Hal Foster on the expressiveness of hands

FOSTER: ...Now, if you'll notice any other illustrator, any other illustration that you see, they'll paint the face, and probably feet, and they'll paint the hands, but the hands are useless, they're not doing anything. They're turned over too much, or they droop too much. Every expression on the face has to be confirmed by the hands.
SABA: That's a very good point.
FOSTER: Yes. If a man is startled...
SABA: His hands will react.
FOSTER: Yes, he'll show it in his hands.