How do we draw emotions and facial expressions? Are there some important features in the face that makes someone look sad or happy, angry or pensive. Yes, there are and probably eyes are one of the most important features in the face that help to show the true emotions.

When we talk of expressions, we have to talk about Yoshitomo Nara who loves drawing and sculpting disgusting cute figures of small children. Yoshitomo Nara specializes in what is called Kimo Kawaii or ‘disgustingly cute’, a genre of Japanese pop art. These children that he paints have strong expressions and mischievous smiles. Takashi Murakami pop art style is another pop art style from Japan that you will enjoy.

Nara is a contemporary Japanese artist who after doing his BFA and MFA in Japan went to study further in Kunstakademie Düsseldorf in Germany. He has had many solo and group exhibitions all over the world.

His subjects are children whose faces are usually angry and grumpy and sometimes blank, faces children usually make when they are woken up from sleep. The head of the children is drawn bigger compared to the body to highlight the innocent expressions of the child. The eyes are big and the nose is small. The emotions are transparent as that we see with children.

Facial expressions and how to draw them

Have a look at some of the faces of children that Yoshitomo Nara has created.

See how the expressions change with the change in the shape and size of eyes, lips and also the angle of the face itself.

Use micro tip pens to draw on a sketchbook paper. You can use brown pens to outline. Start drawing the eyes. Then include other parts of the face to show the expressions. You can include other expressions as well.

We are using watercolor pencils to give the soft look that you see in illustrations of children’s books.  

The post Draw Emotions and Facial Expressions appeared first on LilCreativeKids.