Learning Hub

Welcome to the Learning Hub!

Here you will find a curated selection of resources on FACS (Facial Action Coding System), facial expressions, and facial anatomy. Explore at your own pace and deepen your understanding of the nuances of human expression.

Free Reference Libraries & Cheat Sheets

FACS Cheat Sheet

Explore expression references of Facial Action Coding System movements and beyond here.

Viseme Cheat Sheet

expression references of Facial Action Coding System movements and beyond here.

ARKit to FACS Cheat Sheeet

Decode ARKit face shapes and how they translate into FACS(ish) here.

Chimpanzee FACS & More

Discover how much we have in common with chimpanzee facial expressions and FACS here.

Free Educational Posts

tips for facial capture protocol design

Tips for Facial Pose Data Captures

Facial Volume Changes + Facial Expressions Reference

Squishy Faces & Expressions

/p/ /b/ /m/ Bilabial Visemes & the Importance of Asymmetry

closeup of two different types of eyelids

Eyelid Crease Variation

Premium Reference Libraries & Guides

FACS Video Edition

FACS Study Guide

Emotion Videos

ARKit to FACS Guide

Premium Educational Posts

stylized eyebrows

Eyebrow Shapes and Character Design

sticky lids, blinkles, and rolling lids - new terms for vfx - animation

Advanced Blend Shape Tips For Blinks

eye blink - Melinda Ozel design

Hot Tips For Animating Blinks

upper lid raiser - levator palpebrae superioris - eye bulge - anatomy

All About Upper Lid Raiser – AU5

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