1. One or more processor readable storage devices having encoded thereon instructions for causing one or more processors to perform a method for automatically generating a facial avatar resembling a user in a defined art style, the method comprising: generating a user head model for the user based on captured image data by one or more processors communicatively coupled to a capture device; identifying a set of transferable user head features from the user head model which can be represented in the facial avatar based on transferable head feature rules for the defined art style; identifying a set of avatar character head features to represent the set of transferable user head features based on the transferable head feature rules for the defined art style by: identifying one or more user head features which can be represented by one or more symbol features in the defined art style of the avatar based on transferable head feature rules for the defined art style; and representing the one or more user head features by the one or more symbol features into a model for a selected avatar head shape; generating the facial avatar in the defined art style including the set of avatar character head features; displaying the facial avatar by a display communicatively coupled to the one or more processors; updating a facial expression of the facial avatar responsive to changes detected in user facial features; and updating display of the facial avatar with the updated facial expression.