Drawing Tutorials

How to Draw a Nose – Structure and Perspective

Understand how to draw a nose that feels built on the skull. We’ll map the tip, wings, and planes—and handle tricky perspective and tilt.

Robert Joyner | Garage Studio Artist & Art Educator

29 Oct 2025 — 2 min read

The nose is deceptively simple but full of perspective traps. In this lesson I map the mask of the face, then build the nose as clear planes so it reads from any angle.

This lesson is part of the Head Drawing Course.

Understanding the Mask and Direction

I start with the face “mask” to find how the forehead steps in toward the eyes and out again at the nose. That step tells us the nose projects toward the viewer and must be treated in perspective, not as flat lines.

Nose drawing demo showing mask of the face, tip, wings, and beveled planes

Foreshortening, Tilt, and Length

From a straight-on view the nose is foreshortened; tilt the head down and the nose appears longer, tilt up and you see more of the under plane. The nose tracks with the head, but its own projection creates unique length changes we must account for.

Simple Construction: Tip, Wings, Side Planes

Block the form as a beveled wedge that descends to the tip, then add side planes and the wings (alae). Think “front + sides,” not a single ball. This avoids the cartoon bump and gives you real structure.

Connect to the Mouth Barrel

Under the nose, the mouth barrel pushes forward while the nasal cavity cuts back. Stage these overlaps with cross-contours so the forms feel three-dimensional and seated on the skull.