Making readers feel sad

So the character is your scene is sad. But how do you get that across without saying "He was sad." How do you make a character visibly sad when your reader can't see them? There are a few things you should pay attention to. The setting, facial expressions, and the types of behaviors people usually exhibit when feeling a certain emotion.

Setting the mood with location: There are plenty of subtle touches you can add to a scene to help the reader feel sad as they go through.

-Rain (I think soft rain is the gloomiest)

-Grey sky

-Air that feels heavy and thick

-A chill breeze that stings your nose or is bothersome when you forgot a jacket

-Snow that falls down pure and silent and white

-A bright sunny day to contrast with the character's miserable disposition

-Being in an area that reminds the character of something sad/depressing/embarrassing/nostalgic. This is exhibited heavily in Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why.

Facial Expressions: Characters can express these both on their own or within a conversation with other people.

-Heavy eyelids

-Trembling lower lip

-Gazing at nothing in particular

-Down-turned mouth

-Pouted lips

-Blinking to hold back tears

-Tense eyebrows

-Watery eyes

Behavior:

-Resting head on fist

-Sighing

-Slumped shoulders

-Slouching

-Avoiding eye contact

-Disinterest

-Wearing comfortable clothing like sweats or pajamas

-Not wanting to get up or do anything in general

-Cuddling in blankets

-Touching the face, particularly forehead

-Loss of appetite or pushing food around the plate

-Feeling weak

-Fiddling with something, like a frayed thread, over and over again

-Keeping hands balled up just inside the sleeves of a sweater or hoodie

I hope these details can be added to your stories as you try to evoke sadness and show, not tell, the emotions of your characters.