Buzz
The brain is one of the easiest body parts to draw. You can start with a simple approach, sketching winding lines and maintaining a round shape. For a bit more of a challenge, add details like the brainstem and cerebellum. Once you have a cartoonish or realistic version of the brain, you can color it in or label its parts.
Steps
Sketching a Simple Cartoon Brain
Draw a large bean shape to outline the brain's structure. Use a pencil to create a kidney-shaped outline on your paper. The size of the brain is up to you. To draw the kidney shape, create a rounded figure with a slight indentation at the bottom.
- If preferred, you can also draw an oval shape, but ensure that the middle is much wider than the two ends.
Tip: Use a pencil when sketching, as it's easy to erase any mistakes you make while drawing.
Draw a half circle curving into the center of the brain. To emphasize part of your cartoon brain, place the pencil tip at the lower edge of the shape you’ve just drawn, near the indentation. Draw a half circle from the bottom toward the center of the kidney-shaped outline, creating a decorative swirl.
- Keep in mind that the brain doesn't need to look entirely realistic, since you're drawing a simplified cartoon version.
Draw 2-3 more wavy lines connecting inside the brain. The brain is known for its folds, with some running across its surface. Draw a few wavy lines from the outer edge, connecting them to the half circle you just drew, or linking them to the opposite side of the brain.
Draw several unconnected squiggly lines. These lines will mimic the brain's wrinkles as you sketch them throughout the shape. It’s not necessary to connect all of these lines, so you can vary their length and curvature.
- These strokes may connect to the outer edge of the brain or remain separate.
Thicken the outer outline to add texture to the brain. Go over the outline to make it darker and more curved. You can also darken some of the wavy lines to make them stand out more.
- This step is optional if you prefer a flatter, 2D appearance for your drawing.
Drawing a Realistic Brain
Draw a horizontally oriented oval, slightly bulging along the lower curve. Sketch an oval with the desired size of the brain. Make a slight upward curve in the middle of the top curve to create the rounded part of the brain. When drawing the bottom curve, make it slightly bulging near the center. This bulge should occupy about 1/3 of the brain's length.
- Use light strokes so that you can easily erase mistakes or trace over with ink.
Tip: If it's easier, you can draw a horizontal oval and a large circle about 1/3 the size of the lower curve. Place the circle on the lower curve of the oval, then draw a line connecting the circle to the outer edge of the oval. Afterward, erase the extra parts of the circle.
Sketch a narrow curve above the top outline of the brain. This curve will give your drawing more depth. Starting from one end of the oval, draw a curve that arches upward along the top outline. This curve should be about 1/3 away from the original outline at its widest point.
- If you don't want to add depth to your brain drawing, you can skip this step.
Draw a curved C-shape over the bulge in the lower outline. After sketching the basic shape of the brain, you'll start adding lines to separate different parts of the brain. Locate the bulge on the lower outline and draw the base of the C-shape to match the bulge. Then, extend the top part of the C toward the middle of the brain.
- The bulge will represent the temporal lobe of the brain.
Shade the curve from the outer edge to the center of the line you just drew. To draw another section of the brain, lightly curve a line from the top edge. Make sure it bends slightly to connect to the center of the previous line.
- The area you've just separated represents the frontal lobe.
Draw 2-3 more curved lines across different areas of the brain. Add several faint curves for each section. Aim to mimic the shape of each part. For instance, the frontal lobe curves should arch upward toward the line you drew, while the curves near the back and bottom of the brain should arch downward.
- These faint lines will serve as guides for creating the wrinkles more easily.
Draw crescent shapes along the previously drawn lines to create the appearance of wrinkles. Instead of leaving the lines smooth, sketch crescent-shaped curves along them. These curves can vary in direction to add a textured, bumpy effect. Continue this along each line to give the brain a three-dimensional look.
- Be sure to go over the lines you've already drawn on the brain’s surface. Add small curves along these lines to give the brain a more bumpy texture.
Draw a tube shape and a horizontal half-circle at the bottom center of the brain. To depict the brainstem (medulla oblongata), draw a narrow tube extending downward from the center of the bottom of the brain. You can make it as long as you wish. Then, draw a half-circle just to the right of the tube, extending close to the back end of the brain.
- For more details in the cerebellum, you can add additional thin horizontal lines. These lines can be slightly wavy for a more realistic effect.
Use crayons, markers, or colored pencils to fill in your drawing. You can use a single color to shade the brain’s interior for depth or multiple colors to highlight each part of the brain.
- For example, using 5 or 6 colors will allow you to label the brain’s different parts. These various colors will help each section stand out.
Label the different parts of the brain if you're using it as an illustration of brain anatomy. If you're learning about the brain's components, drawing and labeling them is an excellent practice. Refer to your textbook to mark the following:
- Frontal Lobe
- Parietal Lobe
- Temporal Lobe
- Occipital Lobe
- Spinal Cord
- Cerebellum
Tip
- If you're finding it tricky to draw the brain, start by sketching a basic oval shape and add curvy lines or wrinkles across the surface. Once you're more comfortable, you can add more intricate details.
What You’ll Need
- Pencil or Pen
- Erase
- Paper
- Colored Pens or Markers (Optional)
