Eyes — expression
- Flat, unfazed “deadpan” stare: no squinting, lashes minimal, zero smile in the eyes.
- Stress lines on the forehead push the upper lids slightly downward → reads as boredom/menace-comedy.
Eye shape
- Very large, near-circular but a little horizontal-oval.
- Inner corners rounded; outer corners a touch pointier (flattened teardrop).
- Upper lid: thin, almost straight line. Lower lid: barely indicated.
- Spacing: roughly one iris width between the eyes.
Iris & pupils
- Small irises relative to the sclera → strong “stare.”
- Tiny, crisp pupil. Gag variant swaps to a black spiral or a swirl in the iris.
- Single, small highlight, usually upper-left.
- Useful ratios: iris ≈ 35–45% of eye width; pupil ≈ 15–25% of iris.
Face (planes/tones)
- Muscles neutral; expression frozen.
- Distinct darker “mask” around eyes and nose bridge, boosting contrast with the whites.
- Head often slightly tilted or dipped, amplifying the “are you serious?” read.
Mouth
- Short, horizontal line, centered, no strong corners.
- Variants: tiny “o” for mute surprise; soft rectangle when chewing—but for the stare it’s a flat line.
Quick animation recipe
- Hold 6–12 frames perfectly still for comedic tension.
- Micro-blink in 1–2 frames.
- Slide the irises 3–4 frames without moving the head.
- Shrink the pupil for 2 frames at the peak to tighten the intensity.
Next logical step is a compact model sheet: front/¾ guides with construction ellipses and those ratios so the stare stays consistent across shots.
Wide oval eyes with tiny pupils locked in a flat stare, irises small against the whites. Face frozen, dark mask around eyes adds contrast. Mouth a simple straight line, emotionless. The look is deadpan, intense, and comically unsettling.
