Manga eyebrow: 5 positions to change the emotion

The eyebrow is placed above the upper eyelid, never touching it. In Manga Addict, we leave a clear space between the two: it is this space that allows the eyebrow to move up or down without touching the eye.

Keep the same guidelines as for the rest of the face: the eye line in the middle of the head, the width of one eye between the two eyes. These guidelines are detailed in the article on manga eyes. The eyebrow follows the eye; it does not draw its own line.

Treat both eyebrows as a pair. They don't need to be identical, but they must remain at a consistent height, otherwise the face will look skewed.

• Neutral: eyebrow almost horizontal, slightly rounded, resting naturally above the eyelid.
• High and relaxed: raised eyebrow, gentle curve. This is the basis for joy and good humor.
• Sad: the eyebrow slants upward in the center of the face, as if the two lines are trying to meet on a slope.
• Angry: the eyebrow lowers and slants downward in the center. Combined with a thicker upper eyelid, it hardens the gaze.
• Surprised: very high eyebrow, far from the eye, accompanied by an eyelid raised to the maximum.

These positions follow the rules from the article on les expressions manga, where each emotion combines an eyebrow, an eyelid, and a mouth.

A single eyebrow is never enough. The upper eyelid, the thick arch framing the gaze, must tell the same story. A low eyebrow and wide eyelid create a harsh look. A high eyebrow and raised eyelid show astonishment.

Change one element at a time. If you modify the eyebrow, eyelid, and mouth all at once, you no longer know which one produces the effect.

Mistakes that blur the emotion

• The eyebrow glued to the eyelid: it crushes the eye and removes all nuance.
• The mismatch: angry eyebrows with a smiling mouth. Unless for comedic or threatening intent, the reader hesitates.
• A stroke that is too thick and too black: it overpowers the eyes. In manga, it stays thin or fades beneath the bangs.
• Two excessively symmetrical eyebrows: a slight difference in height makes the face more alive, provided it remains subtle.

Practicing without losing the character

• Take a single reference face, with its eyes, nose, and mouth already in place. Draw it five times changing only the eyebrow. You will immediately see what each position changes.
• Then do the same exercise with the mouth, described in the article on la bouche manga, and then with le nez. A character remains recognizable when their fixed features do not move and only the expression varies.
• To test these expressions on a real page, Bulle.ai allows you to compose your pages and review the effect of a face within its context.