An improved active shape model is proposed in this paper. The proposed algorithm includes the following four aspects. Firstly, this paper adopts a semi-automatic facial feature points marking tool. Secondly, this paper proposes to extract 2D gradient feature on the highest level and the higher level of multi-resolution pyramid images, and use Gabor wavelet transformation to extract the lowest level’s 2D texture feature. Thirdly, this paper adopts a new method of decomposition of multi-resolution pyramid. Pyramid images are got by wavelet transformation. Finally, this paper uses an improved searching scheme of multiresolution pyramid. The length of 2D profile searching rectangle is changed according to different pyramid levels. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm exhibits better performance than the original ASM.