Cartoon Nose Drawing: Button, Anime, and Exaggerated Shapes

Object Drawing Lessons

Cartoon noses are simplified shapes that communicate character and style. This lesson breaks down three common approaches: the button nose (a small rounded form), the anime nose (a minimal line or tiny triangle), and the exaggerated nose (a large, expressive shape). You will compare their proportions, practice each in a labeled box, and use a rubric to check your work. All drawing conventions are defined so you can measure your own results without relying on a single correct answer.

Practice materials: Printable downloads are not available for this lesson yet. Use the instructions and four exercises below.

Understanding the Three Nose Styles

A button nose is typically a small, rounded shape placed near the center of the face. It can be drawn as a soft circle or an oval, often with a tiny highlight or a short curve underneath to suggest the nostril area. The key is compactness: the nose width is usually at or under one-third of the face width.

An anime nose is highly minimal. It may be a single short line, a tiny triangle, or a small dot with a shadow. The shape is often placed lower on the face and angled slightly. Because it uses so few marks, placement and line weight matter more than detailed form.

An exaggerated nose is large and expressive. It might be a long hook, a bulbous shape, or a wide triangle. This style uses clear outlines and often includes visible nostrils or a bridge line. The nose becomes a focal point, so its size and angle should match the character’s mood.

1. Draw three labeled boxes on your paper: Button, Anime, Exaggerated.
2. In the Button box, sketch a small circle or oval about the width of a thumbnail.
3. In the Anime box, draw a single short line or tiny triangle, keeping it minimal.
4. In the Exaggerated box, draw a large shape such as a hook or bulb, using bold outlines.
5. Label each box and note one feature that makes that style distinct.

Comparing Proportions and Placement

Use a simple convention: the nose sits on the vertical midline of the face, with its base roughly halfway between the eyes and the chin. For the button nose, keep the width at or under one-third of the face width. For anime, the mark can be as small as a few millimeters. For exaggerated, the nose may extend beyond the midline or overlap other features. These are drawing conventions, not universal rules; letter and feature styles vary, so treat them as a starting point you can adjust. Measure your own drawings with a ruler. For example, if your face outline is 6 cm wide, a button nose should be about 2 cm wide or less. An anime nose might be a 0.5 cm line. An exaggerated nose could be 4 cm wide. These numbers are hypothetical examples; measure your actual paper and equipment, and adjust the values to your own size.

Keep the same convention in every practice box: mark the vertical midline and the halfway height first, then draw the nose centered on that midline. In a 4 cm wide box, one-third is about 1.33 cm, so a button nose stays at or under 1.33 cm. In a 5 cm wide box, one-third is about 1.67 cm, so a button nose stays at or under 1.67 cm; an exaggerated nose at 3 cm is clearly larger than a 1.67 cm button nose. Use centimeters or millimeters consistently and record each measurement next to its box.

1. Draw a light vertical midline on a practice face outline or box.
2. Mark the halfway point between the top and bottom of the box as the nose base.
3. Draw the button nose centered on the midline, width ≤ one-third of the box width (for a 6 cm face, ≤ 2 cm).
4. Draw the anime nose as a short line at the base mark.
5. Draw the exaggerated nose extending left or right from the midline, visibly larger than the button nose.

Using the Rubric and Self-Checking

The rubric below allows valid alternatives. For example, an anime nose can be a line, dot, or triangle—all are acceptable if they are minimal and placed consistently. A button nose can be circular or oval. An exaggerated nose can be a hook, bulb, or wide triangle. Check that each style is clearly distinguishable and that your labels match the shapes.

Measure line lengths and widths with a ruler. Compare your button nose width to the face width. Check that the anime nose uses fewer than three marks. Check that the exaggerated nose is visibly larger than the button nose. These checks are simple and use consistent units (centimeters or millimeters).

1. Place your drawing next to the rubric.
2. For each style, confirm the shape matches the description.
3. Measure the button nose width and record it.
4. Count the marks used for the anime nose.
5. Compare the exaggerated nose size to the button nose.

Worked example

On a face outline 6 cm wide, draw a button nose, an anime nose, and an exaggerated nose. Label each. Use the midline and the halfway point between eyes and chin.

Four practice exercises

Common mistakes

• Making the button nose too large, so it looks like an exaggerated nose. Keep the button nose width at or under one-third of the face width. Measure with a ruler.
• Adding too many details to the anime nose, losing its minimal style. Limit the anime nose to one or two marks: a short line, a dot, or a tiny triangle.
• Placing the nose too high or too low on the face. Use the halfway point between eyes and chin as the base, and mark it lightly first.
• Drawing the exaggerated nose without clear outlines, making it hard to read. Use a bold outline and include at least one clear feature like a nostril curve or bridge line.

Self-check rubric

• Button nose is compact (width ≤ one-third of face width) and rounded.
• Anime nose uses one or two minimal marks (line, dot, or tiny triangle).
• Exaggerated nose is visibly larger than the button nose and has a clear outline.
• All three noses are placed near the vertical midline and at the correct height.
• Labels match the shapes and are readable.
• Valid alternatives (oval button, dot anime, hook or bulb exaggerated) are accepted.

Questions and answers