Learn How to Draw Scared Faces!

Drawing scared faces is relatively difficult because quite often, you will find that your face will have a look of surprise.

This is common because a scared expression has an element of surprise in it. The question becomes whether or not you are capable of distinguishing these two expressions to create horror faces.

Not to worry! There is one facial feature that is always different from the surprised expression. This is the mouth. I will explain in detail as we practice drawing fear in your character.

I shouldn't have to explain how to use your digital tools. But as a reminder, you should already have mastered the simple tools that we have learned to help you paint digitally.

Are you ready? Let's start up your digital canvas and begin drawing!

1. Front view

Like all our examples, the best way to start off, for drawing scared faces, is looking at the face from the front. This will help you get a sense of what important key elements drive this expression. I recommend using a mirror to help you out.

Starting with the eyes, I make the eye openings as wide as possible. The main focus here is trying to show off the white matter in the top portion of the eyeballs. This is made possible because the forehead muscles are moving upwards.

The bottom muscles near the cheek do not move. Hence, you seldom see the white matter on the bottom part of the eye. Also, draw some wrinkles on the forehead to indicate that it is being pushed together.

The mouth is the key here that distinguishes from the surprised expression. While the surprise look has the mouth in a vertical 'O' position, fear is portrayed with the 'O' position horizontally! This is the most important point! It's subtle, but it is what makes the expression differentiation.

2. Partial side view

Drawing scared faces from the partial side is just as easy once you understand the underlying elements. There is no trick to it but to focus on what is important.

They eyes on on side will be more squished than the eye on one end depending which side your character is facing.

Remember to distort the corners of the mouth to align it with the edges of the cheeks and face. A few more things to keep in mind is that lips are in a neutral position. That is, the lips are nether protruding inwards or outwards during this pose.

As for the mouth, it should be a natural, unstressed, horizontal 'O' pose. Make sure the chin is in a neutral position as well. Inside of the mouth, only the lower section of teeth is shown as the relaxed nature of the upper lip will cover up the top half of the teeth.

3. Profile view

Just like all the expressions you have drawn so far, drawing scared faces require the mouth to be covered by the cheeks in this view. This holds true for all types of expressions where the mouth is opened wide.

Remember that you only have half the face to work with. That is why it is imperative that you know what muscles are relaxed and stretched to give you this expression.

The cheeks must run from the inside of the corner of the eye straight down to the bottom of the chin. As for the eyes itself, try to make a triangular shape instead of the full opened circle. Of course, the pupils are still curved. Draw it accordingly!

Keep elements of the lips and the chin at a neutral position when working on the lower half of the face because the muscles are in a relatively relaxed state.

4. Variations on scared faces

As we finish off drawing scared faces on your digital canvas, it's time to think about other types of expressions that is related to fear.

Two extreme examples off the top of my head is the expression of horror and worry. In these examples, the main focus is still the mouth because you want to have it stretched horizontal. However, adding to that, the secondary focus is on the eyebrows.

On our example, the eyebrows are in a neutral state. However, with these two related expressions, the eyebrows are compressed inwards like those seen on sad expressions.

Remember to leave the lips in a neutral position as well to distinguish it from sad expressions. As long as you know what remains neutral and what remains stressed, you can play around with many different variations easily.

This concludes the quick lesson. Please continue your hard work. Most of all, never forget to build up on your basic art foundations as more challenging expressions arise!

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