How to Draw a Skeleton Hand (Easy Step by Step)
A skeleton hand is a great Halloween drawing because it is really just a pile of bone shapes. Every finger is a short stack of dog-bone shapes, the palm is four long bones, and the wrist is a handful of little circles.
- Easy
- 15 minutes
- 7 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw a skeleton hand step by step
How to Draw a Skeleton Hand · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Long palm bones
Draw four long, skinny bones side by side, like tall bowling pins. Give each one a round, bumpy knob at the top and a rounded bottom end, and tilt the outer two a little outward.
Step 2: Wrist bones
Below the palm bones, draw five small circles. Put three in a row and tuck two underneath in the gaps, like a tiny pile of pebbles.
Step 3: Middle finger
Above the palm bones, stack three dog-bone shapes in a straight line going up. Each one has a rounded bump at each end and a thin middle, with a small gap between them.
Step 4: Pointer finger
Next to the middle finger on the left, stack three more dog-bone shapes in a line. Start this finger a little lower than the middle one.
Step 5: Ring finger
Next to the middle finger on the right, stack three dog-bone shapes. Start this finger a little lower than the middle one, too.
Step 6: Pinky finger
On the far right, stack three small dog-bone shapes in a line that leans outward a little. Start it lower than the ring finger.
Step 7: The thumb
On the lower left, draw three bumpy bones in a slanted line. The line starts out to the left and slopes down toward the wrist circles.
All done!
Go over your lines with a marker, then color it in.
Finished your skeleton hand? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a Halloween lantern or how to draw a poison apple next.
Tips for drawing a skeleton hand
- Draw one dog-bone shape first, with a round bump at each end, then copy it for every finger piece.
- Leave a little gap between the bones in each finger so they look like separate joints.
- Start the pointer, ring and pinky fingers a little lower than the middle finger so the hand looks natural.
Free skeleton hand coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this skeleton hand coloring page at full size and print it. It is the same drawing you just learned, with clean lines ready for crayons or markers.
How to color your skeleton hand drawing
Try bone white or pale cream with gray shading in the gaps, on a dark purple or black background. For a creative twist, color each finger a different bright color to make a rainbow skeleton hand.
Skeleton hand fun fact for kids
Each human hand has 27 bones, and about a quarter of all the bones in your body are in your two hands and wrists.
Questions about drawing a skeleton hand
What shapes do I need to draw a skeleton hand?
You need dog-bone shapes for the fingers and thumb, long skinny bones for the palm, and small circles for the wrist. Once you can draw one bone, you can draw the whole hand.
How do I make my skeleton hand look spooky?
Color it bone white on a dark background, and add a few cracks or shadows on the bones. You can also draw it reaching up out of the ground.
Why does each finger have three bones?
Your fingers bend at joints, and the joints sit between the bones. Each of your four fingers has three small bones, which is why they curl so nicely.
