Would you like to learn how to draw a scary skull? Check out these easy, step-by-step skull drawing tutorials.
Understanding the bones of the body is an important step to improving your realistic drawings. Below, you will find human skulls from different angles and perspectives.
In addition to drawing people, sketching skulls can help you draw animals better, too. Below, you will find a cow, cat, dragon, deer, bird, and wolf skulls. Some of the drawings include outlines of the animal's face to help you imagine how the skull contributes to the animal's appearance.
Did you know? The skull is not one bone, but many. In humans, 22 bones make up the skull, not counting the teeth. Can you find the lines on these skull drawings that indicate where the bones have fused together?
Skulls are also used symbolically. The skull and crossbones are associated with pirates and poison. You will find this symbol as well as a flaming skull, a skull with a rose, a heart-shaped skull, and a candy sugar skull for the Day of the Dead.
Seeing skulls encourages some people to contemplate mortality and the shortness of life. Get your paper and pencil ready to tackle this morbid assortment of human and animal skull drawings.
13 Easy Skull Drawing Ideas
Cartoon Skull
If you have never drawn a skull before, this simplified cartoon version is a good place to start. You will use curved lines to craft the important portions while avoiding some of the intricate details for now.
Bull Skull
Bovine skulls with huge horns are a symbol of the desert and the American West. Cowboy up with this realistic bull skull drawing.
Skull Heart
It has been said that love never dies, and this heart-shaped skull is proof thereof. You might even imagine that this oddly shaped skull belonged to an alien creature.
Cat Skull
Cats look very different underneath their whiskers and triangular ears! You can study cat anatomy thanks to this cat skull portrait.
Dragon Skull
Did you know? The real discovery of dinosaur bones just like this skull may reveal the origins of dragon myths. No bones about it, this was an intimidating creature even if it couldn't breathe fire!
Deer Skull
Deer live all over the world, and their skulls with large, pointed antlers often represent hunting or rural culture. Skulls like this one are used as logos by several hunting gear brands.
Skull and Crossbones
This skull is drawn in profile, or from the side. You can clearly see four of the eight cranial bones as well as many of the facial bones.
Skull and Rose
When pirates hoisted their skull and crossbones flag, other sea goers trembled in fear. Today, you might see this emblem warning that a chemical is poisonous to people.
Flaming Skull
Skulls on fire are often associated with comic book characters like Ghost Rider, heavy metal music groups, or motorcycle clubs. In this image, the licking flames resemble hair.
Bird Skull
Birds have light, hollow bones that aid in flight. In this drawing, you can see the socket for the bird's large eye as well as its strong, sharply pointed beak.
Skull in 3/4 View
On the list above, you've encountered skulls from the front or portrait view and from the side or profile view. This skull is at an angle between the two.
Sugar Skull
Sugar skulls or calaveras are decorated candies or pastries given as offerings for the dead on la Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. The skulls are decorated with bright colors and patterns.
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