27 Easy Ways to Draw Emotions: Step-by-Step Guide
🖍️ 27 free tutorials
Drawing is a powerful, screen-free way for children to process complex feelings. This collection of 27 tutorials is designed for artists of all ages to practice how subtle changes in eyebrows, eyes, and mouths communicate mood. Grab your pencil and paper, and let's turn those big feelings into art.
Thinking Face
Capture deep concentration by focusing on the asymmetrical eyebrow placement. Tip: Keep the pupil slightly off-center to suggest the character is looking away in thought.
Cartoon Angry Face
Anger is all about tension. Focus on the 'V' shape of the brows. Tip: Use sharp, jagged lines for the teeth to emphasize the intensity of the emotion.
Sad Dog
Body language is key for animals. Drooping ears and a tucked tail tell the story. Tip: Use soft, rounded lines for the eyes to make the dog look extra sympathetic.
Happy Face
The foundation of all expressions. Tip: Draw the mouth curve slightly wider than the eyes to create a genuine, infectious smile.
Anime Boy Crying
Anime style uses exaggerated tears to show big emotions. Tip: Use long, vertical teardrop shapes to emphasize the flow of sadness.
Scared Face
Fear is all about wide, open shapes. Tip: Draw the pupils smaller than usual to make the eyes look startled and wide.
Happy Dog Wagging Tail
Contrast this with the sad dog. Tip: Draw the tail with 'motion lines' to show it is actively wagging.
Crying Laughing Emoji
The ultimate expression of joy. Tip: Ensure the eyes are curved downward to match the shape of the smile.
Snoopy from Peanuts Dancing
Movement adds energy to emotion. Tip: Use loose, curved lines for the limbs to suggest a rhythmic, happy dance.
Angry Anime Girl
Anime anger often uses symbols. Tip: Add the 'V' shaped vein symbol on the forehead to instantly communicate frustration.
Laughing Face
Focus on the cheeks. Tip: Draw the cheeks pushed upward to show the face is physically reacting to a laugh.
Sad Anime Face
Wind and hair movement can enhance the mood. Tip: Draw the hair flowing in one direction to suggest a lonely, windy environment.
Crying Emoji
Simple shapes work best for emojis. Tip: Keep the frown lines distinct to ensure the sadness is clear.
Tears
Focus on the eyes. Tip: Draw the lower eyelid slightly raised to show the eye is squinting from the effort of crying.
Angry Dog
The bared teeth are the focal point. Tip: Use a zig-zag line for the mouth to make the teeth look sharp and dangerous.
Sad Girl Crying
Sometimes the best way to show sadness is to hide the face. Tip: Use the arms and hair to create a 'closed' shape, suggesting the character is withdrawing.
Surprised Face
Surprise is all about the 'O' shape. Tip: Draw the mouth as a perfect oval to show shock.
Scared Cat
An arched back is the universal sign of a scared cat. Tip: Draw the fur standing up on the back to show the cat is reacting to a threat.
Tired Face
Tiredness is about 'sagging' lines. Tip: Draw the eyelids drooping halfway over the eyes to show the character is struggling to stay awake.
Happy Clown
Clowns use makeup to exaggerate features. Tip: Draw the smile lines extending past the mouth to make the expression look larger than life.
Crying Face
Combine multiple features for sadness. Tip: Use heavy, thick lines for the eyebrows to show they are being pulled down in distress.
Sad, Broken Heart
Symbolism is a great way to express feelings. Tip: Draw the bandage as a simple rectangle with small lines to show it's 'holding' the heart together.
Emojis: Happy Emoji
The simplest way to practice. Tip: Keep the circle perfectly round to make the emoji look clean and professional.
Sad Cat
Cats show sadness through their posture. Tip: Draw the tail wrapped tightly around the body to show the cat is trying to make itself small.
Laughing Emoji with Hands
Adding hands brings personality. Tip: Draw the hands in a 'pointing' gesture to show the emoji is laughing at something specific.
Disgusted Face
Disgust is all about the nose. Tip: Draw a small, wrinkled line above the nose to show the character is reacting to a bad smell.
Confused Anime Face
Spiral eyes are a classic anime trope for confusion. Tip: Draw the spirals starting from the center and moving outward to create a dizzying effect.
More Collections
