Animating a Blink: Don't Forget the Eyebrows

Animation by Mark Masters

One common mistake made by junior animators is to animate a blink - but not to animate the eyebrows. 

 Don't forget also that when we blink our eyebrows are involved as well - even if just a little bit. 

So, when your character blinks, you should add a little motion on the eyebrows too; to create flexibility in the face and make the overall motion feel less stiff. This small tip will make your character's face feel more flexible and more alive.

Animating Blinks, Eyes and Expressions

Animation by Robin Herrmann

For more on animating blinks, eyes and expressions, see these blog posts:

• How to Animate a Blink
• Always add a Blink on a Head Turn
• How to Animate Eye Darts
• Why Eye Direction Matters
• How to Animate a "Two Shot"
• Why Animators Should Avoid a Profile View
• Why Thumbnails Sketches Need Facial Expressions
• Why Animators Should Do Facial Expressions First
• How to Create a Face Camera in Maya

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