest of the face. This can help with timing, allowing the character’s expression to build up before the full action, such as opening the mouth. For example, a character about to speak might raise their brows before they open their mouth, signaling anticipation.

Facial expressions can be either voluntary or involuntary. Involuntary reactions, like surprise or fear, tend to make the brows more symmetrical. Voluntary emotions such as curiosity, suspicion, or contempt tend to create asymmetry in the brow movements. A character questioning something, for example, will raise both brows evenly, while a character expressing doubt or confusion might raise one brow more than the other, creating an asymmetrical look.

When animating brows, arcs are important for creating more natural movement. Instead of linear motion, which feels stiff, adding arcs to the brow movements introduces fluidity to the animation. For instance, when lowering the brows, the outer brow usually leads, and the inner brow follows in a smooth arc. The same principle applies when raising the brows—start with the outer brow, and let the inner brow follow, creating a wave-like effect.

To enhance the realism of the movement, it can be helpful to offset the X and Y positions of the brows. This offsetting technique creates a more dynamic motion, especially when working with diagonal movements. By including slight delays between the movements of the inner and outer brows, you can achieve a more organic feel.

By focusing on the unity, expression, and subtlety of brow movements, animators can bring a new level of depth to their character animation. Refining the movement of the brows is an essential skill for any animator looking to create more relatable and emotionally engaging characters.

Watch the full clip from an AnimSchool lecture here: