How to Draw Jack Skellington: Easy 10-Step Guide

Bring the Pumpkin King to life with this beginner-friendly drawing tutorial. Designed for artists ages 6 and up, this activity requires only a pencil, paper, and an eraser to practice symmetry and character proportions. Follow along to capture Jack's iconic, spooky expression in just a few simple strokes.

10 Steps

🎯 Final Result

A finished, high-quality illustration of Jack Skellington's face, ready for coloring.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sketching the First Eye Socket

A single black oval eye socket drawn on white paper, the first step in sketching Jack Skellington.

Draw a vertical oval with a slight curve at the bottom. Fill it in with black. Teacher's Tip: Keep your pencil lines light so you can adjust the shape if it looks a bit too wide.

Step 2: Adding the Second Eye

Two black oval eye sockets side-by-side, establishing the facial structure of the character.

Draw a second oval next to the first one, making it slightly longer. Teacher's Tip: Try to keep the space between the eyes consistent to ensure Jack’s face looks balanced.

Step 3: Drawing the Nose Cavity

Two teardrop-shaped nose holes positioned centrally below the eye sockets.

Sketch small curves under each eye, then add two teardrop shapes between them for the nostrils. Teacher's Tip: Keep the teardrops small; they act as the anchor for the center of the face.

Step 4: Outlining the Mouth

A wide, curved mouth line with small horizontal dashes at the corners.

Draw a wide, deep curve for the mouth, ending with a small dash on each side. Teacher's Tip: Think of this as a wide, mischievous grin—don't worry about perfection, Jack's smile is naturally a bit crooked!

Step 5: Adding Upper Stitches

Vertical stitch lines added to the top half of the mouth curve.

Draw short, vertical lines across the top half of the mouth line. Teacher's Tip: Space them out evenly to make the stitches look intentional and clean.

Step 6: Adding Lower Stitches

Vertical stitch lines added to the bottom half of the mouth, completing the sewn effect.

Add matching vertical lines on the bottom half of the mouth. Teacher's Tip: Try to align these with the top stitches to create a realistic 'sewn' look.

Step 7: Shaping the Left Side of the Head

The left side of the skull outline being drawn with a smooth, curved line.

Draw a wide, sweeping curve from the top down to the side of the mouth. Teacher's Tip: Use a fluid motion with your wrist to get a smooth, rounded skull shape.

Step 8: Shaping the Right Side of the Head

The right side of the skull outline being drawn to mirror the left side.

Repeat the curve on the opposite side to mirror the shape. Teacher's Tip: If the sides don't match perfectly, that's okay! Skulls are organic shapes, not perfect geometry.

Step 9: Completing the Skull Outline

The completed outline of the skull, connecting the top curves.

Connect the top of the head with a smooth, rounded curve. Teacher's Tip: Ensure the top of the head is large enough to give Jack his signature tall, oval-shaped skull.

Step 10: Final Inking and Shading

The finished, inked, and lightly shaded drawing of Jack Skellington's face.

Go over your lines with a black marker. Use light grey or tan shading along the edges of the skull to add depth. Teacher's Tip: Keep the shading subtle to maintain that classic, clean cartoon look.