If you're looking to draw anatomy or getting ready for Halloween, learning how to draw a skull will help you practice drawing proportions. Start with a simple circle and draw some faint guide lines to help you locate the jaw, teeth, and eye sockets. Once the outline is complete, define the skull by adding shadows.
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Method 1 of 2: Drawing a Skull Front View
Step 1. Create a circle
Use the pencil lightly to make thin circles. Make a circle as wide as the skull size you want. Outline this shape to create the top part of the skull.
If you're having trouble drawing a circle, use a compass or trace a round object that's the size you want your skull to be
Step 2. Draw horizontal and vertical lines through the center point of the circle
To create a line that will help you lay out facial features, first lay a ruler on the paper so that it passes through the center of the circle. Draw a straight horizontal line, then rotate the ruler to make a vertical line.
Draw a vertical line that extends past the bottom edge of the circle so you can use it to draw the jaw
Step 3. Make 2 hexagons along the bottom of the horizontal line
Draw eye holes, one each in the second quarter circle below. Bend the top sides of the hexagons along the horizontal guides, and draw each hexagon large enough to fill every quarter of the circle.
Leave a space the width of the circle between the two hexagons
Step 4. Draw the nostrils along the vertical guide lines
Draw a short horizontal line on the vertical guide, exactly at the bottom half of the eye socket. Draw a straight line that extends down from each end and away from the center of the circle. When the pencil is close to the bottom of the circle, join the two lines at the end of the vertical line, at the bottom of the circle.
The bottom of the nostrils of the skull have a diamond shape, but the top is more square
Step 5. Draw angular outlines on both the sides and the center of the skull
Lightly sketch from the temples to the eye sockets so the skull sticks out a little. Curl the line back toward the center of the skull before drawing it curved away at the height of the nostrils. Then, draw a straight, slanted line under the nostrils. Make this line extend horizontally so that it connects to the opposite side of the skull.
- Repeat on the other side so that it connects with the newly drawn line.
- Draw a horizontal line in the center of the skull so that it is twice the width of the nostrils.
Step 6. Draw the upper teeth along the horizontal line in the center of the skull
Draw a vertical oval that extends below the line to create the teeth. We recommend that each tooth measure the distance between the lower side of the nostril and the line for the teeth. Draw 3 full-sized gears to the right and left of the vertical guides. Then, draw 2 small ovals that are at both ends to show the teeth that are getting smaller.
- You can draw round or square teeth. Consider using reference photos to help you draw anatomically because everyone has unique teeth.
- If you want the skull to lose some teeth, leave some blanks while drawing.
Step 7. Draw the outline of the jaw
Measure the distance from the crown of the skull to the point where the horizontal and vertical guide lines meet. Draw a horizontal line that is equal in size to the distance from the lower side of the nostril to the lower end of the jaw. Draw a line so that it is about half the length of the tooth and draw a straight line at each end that slants up and away from the midpoint. Then, draw a straight line connecting the lower end of the jaw to each side of the skull.
Draw two straight slanted lines that are the same length as the horizontal line in the center of the jaw
Tip:
Keep in mind that the jawbone is not as wide as the top of the skull.
Step 8. Draw the lower teeth along the jaw
Make the teeth the same size as the upper teeth and draw the front teeth larger than the side teeth. Draw 4 or 5 teeth on each side of the vertical guide and make 1-2 small teeth on the sides.
To give the skull a perspective, you can draw small gaps at each end of the tooth line. This step shows the space between the skull and the jaw
Step 9. Fill in the nostrils and eyes
Use a darker pencil or press harder to create shadows in each eye and nose hole. Since these holes are deep and empty, make them darker than the rest of the shadows in the skull that will be created.
- If you want smooth holes, blend in the shadows using a blending stump to scrub the graphite.
- To make your teeth stand out, thicken the lines between the teeth and skull, as well as the jaw.
Step 10. Remove unnecessary guides
Before you start shading the skull, take the eraser and remove any horizontal and vertical guides that are still visible. Also lightly erase the circle lines.
Be careful not to lose your original image when deleting the guides
Step 11. Shadow the skull to show depth
Do a light cross-hatch technique or shadow in the space above the eye socket, where the eyebrows should be. Continue shading the space until it appears deeper than the rest of the skull. Other areas to shade include:
- Top side of skull.
- Along the jaw.
- Towards the side of the nostril.
Method 2 of 2: Drawing a Skull Viewed from the Side
Step 1. Draw a slightly longer circle at both ends
Instead of making an oval with a narrow end, draw a circle that is the size of the skull you want. Make a circle that's slightly longer than it's wide, but don't make the ends tapered.
Step 2. Draw concentric circles and create skull guides
Draw another concentric circle (with the same center) lightly inside the previously created circle. Draw this circle the distance of the big circle. Then, draw horizontal and vertical lines that go through the midpoint of the skull. To help you draw your jaw, place the tip of the pencil on a vertical line, where it touches the lower end of the small circle. Draw a straight horizontal line to one side of the skull.
Draw lightly so that the guides are easily removed later
Step 3. Outline the jawline to one side of the skull
Draw a faint vertical line that goes down straight from the side end of the skull, where the jaw will be. Place the tip of the pencil where the vertical guide line of your jaw meets the horizontal line you just made. Draw a curved line that extends from the skull and down towards the bottom of the jaw. When this line is as long as the width of the skull, make it a straight line that slopes back up towards the skull.
Make the jaw line stop at the smaller concentric circles where it meets the vertical guideline
Step 4. Draw the nostrils and where the eyebrows stick out
Place the tip of the pencil on the top of the jaw where it sticks out of the skull. As you draw up towards where the nose is, draw an inward curve towards the point where the horizontal and vertical guide lines meet. Then, draw the line back up and at an angle, and make it stand out a bit.
The top of this bulge is the brow before reconnecting to the skull
Step 5. Draw the eye holes and fill them with shadows
Draw a vertical crescent shape just behind and below the eyebrows. Extend the crescent moon to the middle of the nostril height. Then, put shadows in the eye sockets so that they appear deep and empty.
Step 6. Draw a jagged line at the bottom of the skull where it meets the jaw
Draw a line that comes down from under the eye holes and works its way up towards the center of the skull. Continue drawing horizontally and slightly zigzagging lines until you reach the center of the jaw. Then, make the jagged line bend downwards so that it connects with the curved line of the skull.
This step produces the base of the skull itself
Step 7. Create the top and bottom rows of teeth
Draw an S shape extending down the middle of the jaw, and draw 2 faint horizontal lines from the sides of the jaw to the S shape. Leave a gap between the lines large enough for the teeth to fill. Then, draw 6-7 teeth along a horizontal line. Make the tooth closest to the S shape the same width as the eye socket. The image of the other teeth beside him is getting smaller and smaller until the end.
Tip:
Empty some teeth if you don't want the skull to have a full set of teeth.
Step 8. Erase any visible guides
To make your image look finished, use a small eraser and remove any horizontal and vertical guides that are still visible. If you've already overwritten it, just delete the ones that seem distracting.
Try erasing using the eraser on the end of the pencil, instead of the large eraser
Step 9. Shadow the skull to show depth
Press the sketch firmly along the back of the skull to define the curve. Then, shadow the center of the skull behind the eye holes. Make it a large crescent shape and use the cross-shading technique to make the skull stand out.
Make the jaw visible by shading its top where it meets the base of the skull
Tips
- You can decorate the skull with images of fire, crossbones, wings, or roses.
- Color the skull using colored pencils or markers, if you prefer.
