An important component in building an expression on your character's face is the eyes, but just as important are the eyebrows and lines around the eyes. The eyes themselves in cartoons are often just dots or circles, the expression in the eyes comes from the brows and any additional lines you add.
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How To Draw Eyes - Happy, Sad, Evil
The following examples show a series for four pairs of eyes. The first pair are simple circles with dots, but the addition of high eyebrows and lines representing bags under the eyes give them a surprised, even scared look. The second look menacing with the addition of both heavy eyebrows and the lines above and below the eyes narrowing them giving the impression of anger.

The third set of eyes above look perhaps hypnotized, with the iris in the centre filling most of the eye. The last drawing shows half closed eyes suggesting a tired sleepy or bored face. As with the last drawing on the previous page, you can also create an angry face by not showing the eyes at all, just lines suggesting tightly closed eyelids.

The third set of eyes above look perhaps hypnotized, with the iris in the centre filling most of the eye. The last drawing shows half closed eyes suggesting a tired sleepy or bored face. As with the last drawing on the previous page, you can also create an angry face by not showing the eyes at all, just lines suggesting tightly closed eyelids.
Eyes Examples Continued
Below are more suggestions for cartoon eyes, the first again looking surprised by having large open eyes with high eyebrows and a small dot for the iris. The second and third look 'sneaky' and suspicious by narrowing the eyes, and by making the eyes look to the side furtively. A 'dozy' looking effect is achieved by having the eyelids half closed.


In addition to the eyes we can create a different look by using glasses of different shapes, as below.

Note the difference between 'evil' and 'sleepy' half closed eyes: to make the eyes seem sleepy draw the whole eye, then draw a line in the middle for the eyelid. For evil eyes only draw the narrow part of the eye that is showing.

In addition to the eyes we can create a different look by using glasses of different shapes, as below.
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