The brain is one of the most fun parts of the body to draw. You can make it as simple as possible by scribbling lots of doodles and keeping the rounded shape. If you want more of a challenge, include the anatomical parts, such as the brain stem and cerebellum. Once you're good at drawing a cartoon or realistic brain, add colors or label the parts.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Make a Simple Cartoon Brain Sketch
Step 1. Draw a large red bean-like shape to outline the brain
Use a pencil to sketch a red bean shape on paper. You can make an outline for the brain to the size you want. To make a red bean shape, draw a circle that has an indentation at the bottom.
If you want, you can draw an oval, but make the center wider than the ends
Tip:
Use a pencil when sketching to make it easier to erase the image if you make a mistake.
Step 2. Create a semicircle from the bottom that curves to the center of the brain
To accentuate the cartoon-style brain, stroke the pencil under the outline, near the center of the curve. Draw a semicircle that extends from the bottom to the center, so that it looks like an arc.
Remember, this brain drawing doesn't have to look realistic because you're sketching a simple cartoon
Step 3. Draw 2-3 squiggly lines connecting the whole brain
The brain is known to have a wrinkled appearance and some of these wrinkles extend all over the place. Draw a few squiggly lines, from the outline to the semi-circle you just drew, or draw the line all the way to the opposite side of the brain.
Step 4. Make small unconnected doodles
The scribbles will look like wrinkles once you make them all over the brain. There is no need to have everything connected to each other. So, draw stripes of different sizes and lengths.
The scribbles may be made from the outline of the brain, or they may not be connected to the outline at all
Step 5. Create a thicker outline to add texture to the brain
Bold the outline of the brain to make it appear more defined and shaped. You can also add some curves to make it stand out.
You can skip this step if you want the cartoon to look 2-dimensional
Method 2 of 2: Draw a Realistic Brain
Step 1. Draw an oval shape horizontally that sticks out along the bottom line
Sketch a thin oval as big as you want. Curl the top of the oval in the middle to create a rounded part of the brain. Make a bump near the center, at the bottom line. The lump should be about the length of the brain.
Draw thinly so you can erase the wrong parts or overwrite them with pen strokes
Tip:
If you find it easier, draw an oval horizontally and make a circle the length of the bottom line. Draw a circle on the bottom line of the oval and draw a line connecting the circle to the outline of the oval. After that, delete all the remaining circles.
Step 2. Sketch a narrow arc above the top line of the brain
These lines will give dimensions to the image. Bring the pencil to one end of the oval and draw a curved line above the top line. It is about 1 cm above the first outline at its widest point.
If you don't want to make the image look dimensional, just skip this step
Step 3. Make a curve like the letter C on the bottom bump
Once you've drawn the basic outline for the brain, start drawing the lines that separate the different brain segments. Look at the bumps that have been created in the bottom line and draw a C-shaped base that fits perfectly into the bumps. Extend the top of the C shape towards the center of the brain.
The area of the lump is the temporal lobe
Step 4. Follow the curve from the outline to the center of the line you just created
To create another segment of the brain, draw a thin pencil from the top of the brain. Make it slightly curved to connect to the center of the newly drawn line.
This part that you cover is the frontal lobe
Step 5. Draw 2-3 long curved lines on each brain segment
Draw thinly to make some lines on each section. Imitate the shape of each brain segment. For example, the line of the frontal lobe should curve toward the line passing through the brain, while the line near the lower back should curve toward the base of the brain.
You can use this thin line as a guide to make it easier to create wrinkles
Step 6. Add a half full moon shape along the lines to make it appear shriveled
Instead of drawing a straight line, make an arc like a half-full moon along the line. These curves can lead to different points so that the brain looks bumpy. Do this for each line to create a distinctive brain texture.
Remember to draw the line back toward the slice you drew at the top of the brain. Make small curves to make the brain appear wavy
Step 7. Draw a bar shape and a semicircle horizontally in the bottom center
To create the brain stem (medulla oblongata), sketch a small tube that extends from the bottom of the brain, right in the middle. You can make it as long as you want. After that, draw a semicircle just to the right of the stem. Draw the semi-circle shape almost to the end of the brain.
To make the cerebellum more detailed, you can fill it with thin horizontal lines. Make the lines slightly wavy for a realistic look
Step 8. Use crayons, markers, or colored pencils to add color to the image
You can use a single color and gradient the brain to add depth, or use multiple colors to highlight different parts of the brain.
For example, use 5 or 6 colors if you want to label parts of the brain. Different colors can help make each part of the brain stand out
Step 9. Label the parts of the brain to use them as anatomical references
If you're studying parts of the brain in class, drawing the brain and labeling it is a good exercise. Refer to the textbook for labeling:
- frontal lobe
- parietal lobe
- temporal lobe
- occipital lobe
- Medulla oblongata
- Small brain
