Hello! Welcome to an easy ten-step drawing tutorial on how to draw a dinosaur! We will have both written and visual instructions for how to draw this massive extinct animal.
You probably know that dinosaurs were remarkable creatures that roamed Earth millions of years ago. They came in various shapes and sizes, from tiny, chicken-sized ones to massive, long-necked giants. Fun fact: birds are believed to be the closest living relatives of dinosaurs.
Dinosaurs are extinct, which means they no longer exist. But their fossils and bones have been discovered, allowing us to learn about them. People who study dinosaurs are called paleontologists, so we can thank them for all of our dinosaur knowledge! They remain very iconic creatures featured in many cartoons and movies, like Jurassic Park and The Land Before Time. They may not be around anymore, but we definitely know what they look like! You can even see complete dinosaur skeletons in museums.
With all that said, let’s begin with the tutorial! Keep reading for Step 1!
Materials:
- a piece of paper
- a pencil for the guiding lines and sketching
- an eraser
- a black sharpie or a pen for the outlines
- markers or colored pencils for coloring
- our printable drawing guide (Join my Email List below to get this Tutorial)
Here are my RECOMMENDED Art Supplies!
- Crayola Coloring Set (140 Pieces – Mega Value!)
- 24 Colored Crayon Set
- A4 Printer Paper
- Crayola Coloring Pencils
- HP Home Printer with Instant Ink!
Time needed:
12 minutes.
How to Draw a Dinosaur — Let’s get started!
Step 1 – Begin drawing the head.
Near the top left of the page, draw a curve extending down and to the right. Towards the bottom, make it curve in the opposite direction. This should take up about half of the page and is the start of the dino’s head and neck. Great job!
Step 2 – Draw the front of the head.
Next, draw the rest of the head’s shape. At the beginning of the curve you drew in Step 1, add another curve for the bottom of the head. Make a little bump for the snout. Refer to the photo!
Step 3 – Draw the eye and mouth.
We want our dino to look friendly. Add a small smile. Next, add a small dot for the eye. Since this drawing is a profile (from the side) view, we can only see one eye.
Step 4 – Draw the neck.
Did you know that the smallest known dinosaur is the Microraptor, which was about the size of a crow? However, our dino is going to be a large one that can’t fly. Specifically, it will resemble a Brachiosaurus, which is recognizable for its long neck and short legs. Therefore, we need to add a long neck.
From the chin, draw a long curve for the neck. It should extend close to the bottom of the page. Make it curve to the right to begin the belly.
Step 5 – Draw the back and tail.
Let’s move up to the back. From where you left off in Step 3, add a curve for the back. Continue it further down and to the right for the tail. Finally, bring it back up to make it look like the tail is pointed upward. Refer to the photo!
Step 6 – Add the legs!
Some dinosaurs, like the Velociraptor, could run very fast. We need to add legs! Draw two short rectangular legs connected by a line. We will add more in the next step.
Step 7 – Draw the other two legs.
Draw two more smaller rectangles for two more legs. They should be right next to the first two. They are smaller because the first two legs slightly hide them.
Step 8 – Draw the rest of the tail!
Finally, add the bottom curve of the tail. It should converge into a point. Great job!
Step 9 – Add all of the dino’s spikes!
This is a fun step. All the way from the top of the head to the very end of the tail, draw many triangles for the dino’s spiky spine. This is a common feature of many dinosaurs and is part of what makes them so interesting looking! Make them get a little bit smaller in size as they move down toward the tail. Fantastic job.
Step 10 – Color in your drawing!
Last but not least, color in your masterpiece! Dinos can be lots of colors, so pick some of your favorites and fill it in. Don’t forget to fill in the background, too! You could even add smaller dinosaurs in the background.
Pin it now, Draw later!
All done! How did you like this tutorial? Let us know! We have so many more subjects to pick from, so be sure to check out the rest of the site. We have holiday-themed drawings, food, animals, and more to choose from. You can also use the search bar to find a specific subject you have in mind!
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