Comics and Closed Lips

A common issue I encounter when working with comic artists: characters speaking with their mouths closed.

If a character says something, the lips should be open. There are rare exceptions—sounds made with closed mouths—but dialogue means an open mouth.

Mouth Opening Conveys Emotion

The degree of opening matters:

• Subtle opening — quiet voice, calm speech
• Moderate opening — normal conversation
• Wide open — yelling, shouting, extreme emotion

This is a tool for visual storytelling. Use it.

The Whole Face Participates

A genuine smile isn’t just about the mouth. The eyes narrow slightly, the cheeks rise, the whole face shifts. Drawing a curved line on an otherwise neutral face reads as fake.

The same applies to all expressions. Anger, surprise, sadness—they all involve more than just mouth position.

Consistency Matters

Mixing open and closed mouths during speech creates an unsettling effect for readers. Something feels wrong even if they can’t articulate why.

Pick an approach and stick with it throughout the comic. Stylistic exceptions exist—anime’s exaggerated grins, for instance—but use them deliberately for specific effects, not accidentally.

Proportional accuracy and realistic mouth positioning significantly enhance comic storytelling. Small details matter more than artists sometimes realize.