  In this study, we introduce a sketch-based method for testing how subtle
expressive cues influence the perception of affect in illustrations of human
figures. We specifically study the impact of human posture and gaze direction,
implicitly specified through nose orientation, on perceived emotions and mood.
Through a series of user studies using sketchy illustrations of a running
figure, where a professional illustrator manipulated gaze direction through
adjustments on the nose orientation, we found that this simple change resulted
in a diverse range of perceived affects, spanning from fear to concern and
wonder. These findings shed light on the importance of fine details in defining
context for context-aware system designs and underscore the importance of
recognizing and expressing affect. Understanding minor expressive cues is
crucial to developing emotionally intelligent systems capable of expressing
affect.
