Describing a man's facial appearance

stardustx

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I'm trying to describe the appearance of one of my characters, a young man who is a pirate. I'm having trouble describing his face...I mean, his facial hair. He has mostly scruffy stubble, on his upper lip, chin, and possibly sideburns. But how do I describe this?

I keep thinking of that one phrase, "a four o'clock shadow..." or maybe it's "a five o'clock shadow..." I can't even remember it correctly. But I need ways to describe his scruffy stubble, lol.

I guess, in a cliche way, I would say my character is "dashing" or at least "good looking" or "handsome..." But I feel like I need better ways to describe his facial appearance. Any suggestions?
 

mccardey

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I have a question for you - and it's just based on the understanding that you're an adult and a writer, so no offence intended - do you think you might have prosopagnosia? I ask because I have it, and one of the things my editors always remind me about is - hey: could we have a few words about what your characters look like?
 

Maxx B

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Rather than rely on tired descriptions, try something more original.

'He hadn't shaved for a couple of days. His beard, or lack of it to be more accurate, was a patchwork or bare skin and stubble.'
 

triceretops

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Or simile or metaphor:

His cheeks and jaw looked like a recently denuded forest, showing chopped stubble in a thick mat.

Whatever sideburns and beard had shown upon his face, had been whacked to the quick a fortnight ago.

His face was a haze of grey stubble.

His attempt at a clean-shaven face was a sloppy attempt and result.

His facial hair resembled small trees, chopped and butchered to nubbins.

Although recently shaved, his face resembled a rasping board.

I dunno, it could be poetic/period prose or a more contemporary description. Just playing around here.

I love to do expressions the same ways sometimes. "Her face waxed of a thunderstorm, full of dark clouds and lightning strikes."

Have fun wit it, whatever you decide to do.

tri
 
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King Neptune

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Or you could be simple about it: He was an ugly cuss who didn't even bother to shave as often as he should have.
 

wendymarlowe

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. . . or don't describe it at all. It doesn't really matter what his beard looks like - if it doesn't impact the story in any way, readers will imagine/remember it as "generally pirate-like," no matter what you actually said about it.
 

Bing Z

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slightly OT

His attempt at a clean-shaven face was a sloppy attempt and result.

Even after watching (and adoring with furies of jealousy) Orlando Bloom in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise numerous times, I still don't understand why privates would shave their faces. What for? I mean, how many Angelicas would a handsome private meet in a lifetime?

Or is this why my romance plots always suck?
 

Bolero

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Even after watching (and adoring with furies of jealousy) Orlando Bloom in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise numerous times, I still don't understand why privates would shave their faces. What for? I mean, how many Angelicas would a handsome private meet in a lifetime?

Or is this why my romance plots always suck?

:D

And why can't bearded men get gorgeous girls I ask?


To OP - is the description of the pirate general narrative, or from a PoV? If the latter, then how the description is phrased, and the plus or minus aspect of it, is also a window on the PoV character.
 

benbenberi

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I'm trying to describe the appearance of one of my characters, a young man who is a pirate. I'm having trouble describing his face...I mean, his facial hair. He has mostly scruffy stubble, on his upper lip, chin, and possibly sideburns. But how do I describe this?

You just did.
 

Mr Flibble

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:D

And why can't bearded men get gorgeous girls I ask?

Ask this man

I think he has no probs...

Or this one

Or this

It's all about attitude

You describe it as anything else -- through your POV character and how they see it. They might say "he had a scruffy beard" or " he looked like he didn't need to shave often and so didn't bother" or "there was a dead gerbil on his chin" or "the lbeard that lined his chin showed off the cheekbones cut like crystal"

It all depends on your POV.
 
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