Lips

Posted by : tiffani_celestalis Tuesday, July 9, 2013

THE PERFECT LIPS
Theoretically the perfect lip balance is:

A Height of Upper Lip:Height of Lower Lip ratio of 1.4:1.6
or upper lip is 87.5% the height of the lower one

If you eyeball it, the bottom lips are just a bit puffier than the top one.

In my opinion though, lips are a dynamic thing. They shape according to our expressions. They can be sad, seductive, angry, worried, happy .. shaping into different sizes and forms depending on what we are expressing.

All sorts of emotions!

The problem with avatars is that their faces are static. The eyes don't change expression, the lips remain closed.

LIP SLIDERS IN SL
Lip Width: lip width.. (see my nose proportion post including noses)
Lip Fullness: Like scaling your lips up and down
Lip Thickness: Similar effect to fullness, but look at its effect on your profile view (side view). It brings the lips outward and inward.
Lip Ratio: How much upper lip you have compared to lower lip
Mouth Position: How far away your lips are from your nose
Mouth Corner: Frowny face :( or Happy Face :)
Lip Cleft Depth: Affects the cupids' bow (the double curve of the upper lip)
Lip Cleft: How far apart the peaks of the cupid's bow are
Shift Mouth: crooked mouth left or right

DECISIONS IN SHAPING YOUR LIPS
Here is some general information on lips. Most of it is to suggest what look you are going for. Are you a young avatar? or a mature one?

Outside Corner of Lips
SL Slider: Mouth Corner + Lip Ratio
As you get older your lips get more frowny. Over time the fat at the corner of the lips disappears and the depressor angularis oris (a muscle that runs from the corner of the lips to the jawbone) tightens and results in a downward look. This leads to the formation of Marionette lines.

Vermilion Border
SL Slider: Lip Cleft Depth + Lip Cleft + Lip Ratio + Lip Fullness + Lip Thickness + Mouth Corner
This is the lip border that defines the shape of your lips. The vermilion border flattens with age.

Cupid’s Bow
SL Slider: Lip Cleft Depth + Lip Cleft + Lip Ratio + Lip Fullness + Lip Thickness + Mouth Corner
The cupid's bow becomes flatter with age. The lips in general lose their curves as we age.

Philtral Colums
SL Slider: Lip Cleft + your skin texture
These two vertical lines that project upward from the cupid's bow tend to flatten or disappear with age.

Smooth Textures
SL Slider: your skin texture
Soft, line-free lips telegraph youth.

A Dumbbell-like Lower Lip Contour:
SL Slider: Lip Cleft Depth + Lip Cleft + Lip Ratio + Lip Fullness + Lip Thickness + Mouth Corner
An attractive bottom lip has a subtle symmetric fullness on both sides. This balance can be lost when lips are plumped. The lower lip contour should be symmetrical on both sides with slightly less volume in the midline, giving a dumbbell shape

Ptosis (droop)
SL Slider: Lip Ratio + Mouth Corner
Line here is creating a sad or unhappily appearance on first impressions.

Lip Angles
SL Slider: varies
Drop due to mid- cheek fat falling down and forward

APPEARANCE
So Youthful Lips are:
* shaped like a lozenge
* feature an upper lip with a pronounced Cupid's bow
* fullness to each lip
* show off a bit of teeth when in a relaxed smile

All of these decline with age and the lips sag (flatten)

So if you want a more mature looking set of lips reduce the shape of the lips, making it more linear and frowny.

LIP SHAPE TYPES
There are many common lip shape categories:

Full lips
Curvy fat lips like Angelina Jolie or Scarlett Johansson
you look: courageous and self-assured. confident.