The skull is a beautiful piece of art in itself, both in life and after it. As we grow, the skull grows with us, and as we experience life, the skull is along the way through the entire process. It holds our brain - the most important organ in our body for us to experience life and the world around us - making it possibly the most important security feature in our lives. As life passes us by, our skulls last long than our own life, making it a figure for what we once were.
I love drawing skulls because although they seem dark and scary at first, they show blemishes and forms that different in each one. This allows the artist to play and experiment with each one, which in turn helps the artist learn with every step. (Also, feathers are always fun. I advise anyone to put a pencil to paper and attempt to draw the same feather twice. Its tough)