How to Draw Heads: Complete Course
Complete free course teaching you how to draw the human head from every angle. Includes skull anatomy, proportions, construction methods, assignments, and master artist breakdowns.
Drawing heads is one of those skills that separates artists who "kind of know anatomy" from artists who actually understand structure.
This isn't about drawing pretty faces. It's about understanding the skull, how forms connect, and how everything moves through space.
This is a complete, free course. Start at Lesson 1 and work your way through. Don't skip around. Each lesson builds on the last.
Module 1: Skull Foundation & Box Construction
Master the fundamentals. Everything else builds on this.
Foundation: Understanding the Skull
1. Skull Profile Proportions
Learn the two-shape method (egg + square) and the critical gesture that makes heads look human, not alien.
2. Skull Profile Drawing Demonstration
Apply the proportions with step-by-step demos at multiple scales and directions.
3. Skull Front Proportions
Understand the 2:3 ratio and two methods (thirds and halves) for placing facial features accurately.
4. Skull Front View Drawing Demonstration
Practice both thirds and halves methods with six examples at different scales.
5. Neck Anatomy and Construction
Learn the hourglass shape from profile, cylinder from front, and where the neck connects to the skull.
6. Neck Drawing Demonstration
Apply neck anatomy with nine examples showing different body types and scales.
7. Back of Head Construction
Master back view to avoid the lollipop-on-a-stick look. Learn how neck and trapezius connect to skull.
8. Back of Head Drawing Demonstration
Practice the circle method for drawing heads from behind, showing different body types.
9. Head Angles Using the Ear
Use ear placement as GPS for head angles. Learn three methods (sail, cube, cylinder).
10. Raphael Head Drawing Analysis
Study how Raphael structured head drawings. Learn skull direction, ear placement, and face-wrapping techniques.
11. Head Drawing Practice Reel - Timed Assignments
Time to test your head drawing skills using the basic ideas shared to this point.
12. Robert Completes Head Drawing Assignment
Time to test your head drawing skills using the basic ideas shared to this point.
Box Construction Series
13. Box Construction Part 1: Form + Position = Structure
Why corners matter. Learn how boxes give you more information than circles about position in space.
14. Box Construction Part 2: Seeing Planes
Break the head into front, side, top, and bottom planes. Understand how light reveals form.
15. Box Construction Part 3: Three-Quarter View
Apply box method to the most common angle. Master the overlap between front and side planes.
16. Box Construction Part 4: Profile Construction
Use the sail method to construct profile views. Understand the mask of the face vs the skull.
17. Box Construction Part 5: Top and Bottom Views
Handle extreme angles. Learn perspective and foreshortening for top/bottom views.
18. Box Construction Part 6: Complex Angles
Combine tilting, turning, and foreshortening. Master heads at any angle.
19. Box Construction Part 7: Adding Features
Place eyes, nose, and mouth on the box structure. Make features wrap around form.
Learning from the Masters
20. Holbein and Raphael Head Drawing Analysis
Map construction lines over Renaissance master drawings. See skull structure, planes, and overlapping forms in action.
Apply What You've Learned
21. Box Construction Assignment: 10 Timed Poses
Practice everything. 10 poses, 5 minutes each. Apply skull structure and box method under time pressure.
22. My Assignment Demo
Watch me do the same assignment in real-time. See my thinking process, mistakes, and corrections.
23. Student Critiques: Common Mistakes
Learn from student errors. Fix ear placement, neck angles, skull volume, and overlapping forms.
Module 2: Coming Soon
Features, expressions, and advanced construction techniques.
We'll dive deeper into:
- Eye construction and socket depth
- Nose structure and angles
- Mouth and lips on different planes
- Facial expressions and how they affect form
- Advanced lighting and rendering
Module 1 gives you the foundation. Module 2 brings it to life.
How to Use This Course
- Start at Lesson 1 - Don't skip around. Each lesson builds on previous concepts.
- Draw along with demos - Pause videos. Draw the examples yourself.
- Do the timed assignment - You learn by doing, not just watching.
- Compare your work - Watch the critiques. See if you're making similar mistakes.
- Practice outside the course - Find reference photos and apply these methods.
Drawing heads is a skill you build over time. Be patient with yourself. Focus on structure, not details.
Why This Approach Works
Most head drawing tutorials jump straight to features - eyes, nose, mouth, hair.
That's backwards.
You need to understand the skull first. Everything sits on the skull or connects to the skull. Without that foundation, you're just guessing where features go.
Box construction gives you corners. Corners tell you exactly how the head is positioned in space. That's information circles and ovals can't give you.
Master analysis shows you it works. Holbein and Raphael understood this stuff. When you map construction lines over their drawings, you see the invisible architecture underneath.
Start Drawing
Stop overthinking it. Go to Lesson 1. Start learning.
Your first drawings won't be perfect. That's fine. You're building a skill that compounds over time.
Every drawing you do using proper structure makes the next one easier.
Let's go. 🎨
Ready to start? → Begin with Lesson 1: Skull Profile Proportions