How to Draw a Skull

A human skull

Whether you're making a costume for Halloween or a flag for a "Pirates of the Caribbean" party, you might need to know how to draw a skull. While some knowledge of shadowing can make your skull more realistic, the basics are straightforward.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Black marker, charcoal, Conte crayon or brush pen
• Pencil
• Drawing paper
• Compass
• Krylon workable matte fixative if you use charcoal or black Conte crayon

1. Draw a circle on your drawing paper using the compass, but don't complete the arc: Leave about a quarter of it open at the bottom. Do it in a size that will leave some space on all sides on the paper, with more space at the bottom.

2. Draw short lines straight down from the end points of the opening. These two lines are going to be the sides of the top jaw and the teeth.

3. Draw eye holes around where the middle of the head will be. These can just be basic circles.

4. Draw two vertical teardrop shapes to outline the nasal opening. Place them under and between the eye holes.

5. Black in the eye holes and nose holes. Black in the nose holes and connect them with short curved lines at the top, so that it's one vaguely triangular hole with a ridge up the middle.

6. Draw the teeth. Put one slightly curved line halfway down the short lines, another at the bottom, and another at the middle. Cross it with vertical lines to define separate teeth.

7. Finish by drawing the jawline. This is an irregular shaped line, but easier to figure out once you have the teeth in.

8. Spray with Krylon matte fixative if you used charcoal, Conte crayon or black pastel stick. If you draw this in pencil, now is the time to ink your drawing with black marker or brush pen.

Tips & Warnings

• Finish your pencil drawing before inking.

• Practice the design as a doodle in felt tip, ballpoint or pencil on scrap paper before using it for large projects.

• Try drawing it freehand after you're used to it.

• Don't draw it in permanent marker or carve it on walls, desks or other people's possessions.

References

• DragoArt.com: How to Draw a Skull
• 2d-Digital-Art-Guide.com: Learn How to Draw the Skull and Its Proportions