How to Make a Mad Face Smiley

Express your displeasure with a mad face smiley the next time you send a message.

When chatting online or sending a text to a friend, you might want to express your angst without having to type out the words, "I'm mad!" With smileys, also called "emoticons," you can make a mad face by typing a series of characters on your keyboard. Emoticons have been a part of online culture since the early days of personal computing, and they provide a creative way to enhance your text-based communications.

Instructions

1. Sign in to your online account to chat in an instant messaging program such as AIM or post a comment on a website such as Facebook or a forum discussion board.

2. Type your message or comment in the usual manner.

3. Type the characters for a mad face smiley where you want it to appear in your message. You can choose from several different emoticons:

   :( -- frowning face

   :[ -- downhearted face

   :< -- angry face

   You can insert a dash between the two symbols to add a nose. For example: :-<

4. Finish composing your message or comment and send it to your intended recipient.

Tips & Warnings

• Many IM and applications and websites will automatically your text characters to a small graphic icon when you type a smiley. You may also be able to select a graphic -- look for a small smiley face, usually a smiling one, and click on it to populate a list of faces from which to choose.

References

• Colorado State University: Common Emoticons