How to Draw the Human Skull

You see skulls everywhere these days! The hard part of drawing the human skull is making it actually look like a human skull. When the human skull is drawn freehand, it often ends up looking too much like a cartoon skull, It can also end up looking like the skull of some kind of made up species. Start with simple shapes to make sure your drawing is proportionately correct every time. Your drawing of the human skull should really look like a human skull. After some practice, it will become second nature.

Things You'll Need

• Pencil
• Pen
• Paper
• Reference Photograph

Instructions

1. 

   First find a reference photo. This is useful when first starting out. Your reference photo can be any angle that you would like to draw. It is, however, good to have a simple front or 3/4 view.

2. 

   Start with simple shapes. As you look at the reference photo, think in terms of large blocks of shapes. As you can see in my preliminary drawing, it is basically a circular shape for the bass and bulk of the skull. To create the plane of the face and the jaw, there is a more rectangular shape in front.

3. Add in axis lines so you know roughly where the eye sockets will be. Mark the space where the nose and teeth will be. Make sure that these axis lines are fairly light so that they are not as visible as your final skull details. You may add as many axis lines as you feel comfortable in order to get the proportions correct.

4. 

   Fill in the more complicated shapes such as the contours of the outside of the skull. Fill in the shape of the shadows of the eye sockets and nose.

5. Fill in the teeth. Use a wider line at the base of the skull to suggest weight.

Tips & Warnings

• You can always add more detail and shading.

• Try reference photos with other angles!

• Get a fake human skull. Draw it at whatever angle you wish!

• With the fake skull, play with lighting for a more dramatic effect.

• Don't be afraid to use yourself as a model. Sometimes it helps to visualize the skull you have underneath your own skin! You can feel where cheekbones and other parts of the skull are first hand!

Resources

• A Very Good Visual