Anatomy of the Nose

3/4 view of the nose showing its underlying bony and cartilaginous framework.

As you know, the nose is of great importance not only for plastic anatomy.

This is a rather useful part of the body that helps us breathe, purifies and warms the air we breathe, and is involved in the recognition of odors.

The nose consists of an outer and an inner part. The inner part has a complex anatomy. We cannot see the inner nose on a living person without medical instruments, so we will focus on the anatomy of the outer nose.

External Anatomy of the Nose

The outer nose has the root of the nose (radix nasi), the nasal bridge (dorsum nasi), the wings of the nose (ala nasi), and the tip of the nose (apex nasi).

The wings, separated by the nasal septum, form openings called nostrils. The beginning of the inner parts of the nostrils is covered with short but stiff hairs. These hairs help purify the air we breathe.

External nose anatomy with the root, bridge, tip, and wing labeled.

The outer nose is formed by bony and cartilaginous parts.

Bony Part of the Nose

The bony part of the outer nose is formed mainly by the paired nasal bones and the frontal processes of the maxillae. Note that a small area of the upper jaw, or maxilla in the skull, is involved in the formation of the nose. The frontal bone also contributes to the area around the root of the nose.

Cartilaginous Part of the Nose

Farther down, around the wings and tip of the nose, there are several pieces of cartilage. The large alar cartilages form much of the shape of the tip and wings of the nose. Smaller accessory cartilages are located farther to the sides.

As you can see, the root and upper part of the nose are supported mainly by bone, while the lower part, wings, and tip are shaped largely by cartilage and soft tissue. The skin covers all parts of the outer nose and becomes thicker toward the tip.

Nose anatomy with the nasal bone, frontal process of the maxilla, lateral nasal cartilage, and major and minor alar cartilages labeled.

The ability to draw a nose is a very important skill for any artist. This part of the face is one of the main features that shape a person’s appearance. Knowing how to draw the nose correctly, as well as other parts of the human body, will help you create more convincing and three-dimensional portraits.

To draw a nose accurately, you need to know its anatomy and main forms. In this article, we have covered the most important details that an artist should pay attention to.

Three nose drawings showing variations in the bridge, tip, wings, and nostrils.

But remember that people have different appearances. Each person has individual facial features that play an important role when drawing a portrait.

The nose, like the rest of the face, can vary greatly from person to person. When drawing a portrait, take this into account and try to convey the individual features of the person as accurately as possible.