Topic: Describing facial expressions
Came across this list on Pinterest, of all places! What do you think? Got any others?
http://www.bryndonovan.com/2015/04/05/m … pressions/
- j p lundstrom
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2 2017-08-29 14:54:29 (edited by Dill Carver 2017-08-29 14:57:17)
- Dill Carver
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Re: Describing facial expressions
A UK journalist once wrote of Wayne Rooney (a ruddy faced English soccer player), when he first appeared on the scene; that he 'has a face, lovingly fashioned by God, from a potato.'
That kind of stuck with me over the years.
- Marilyn Johnson
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Re: Describing facial expressions
Dill Carver wrote:
he 'has a face, lovingly fashioned by God, from a potato.'
OMG! Love the subtle humor in that! Good one, Dill!
4 2017-08-29 17:52:34 (edited by Sideman 2017-08-29 17:53:18)
- Sideman
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Re: Describing facial expressions
jp: Good list. Thanks for posting the link. I use some of them but there are others I will look at using as they are very good, in my opinion, in most cases.
Dill: That was worth the price of admission!
Marilyn: Hey!
- corra
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Re: Describing facial expressions
This whole list could be read as really bad foreplay:
... her nose crinkled
his nose wrinkled
she sneered
his nostrils flared
she stuck her nose in the air
he sniffed
she sniffled...
- Sideman
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Re: Describing facial expressions
Just thought of this:
One I like to use is, "I thought a saw a hint of a smile. Either that or the corners of his mouth twitched upwards, almost imperceptibly, for no good reason." I vary the wording but I like the idea of a "hint of a smile".
- Sideman
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Re: Describing facial expressions
corra wrote:
This whole list could be read as really bad foreplay:
... her nose crinkled
his nose wrinkled
she sneered
his nostrils flared
she stuck her nose in the air
he sniffed
she sniffled...
Ha! Love it, Corra!!!!
- j p lundstrom
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Re: Describing facial expressions
Corra--where- is your mind? I knew you were a good one! JP
- dagnee
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Re: Describing facial expressions
JP...Ann Everett does something in her writing that seems really natural to me, she lets her characters react to each other's looks. For example instead of describing a beautiful woman, she'll have the man who's interested in her drool over her eyes. lips, breasts...etc..that way you're not writing and the reader isn't reading a check list of facial features.
- Ann Everett
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Re: Describing facial expressions
Thanks for the compliment, Dags. I appreciate it. One book I think every writer should have is The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression. Best selling authors, Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi cover everything between Adoration to Worry. They list physical expressions, internal sensations, mental responses, cues of long term and suppressed expressions of each emotion. I use the reference all the time. It isn't just for facial expression but includes the whole body's reaction.
- Mariana Reuter
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Re: Describing facial expressions
The Emotions Thesaurus is a must every writer must have on her bedside table!
Kiss,
Gacela
12 2017-08-29 21:23:39 (edited by dagnee 2017-08-29 21:24:59)
- dagnee
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Re: Describing facial expressions
Going to Amazon right now and buying: The Emotions Thesaurus...thanks Ann, Gacela!
PS...good news, you can get the ebook for 0.00!
- denisef
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Re: Describing facial expressions
Ann Everett wrote:
Thanks for the compliment, Dags. I appreciate it. One book I think every writer should have is The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression. Best selling authors, Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi cover everything between Adoration to Worry. They list physical expressions, internal sensations, mental responses, cues of long term and suppressed expressions of each emotion. I use the reference all the time. It isn't just for facial expression but includes the whole body's reaction.
Yes Ann that book is great
- j p lundstrom
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Re: Describing facial expressions
Yikes! There's a whole series--are the rest as good? Traveling as I do, it's hard to tote these along. Finding Kindle editions simplifies matters. JP
