Help Me Smile

[Peter-J]

Hi There,
I am more than happy with my progress but I am finding it very hard to get a smile on my figures as you can see from the attached picture. Can anyone help me out with this. I know I am missing something but I can't figure out how to rectify it. Thank you.

Peter.

[dme253756]

Re: Help Me Smile

When you smile, you squint and if your lips, cheeks, and mustache move upward on the ends it helps.

[Arthur C.]

Re: Help Me Smile

Peter, look at your face in a mirror. Go from a straight face to a smiling face. Note that the mouth turning up is only part of a smiling face. Look at the change in your eyes, don't they close just a bit as your cheeks rise? The wide eyed look on your Santas is part of the problem; when you adjust the eyes, put crow's feet (laugh wrinkles) at the corners; raise the moustaches above the lip as you raise the corners of the mouth. See if this helps.

[Buffalo Bif]

Re: Help Me Smile

since your lips are hidden by your mustache, you'll never see the smile- you'll see the effect of the smile on the mustache. Make the 'stache curve up then down. i like to go look in the mirror to see what happens when I make different faces.

[brent]

Re: Help Me Smile

They look really nice as they are.

[DickB]

Re: Help Me Smile

Thanks for asking the question, Peter. My santas usually look like grumpy old men. I learned something today. I like your faces. They look good.

Dick

[Sam]

Re: Help Me Smile

Arthur C gave you good advise. Accomplish the smile with the eyes. A little squinted and some crows feet on the sides. Otherwise you would use more of a mouth in your carving and have it opened like it's saying " HoHoHo"