art Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Face the FACS | Facial Expressions in Animation, AI, & Behavior

Eyelid Crease Variation

February 21, 2025July 21, 2022 by melindaozel

The depth and amount of lid skin in people with upper lid creases is highly variable! This is one of the many reasons eyeliner users can’t approach lining the same way. Got secrets hidden in there.

Forehead Dynamics – Frontalis vs. Occipitalis

February 21, 2025July 20, 2022 by melindaozel

We are generally familiar with frontalis’s work as an eyebrow elevator; however, it is often neglected knowledge that frontalis also works as a hairline depressor. Though this idea may seem counterintuitive, once you are familiar with some muscle basics, things will start to make sense.

Chimpanzee vs. Human Facial Expressions, Part I

February 21, 2025June 21, 2022 by melindaozel

Chimpanzees and humans have many things in common when it comes to facial expressions and facial structure; however, they also have many significant differences! Below is a series of imagery focusing on an action affected by the prominent brow ridge seen in chimpanzees: cheek raiser – an orbicularis oculi (orbital portion) action. Observe the key differences and similarities.

ARKit to FACS: Blendshape Cheat Sheet

February 19, 2026May 1, 2022 by melindaozel

If you or your team are using open-source face tracking kits, figuring out what’s what can be challenging. Navigate the ambiguity with the FACS Translation Sheet!

Lip Tightener vs. Lip Presser

February 21, 2025March 30, 2022 by melindaozel

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Animation Tips For Smiles

February 20, 2025August 29, 2021 by melindaozel

Nailing the right “smiling eye” look in your characters can be challenging – unless you know how the orbicularis oculi muscle works.

What people are saying
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"Melinda Ozel's resources on face anatomy, motion, and FACS are industry standard. During my time working on The Last of Us Part II (and other unannounced Playstation titles) I referred to it almost exclusively on a regular basis. The free material is great but the pay material is worth the cost."
Eric Drobile | Technical Animator

"For most people learning traditional FACS is not feasible. It requires very costly specialized degrees and years long commitment. And the half century old research with fuzzy photos was not made for artists. What Melinda has done for our industry is take the dense scientific information and streamlined it into very easy to digest entries and videos catered to artists."
Paul Liaw | Principal Character Artist

"I've been working as a Facial Blendshape Artist across film and gaming and have watched the quality of my work improve exponentially since I've had access to this wealth of knowledge that Melinda has so thoughtfully put together. Her documentation is clear, appealing, and comprehensive. If Paul Ekman is the father of FACS, Melinda has become the cool aunt."
Ioana Alexandra Pirvu | Lead Artist: Blendshapes @ Rockstar Games

"Face the FACS in my opinion is bar-none, the best resource out there for any artist and company dealing with facial animation. The way in which Melinda delivers knowledge is detailed, but fun and compelling enough to make you want to keep learning. For a topic that could have easily been boring, she inspired me to keep learning."
Giovanni Nakpil | Senior Creative 3D Evangelist @ Adobe

"If you're doing AU's (action units), this is the site you're going to need to bookmark. Melinda has gone above and beyond to create what I feel is the ultimate resource guide for AU's. Each AU explained, annotated and demonstrated with extreme clarity. You'll experience plenty of "aha!!" moments using Melinda's work as your guide!"
Frank Gravatt | Facial Modeler @ Cloud Chamber