Facial Expressions

Is it just me, or are facial expressions something that Vivienne really has mastered? For example, take this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEUoxQ4qSfs (which she really should make a finished version of, by the way) Take note of all the different expressions. Even in the bits where she's just doing a small part of the song her expression is always conveying something. You can also easily pick out Happiness, Determination, Disgust, etc. I'd like to know what people think on the matter, and to see other works by Vivienne that exemplify her mastery of character expressions.



(Also, I didn't know whether to put this in discussion or off topic, because discussion seems to relate only to the comic and off topic is for stuff completely unrelated, so I put it here to be safe. There should be a forum section for works by Vivienne that aren't ZP.)

Oh, absolutely.  I had actually come up with the reason that I think the art, especially the expressiveness of the characters, is so masterful, but Dave Lillie (author of Dreamkeepers) summed it up better than I ever could in this review he did for Zoophobia:

Quote :

The cartoony style explodes with life.  It’s manic, distorted, potent- reminiscent in some ways of Ren and Stimpy.

Now, as a kid, I never really got into Ren and Stimpy.  It’s a great cartoon, of course- it was groundbreaking with its perfectly articulated vulgarity.  Other cartoons have followed in it’s footsteps, using exaggerated visuals to amplify their satire.

I think as a kid, that’s why I never got heavily into Ren & Stimpy.  I had a thirst for emotionally relatable stories, but their style was used to spotlight grotesque absurdity.  

And in mainstream cartooning, that’s what this dynamic style came to be used for- sarcastic depictions of stupidity.  Suitable for mockery, or shows that patronize children.  

Not so with Zoophobia.  

I think that’s one of the reasons I love the series-  it’s a counterpoint, proving that exaggerated cartooning isn’t by definition limited to derisive caricature.

Vivienne takes this beautiful style and uses it with sincerity and verve.  The characters are distinctive and lively- and while humor is present, it isn’t used to denigrate the cast.  They’re fleshed out over time, allowing a full spectrum of emotions and drama to emerge, amidst a wildly imaginative yet coherent fantasy world.

That's really it, the beautiful exaggeration in everything from facial expression to body positioning, which has so much potential to look stupid and forced, but it doesn't, it works.  I probably just sound like I'm fanboying, but I love cartoons, animated and otherwise, and in line with everything I know about it and all my own thoughts on what constitutes mastery in cartooning, I've never come across an artist who displays more prowess in the medium than Vivienne.  I have no doubt that she'll make waves in the artistic community, especially considering how young she is and how much she's already done.

I am 100% Zoophobia fanboy. I live, breathe, and die by this comic. (not really, i just love this art-style and basically everything about this comic.)

Exactly, LordCrump, and another one that really showed off her proficiency well was her thesis video, Timber. Since there was no dialogue, she had to convey everything through the expressions and actions and she really did a fantastic job.

Good point on her thesis video. I barely even noticed there was no dialogue. The music really complimented the expressions, carried them forward.

As for her expressions, I get the feeling that's something she practices a lot, eg: , and .

Basically everyone of her doodles. Actually the second wasn't all that impressive, but whatever.

She made a post on the importance of body language on Deviantart: http://vivzmind.deviantart.com/art/Variety-Meme-DEMONS-424430768

Edit: Links fixed. For a certain value of fixed.

Very nice with the demon one, but I couldn't get the other links to work.