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I'm trying to bring a bit more order to my too-busy and frequently dis-organized existence. One tangible place to apply routine to (and give my brain a break in one arena at least) is in my blogging. There are categories which seem to appear with a degree of regularity, so I am instituting some Reoccurring Weekly Features for your viewing pleasure.

Sunday Sketching has been consistently showing up for some time now. And will continue.

Music Mondays - I am a closet music junkie (hence my rather *ahem* gleeful following of Glee this season, for instance). I love the music I have and know, and love being exposed to new as well. When so moved, I will subject you to something that has caught my fancy that day. Please also share your favorites with me.

WIP Wednesdays - I always have something in some stage of construction. Wednesdays will give you a peek into current projects, their Work In Progress, and other things process-related to illustration.

Figure Fridays - Life drawing report - good, bad or ugly.

and Succulent Saturdays - if you have followed me for any length of time you are probably very aware of my passion for gardening, herbs, edible landscapes, urban chickens, and experimental cooking. If I am excited about something that week, here is where it will be reported. Or it may be a snippet of some especially succulent artist's work. Or a delectable experience. I'm playing this one a bit by ear.

I don't intend to necessarily do all of these every week (I only have life drawing the first three Fridays of the month for instance), but this is what I am aiming for. I am also interested in your feedback as we go - is it useful? inspiring? completely non-relevant? TMI? You really want to see *more* love for the backyard chickens? Whatever....

And in that vein, here is a song that has been addictively stuck in my head the past few months. A portion is used to great effect in the opening credits of Fox's Lie To Me:


Ryan Star, Brand New Day)

And if you are not familiar with Lie to Me, see the original, fabulous promo here.

by Cassie, Publicity Assistant

Darwin Day continues on the OUPblog! This month, OUP has published a fully corrected and annotated edition of Darwin’s The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. The annotations are by Paul Ekman, the behavioral scientist who inspired the new Fox drama “Lie to Me.” The following post explains Darwin’s three general principles of expression and follows each with an example taken from the text.

I. The principle of serviceable associated habits. Certain complex actions are of direct or indirect service under certain states of the mind, in order to relieve or gratify certain sensations, desires, etc.; and whenever the same state of mind is induced, however feebly, there is a tendency through the force of habit and association for the same movements to be performed, though they may not then be of the least use. Some actions ordinarily associated through habit with certain states of the mind may be partially repressed through the will, and in such cases the muscles which are least under the separate control of the will are the most liable still to act, causing movements which we recognize as expressive. In certain other cases the checking of one habitual movement requires other slight movements; and these are likewise expressive.

Example:

From the continued use of the eyes, these organs are especially liable to be acted on through association under various states of the mind, although there is manifestly nothing to be seen. A man, as Gratiolet remarks, who vehemently rejects a proposition, will almost certainly shut his eyes or turn away his face, but if he accepts the proposition, he will nod his head in affirmation and open his eyes widely. The man acts in this latter case as if he clearly saw the thing, and in the former case as if he did not or would not see it. I have noticed that persons in describing a horrid sight often shut their eyes momentarily and firmly, or shake their heads, as if not to see or to drive away something disagreeable; and I have caught myself, when thinking in the dark of a horrid spectacle, closing my eyes firmly. (Pg. 38)

II. The principle of antithesis. Certain states of the mind lead to certain habitual actions, which are of service, as under our first principle. Now when a directly opposite state of mind is induced, there is a strong and involuntary tendency to the performance of movements of a directly opposite nature, though these are of no use; and such movements are in some cases highly expressive.

Example:

I will here give one other instance of antithesis in expression. I formerly possessed a large dog, who, like every other dog, was much pleased to go out walking. He showed his pleasure by trotting gravely before me with high steps, head much raised, moderately erected ears, and tail carried aloft but not stiffly. Not far from my house a path branches off to the right, leading to the hot-house, which I used often to visit for a few moments, to look at my experimental plants. This was always a great disappointment to the dog, as he did not know whether I should continue my walk; and the instantaneous and complete change of expression which came over him, as soon as my body swerved in the least towards the path (and I sometimes tried this as an experiment) was laughable. His look of dejection was known to every member of the family, and was called his hot-house face. This consisted in the head drooping much, the whole body sinking a little and remaining motionless; the ears and tail falling suddenly down, but the tail was by no means wagged. With the falling of the ears and his great chaps, the eyes became much changed in appearance, and I fancied that they looked less bright. His aspect was that of piteous, hopeless dejection; and it was, as I have said, laughable, as the cause was so slight. Every detail in his attitude was in complete opposition to his former joyful yet dignified bearing; and can be explained, as it appears to me, in no other way, except through the principle of antithesis.

Note from Ekman:
I am less convinced that this is an instance of antithesis. Instead it seems better explained as dejection or what Darwin called ‘lowered spirits.’ He apparently did not accept this as the full explanation because it happened so quickly and the occasion, from his point of view, was so slight. (Pg. 62)

III. The principle of actions due to the constitution of the nervous system, independently from the first of the will, and independently to a certain extent of habit. When the sensorium is strongly excited, nerve-force is generated in excess, and is transmitted in certain definite directions, depending on the connection of the nerve-cells, and partly on habit: or the supply of nerve-force may, as it appears, be interrupted. Effects are thus produced which we recognize as expressive. This third principle may, for the sake of brevity, be called that of the direct action of the nervous system.

Example:

The heart, as I have said, will be all the more readily affected through habitual associations, as it is not under the control of the will. A man when moderately angry, or even when enraged, may command the movements of his body, but he cannot prevent his heart from beating rapidly. His chest will perhaps give a few heaves, and his nostrils just quiver, for the movements of respiration are only in part voluntary. In like manner those muscles of the face which are least obedient to the will, will sometimes alone betray a slight and passing emotion. The glands again are wholly independent of the will, and a man suffering from grief may command his features, but cannot always prevent the tears from coming into his eyes. A hungry man, if tempting food is placed before him, may not show his hunger by any outward gesture, but he cannot check the secretion of saliva. (Pg. 79-80)