Anatomic: Head Anatomy 3D Cheat Sheet

by CG Cookie in Models


Updated version 1.0.5 available now! (Blender 4.2)

A 3D facial anatomy resource for Artists

*approved by a Plastic Surgeon at Brown University

Every character artist needs to know: "What's under the skin?"

Turns out...there's a lot going on. 

Fat, muscles, bones, and skin all create the shape of the human face.

And without knowing what's below the surface, your 3d characters will never look quite right.

To become a character artist, you must first master human anatomy

Good news: you don't need to spend years at a medical school. 

This Blender model, anAtomic Lex, is as close as you'll get to understanding head anatomy (without using a scalpel).

"I've reviewed this model, (it) represents an excellent depiction of the facial skeleton incorporating its layers, key anatomic landmarks, and facial contour. Intriguing opportunity for anatomy training for medical students and residents." Vinay Rao, MD Plastic Surgery Resident at Brown University

anAtomic Lex is your go-to anatomy reference

The construction and labeling of this ecorche bust covers the human head and the neck, including the collarbones. 

The downloadable model includes:

  • Extremely detailed anatomical model (approved by a plastic surgeon)
  • 4 layers of facial anatomy: bone, muscles, fat, and skin
  • Everything labeled with correct technical terminology

Explore the human head to create professional 3d characters

anAtomic Lex will help you get to know human anatomy like never before.

Here's what makes anAtomic Lex so easy to use:

  • the model runs in realtime
  • custom UI is highly intuitive for easy navigation
  • great for beginners and experienced character artists


And there's more...

The skull bones are color-coded for easy identification

X-ray vision: the muscles, fat, and skin can be halved

Meet the Creator of anAtomic Lex

Kent Trammell, CG Cookie

"Hey, guys! I'm an instructor at CG Cookie, the longest-running Blender training website. In my 8+ years of teaching Blender, I've created 3d character models like "Simon" below. Characters are my specialty and anAtomic Lex is a reference I use every single time. It's a game-changer for every character artist!


Kent Trammell created his "Simon" Model to show the level of realism Blender can achieve...with the right knowledge of human anatomy

What other 3d Artists are Saying about anAtomic Lex:

"One of the most beautifully crafted anatomy studies I've ever seen. Beyond its quality level and the fact it runs realtime, it is packed with such an handy custom UI and amazing level of detail that for me, this is a must have if you want to learn anatomy and the best reference I've the chance to put my hands on".  Pierrick Picaut, Freelance Blender artist and trainer

"It's a go to reference for character artists. I am definitely recommending this as one the main reference to understand the human head." - Yuditya Afandi, Character Artist

"This ecorche tool is just brilliantly well done. It's made very easy to study and understand the relationship between bones, muscle, fats and skin. I can clearly see both beginners and experienced artist benefiting from this tool, and anatomy teachers will of course love it." - Lucas Falcao, Freelance 3D Artist

❤️ Every purchase of AnAtomic Lex Contributes to Blender Foundation

Bonus: Kent Trammell's 5 Tips about Human Facial Anatomy

anAtomic Lex Changelog

Version 1.0.5

  • Checked for Blender 4.2 compatibility. Everything worked without issue. While EEVEE works fine, EEVEE (Legacy) is recommended as the intended visualization.

Version 1.0.4

  • Checked for Blender 4.0 compatibility. Updated Eevee AO settings to appear more consistent with previous versions. Bent Normals and Bounces Approximation disabled, factor set to 1.0.

Version 1.0.3

  • Corrected script run failure in Blender 3.4.1 due to legacy shader node input "Fac" being changed to "Factor". 

Version 1.0.2

  • Corrected Visual Mode property not displaying in Blender 2.93

Version 1.0.1

  • Added nasal cartilage to the Skeletal Layer
  • Fixed a boolean error within the Skin Half operator that was causing issues for Windows users.
  • Fixed inconsistent visibility for right-side hair objects when halving the Skin layer.
  • Unified hair particle child counts between viewport and render
  • Corrected a few misnamed objects


Version 1.0.0 - initial release

Want more CG Cookie Courses?

If you get inspired and would like to become a CG Cookie member after purchasing this course, send a message to support@cgcookie.com and we will be happy to help you set up an annual membership while discounting the amount you paid for this course on Blender Market.  A membership will give you access to our instructors, our community and 100+ CG Cookie Blender courses.  Be sure to mention your Blender Market Order ID and we will take it from there.

For more information, visit cgcookie.com or head over to our Creator Profile here on Blender Market.

Sales 300+
Customer Ratings 3
Average Rating
Dev Fund Contributor
Published about 5 years ago
Blender Version 4.1
License Royalty Free
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