As a professional anime artist who has refined my technique over years of character illustration, I’ve found that mastering the side view of anime mouths is essential for creating expressive, dynamic characters. While front-view expressions receive most of the attention in tutorials, side-view mouth drawings communicate crucial emotional nuances and add dimensional depth to your character art. This comprehensive guide will walk you through my approach to creating varied and expressive anime mouths from the profile perspective.

Positioning Anime Mouths on the Head in Profile View

When placing an anime mouth on a character’s profile, proper positioning is critical for maintaining proportional balance. I typically position the lower lip approximately 1/8 of the head’s total length up from the chin. The mouth extends slightly above this point.

For precise positioning, I draw an imaginary line from the tip of the nose down to the curve of the chin. This reference line helps establish the natural placement of the lips along the face’s profile, ensuring anatomical accuracy even within the stylized anime aesthetic.

Understanding Mouth Mechanics

Before diving into specific expressions, it’s crucial to understand how the mouth actually operates when opening and closing. The jaw doesn’t simply drop straight down like a drawbridge but rotates downward and slightly forward from its hinge point near the ear.

The upper jaw remains stationary, while the lower jaw moves. This fundamental principle applies to all mouth expressions, from subtle speech to exaggerated shouting poses. Even in stylized anime art, following this natural movement pattern creates more convincing expressions.

Standard Closed Mouth – Side View

For a neutral, closed anime mouth in profile view, simplicity is key. I create a single, slightly curved line that follows the natural contour where the upper and lower lips meet. This subtle curve should complement the character’s facial structure.

For female or younger characters, I sometimes add a very slight upward curve to create a softer, more pleasant expression even in neutral positions. For more serious or mature characters, a straighter line creates a more composed appearance.

Slightly Open Mouth – Side View

When a character is speaking casually or slightly surprised, I draw the mouth partially open by:

1. Maintaining the upper lip position
2. Drawing the lower jaw slightly downward and forward
3. Creating a smooth curve for the mouth opening
4. Optionally adding a subtle indication of upper teeth with a simple horizontal line

This expression works perfectly for normal conversation scenes or mild reactions, creating natural animation-ready poses.

Wide Open Mouth – Side View

For expressions of shock or loud speech, the widely opened mouth requires careful attention to jaw positioning:

1. Draw the lower jaw significantly lower than in the partially open position
2. Position teeth slightly below where they would be in the slightly open mouth
3. Create a larger curved opening between the lips
4. Optionally indicate both upper and lower teeth with simple horizontal lines

The key difference between slightly open and wide open mouths lies in how far the jaw drops and how the lips position themselves. In a wide open mouth, the entire lower portion of the face extends downward.

Shouting Mouth – Side View

The shouting expression builds on the wide open mouth but with critical modifications:

1. Draw the lips pulled back slightly, exposing more teeth
2. Extend the mouth opening wider horizontally
3. Create tension lines at the corner of the mouth to indicate strain
4. Show more teeth than in the standard open mouth

This expression effectively communicates intense emotion, whether the character is literally shouting or experiencing extreme surprise or fear.

Serious/Unhappy Mouth – Side View

For serious or unhappy expressions, the mouth takes on a downturned appearance:

1. Draw a simple downward curve
2. Keep lips pressed together more firmly than in the neutral position
3. Optionally add a slight tension line beneath the lower lip

The severity of the downward curve directly correlates with the intensity of the negative emotion – a slight downturn suggests mild disappointment, while a more pronounced curve indicates anger or deep sadness.

Surprised/Shocked Mouth – Side View

When a character is surprised, their mouth often forms an “O” shape even in profile:

1. Draw both lips slightly forward, as if puckered
2. Create a small oval or round opening
3. Keep the jaw only slightly lowered

This expression effectively communicates sudden surprise, wonder, or realization without the extreme nature of a shouting pose.

Smiling Mouth – Side View

The smile is perhaps the most important expression to master in anime art. For a profile view smile:

1. Draw the corner of the mouth curved upward
2. Slightly raise the lower jaw
3. Create a curved line for visible teeth
4. Add a small wrinkle at the corner of the mouth where the cheek raises

A successful anime smile in profile shows the raised cheek and upturned corner while maintaining anatomical plausibility.

Frightened/Scared Mouth – Side View

Fear expressions combine elements of surprised and unhappy mouths:

1. Draw the mouth open similar to the surprised expression
2. Angle the entire opening downward
3. Add tension lines at the corner and possibly below the mouth
4. Consider showing teeth with a slight chatter effect for extreme fear

This expression creates an immediate impression of dread or terror, especially when combined with appropriately drawn eyes.

Grinning Mouth – Side View

For mischievous or confident grins:

1. Draw a wide smile similar to the standard smiling mouth
2. Add a pronounced wrinkle at the corner where the cheek raises
3. Show a clear division between upper and lower teeth
4. Optionally add a small glint or highlight for extra effect

The key difference between a standard smile and a grin is in the intensity and the suggestion of intentionality – grins often appear more deliberate and characterized.

Confused Mouth – Side View

Confusion manifests uniquely in profile view:

1. Draw the lips in a slightly pursed position
2. Create a small “O” shape extending slightly outward
3. Keep the jaw in a neutral position

This expression perfectly captures that moment of puzzlement or uncertainty, working especially well for comedic moments or reaction shots.

Slight Smile – Side View

For subtle happiness or contentment:

1. Draw the mouth closed similarly to the neutral position
2. Add a longer, gently upward curved line
3. Optionally include a very small wrinkle at the corner

This understated expression is perfect for gentle moments or characters with more reserved personalities, communicating happiness without exaggeration.

Professional Techniques for Enhanced Expression

Throughout my career illustrating anime characters, I’ve developed additional techniques that elevate side-view mouth expressions:

Line Weight Variation

Varying your line thickness adds dimension and emphasis:

• Use slightly thicker lines for the actual lip contours
• Apply thinner lines for interior details like teeth or tongue
• Consider a slightly heavier line at the corner of the mouth to create depth

Character-Specific Modifications

Adapt mouth styles to suit different character types:

• For younger or feminine characters, use smoother, rounder curves
• For mature or masculine characters, incorporate more angular elements
• For villainous characters, exaggerate the corners and add sharper angles

Micro-Expressions

Add subtle details that enhance emotional depth:

• Small tension lines below the lower lip for stress or effort
• Slight asymmetry in expressions for more natural, candid feelings
• Tiny wrinkles at the corners for age indication or expression intensity

Advanced Animation Considerations

When creating characters that may be animated or appear in sequential art:

Mouth Transitions

Consider how one expression flows into another:

• The neutral position serves as your base transitional pose
• Extreme expressions like shouting should visibly strain the surrounding facial muscles
• Subtle expressions might only affect the immediate mouth area

Expression Consistency

Maintain character-specific mouth traits across different expressions:

• If a character has a distinctive mouth shape in neutral position, retain elements of that shape in all expressions
• Consider how your character’s unique features (like fangs, unusually shaped lips, or scars) affect each expression
• Develop a consistent “language” of expressions for each character

Final Considerations

Remember that anime mouths, while stylized, still benefit from understanding real facial anatomy. The side view presents unique challenges but offers tremendous opportunity for communicating character and emotion.

As you practice these different mouth expressions, try creating quick emotion studies focusing solely on the profile view. This exercise will help you develop consistency while building your repertoire of emotional expressions.

With time and practice, you’ll develop an intuitive understanding of how to communicate any emotion through the side view of anime mouths, adding another powerful dimension to your character illustrations.