This tutorial will show you how to draw a face for an anime actress and anime faces generally from a perspective of the side (profile) in various states and with various expressions.
For the male counterpart of this tutorial, see:
How to Draw Anime Male Facial Expressions Side View
Anime Face Proportions Side View
In the example above, you will see the fundamental proportions of drawing faces for anime.
Draw the eye down below the horizontal halfway point of the head. Draw the nose roughly between it and the chin. Draw the lower lips roughly in between the jaw and the chin, with the mouth slightly elevated. Draw the ears above the right and end at about the lower part of the nose.
Note that these guidelines are only guidelines to help you achieve a more standard anime style. Aspects of anime characters may vary based on the different types of characters and the style they adopt.
To draw eye and mouth sideways, look up:
- How to Draw Anime & Manga Eyes – Side View
- How to Draw Anime & Manga Mouths – Side View
Drawing Normal Anime Side View Facial Expression
To create a normal anime expression simply apply the facial features according to the description above.
Drawing a Lightly Open Side View Mouth
When drawing an open mouth one thing to keep in mind is the fact that your jaw should be lower. Keep in mind that it’s only your lower jaw that is moving when the mouth is opened. The upper jaw remains in position.
Drawing an Open Side View Mouth
For a more open mouth, make sure that the jaw doesn’t fall directly downwards when the mouth is opened, but also moves forward towards the neck. Lower the jaw and further toward the neck.
Drawing a Yelling Side View Face
If you want to yell, draw the jaw in the same spot as you would do for a larger mouth, however, pull the lips further back, revealing more teeth. Make sure that the eyes are slightly looking down.
Drawing a Frowning/Serious Side View Face
To draw a frown, draw your eyebrow in the shape of a wave, and point upwards toward your nostril. The mouth should be curving downwards toward the neck.
Drawing a Surprised Side View Face
To create a surprising look, make sure your eyebrow is raised and more curly than normal. The mouth should be wide open and use the mouth to pull the lip back (almost the opposite of the shouting mouth).
If you look toward the mouth in the direction of the back, it will form look like an “O” or a vertical oval-shaped shape.
Drawing a Content/Smiling Side View Face
For a look that is content, make sure you raise your eyebrows and draw eyes that are squinting using the eyelids and eyebrows in a downward curve.
For more details on drawing closed eyes for anime, you can look at:
How to Draw Closed, Closing & Squinted Anime Eyes
Draw your mouth using a smile, showing teeth.
Drawing an Angry Side View Face
For a sarcastic look, make sure you draw your eyebrows very low with a wave shape, with your eyes closed.
Make sure that the lips are pulled back to show the teeth. make a small smudge of the line between teeth using”fangs “fang” to reinforce the anger and to show that the teeth are tightening.
Drawing a Sacred Side View Face
To give a scary appearance, raise the eyebrows and wide-open eyes with a smaller than normal pupil or iris. Although the actual iris of eyes does not change in size, they are typically made smaller for anime in order to provide characters the appearance of being scared. Since the eyes of anime tend to be pretty wide, drawing them wider could cause a character to appear abnormal, so the best option is to draw smaller eyes.
Then, draw the mouth with a slight opening and draw the mouth’s opening in a downward direction.
Drawing a Grinning/Plotting Side View Face
To create a smile that resembles the person who is planning something, draw the eyebrows down make the eyes look squinted, and smile with some teeth.
Drawing a Puzzled Side View Face
To give a look of puzzlement, make sure that the eyebrows are slightly raised and the eyes pointing upwards. The jaw should be lowered to the side with the mouth open in an “O” shape.
Drawing a Light Side View Smile
To create a smile that is light, simply move your mouth slightly more and more curvaceous than usual.
Drawing Relaxed/Closed Side View Eyes
To create a relaxed appearance, keep your eyes closed. The rest of your facial features are the same way as an ordinary face.
Be aware that when your eyes are closed when they are relaxed (not looking at the screen) it’s the upper eyelids that go down. The lower eyelids generally remain in place when the eyes are open.
Drawing an Embarrassed Side View Face
For a look of embarrassment, Draw your eyebrows in an upside-down curve with eyes looking downwards and a smile on the lips (showing teeth).
Drawing a Sad/Tired Side View Face
If you want to create a sad or tired look, draw the front of your eyelids (towards your nose) slightly elevated. Draw the eyes using the top of the eyelids halfway down, looking downwards.
Draw the mouth with a gentle downwards curve.
Drawing an Upset Side View Face
To create an angry appearance (more so than the prior example) make sure that the eyebrows are raised toward the nose, with eyes that are squinting. Make the mouth slightly longer than in the earlier example and the corner of the mouth is down a bit further.
Conclusion
While this is a vast list of anime expressions, it’s difficult to cover all the topics in a single tutorial. If you need help making anime face expressions, you could always study real-life people or draw the face you’re trying to draw, and then discover how the various facial features change in this expression.
For more information about facial expressions look up:
- How to Draw an Anime Cat Step by Step
- 16 Examples of How to Draw Chibi Anime Facial Expressions