So, I got this weird idea the other day, trying to nail that classic “undertaker face”. You know the one, that super stoic, almost blank look? It seemed kinda interesting, like a challenge in controlling your own face.
First off, I just went to the mirror. Seemed easy enough, right? Just… don’t show emotion. Man, was I wrong. My first attempts were just awful. I either looked slightly constipated or just vaguely annoyed. Not the stone-cold, intimidating vibe I was thinking of. It’s harder than it looks to erase everything from your face on command.
Okay, step two, I needed to actually figure out what makes that look work. I spent some time just looking at pictures, trying to break it down. What I noticed was:
- The eyes: They’re not squinting, not wide open. Just kind of level, maybe looking slightly through you rather than at you. There’s a certain intensity, but it’s very controlled.
- The mouth: Completely neutral. No smile, no frown. Lips together but not pressed hard.
- The brow: This was key. It’s not furrowed like anger, but it’s not relaxed either. It’s just… there. Smooth, almost unnaturally so.
- The jaw: Maybe slightly set, but not clenched tight like you’re stressed.
Armed with these observations, I went back to practicing. It became this weird little exercise. Stand in front of the mirror, try to relax everything, then slowly adjust. Focus on the eyes first, get that level gaze. Then work on keeping the mouth totally neutral. The hardest part for me was the brow – my default is either slightly raised in curiosity or slightly furrowed when I concentrate.
I started taking quick snaps with my phone camera to see what it actually looked like from an outside view, ’cause the mirror can trick you. Lots of failed attempts deleted, trust me. It felt silly, standing there trying to look like… well, like an undertaker. But it was also kinda fascinating how hard it is to consciously control all those little facial muscles we usually don’t think about.
Getting the expression to feel ’empty’ but still have that underlying intensity was the real trick. Too relaxed and I looked bored or sleepy. Too tense and I looked angry or worried. It’s a very fine line.
After a few sessions of this weird practice, I think I got closer. Not perfect, probably couldn’t hold it for long or look natural doing it in conversation, haha. But I could approximate that specific, stoic, unreadable look for a few seconds. It was mostly just a personal challenge, a bit of fun exploring facial expressions. Kinda cool to realise how much goes into a seemingly ‘blank’ face.
