The shape of the nose varies enormously from person to person, because of their bone and cartilage structure, as well as the musculature of their face and the amount of fat under their skin. Its important to observe each individual carefully and study the shape of their nose and its position in relation to their other features.

The nose can be simplified into a basic prism shape. This will be formed with its apex at the bridge of the nose, and its base across the widest part of the nostrils, tapering up to the tip. Try drawing this simple shape with the face at different angles. Note that in this example, the right side of the nose is longer than the left because of perspective. Drawing this simple prism first helps you to master the perspective element.