How to Draw a Cartoon Face (Emotions)

Last Updated: June 2, 2021

Drawing a good cartoon dog takes a little practice but there are tricks to portraying a number of universal feelings that will make it a bit easier for you to do. This article shows some of the methods suitable for use to provide your cartoon faces with emotions.

Steps

1
Draw a cartoon face without the features. Ensure that that the head proportions are accurate.
2
Decide on the emotions that you'd like your cartoon character to portray. Here are some suggestions to inspire you:
- A loopy face, showing feelings of tiredness, confusion, being out-of-sorts in a muddled way
- A calm face, not revealing too much but definitely in a good humor
- A neutral expression
- Appearing very pleased, happy, contented
- Bemused
- Abstract, interpretation might depend on the context
- Perhaps a little belligerent, put-out, or sticking one's snout into the trough or other people's business
- A little dazed, uncertain, confused
- Being cool, a dude
- Clueless, just-got-out-of-bed look
- Angry
- Anything calling for a bird-like look
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3
Make good use of eyebrow positioning. The manner in which eyebrows are placed can change the entire features of a cartoon face. The following images provide you with a good range of eyebrow features and the ways in which they change the emotions on the face:
- Excited
- Happy
- Cheeky, slightly naughty
- Tired
- Pleasant, pretty
- Throwing a tantrum
- Worried
- Debonair, elegant

Community Q&A

Question

How do I draw bored eyes?

Community Answer

Usually they are tiny or little.
Question

How do I draw a constipated look?

Community Answer

Clench his teeth and face up. Close his eyes and maybe make him sweating.