How to Draw a Dinosaur

Dinosaur drawing with realistic shadows and details.

In this step-by-step tutorial, we will show you how to draw a dinosaur. Although there were many different types of dinosaurs, and we will certainly draw the most popular ones, the basic principles of drawing them are generally the same.

The time when dinosaurs ruled the world passed long ago, but they still live on in movies, books, and video games.

In all of these works, we can see the distinctive features of these creatures, and in this drawing lesson, we will show you how to depict them.

How to draw a dinosaur step by step

Step 1: Block in the dinosaur’s main body parts

Begin drawing the dinosaur by sketching its basic framework. Different dinosaurs have different body structures, but regardless of the species, you should first indicate the head and the torso, including the rib cage and pelvis. Then draw a long, smooth line for the spine connecting all of these parts.

Sketching the dinosaur’s head, torso, pelvis, and spine with simple construction shapes.

Step 2: Draw the limbs of the dinosaur

At the front of the rib cage, sketch the dinosaur’s short arms with a slight bend. Then draw the much larger legs of the dinosaur. Mark the joints with small circles. The proportions of the front and hind limbs may vary depending on the type of dinosaur.

Drawing the dinosaur’s arms, legs, and joint guides.

Step 3: Sketch the prehistoric reptile’s face

Using rough, simple lines, sketch the outline of the dinosaur’s open mouth. Then place a small eye near the center of the head. At this stage, you can make the snout longer or shorter depending on the type of dinosaur you want to draw.

Sketching the dinosaur’s open mouth and eye.

Step 4: Add volume to the arms and tail

Move on to the body and sketch the outlines of the arms around the framework you created earlier. Then draw three long, sharp fingers with claws on each hand. Add volume to the tail by imagining it as a long, twisting ribbon.

Drawing the dinosaur’s arms and adding volume to the tail.

Step 5: Draw the hind legs of the dinosaur

Now move to the hind legs and add volume around the framework lines as well. Unlike the front limbs, the dinosaur’s legs are much more massive, especially in the upper sections. Sketch the feet with the large toes spreading outward.

Drawing the dinosaur’s powerful hind legs and feet.

Step 6: Refine the dinosaur’s head and arms

Trace the outline of the head and the large mouth of the prehistoric reptile. Refine the eye and draw a narrow pupil. Add sharp teeth. Continue the lines of the head and smoothly refine the outline of the neck. Refine the outlines of the arms, add a few folds around the shoulders, draw the sharp fingers of the dinosaur.

Refining the reptile’s head, neck, and arms.

Step 7: Refine the reptile’s torso and tail

Refine the tail in the same way. Make the neck, torso, and tail flow smoothly into one another. Add a few folds along the back to create slight overlaps in the forms, which will give the drawing more volume.

Refining the body and connecting the neck, body, and tail into a continuous form.

Step 8: Complete the hind legs and tail

Refine and finish the outlines of the legs, using light strokes to indicate the tendons. Draw the feet and the large, sharp claws of the dinosaur. Erase the remaining construction lines from the entire drawing.

Refining the legs, finishing the body outline and removing the construction lines.

Step 9: Draw shadows on the dinosaur

Outline the shadow areas by dividing the dinosaur into the illuminated and shaded parts. Carefully fill the shadowed areas with even hatching. You can also strengthen the outlines and increase the contrast on the parts of the body that are closer to the viewer.

Finishing the dinosaur drawing with shading and stronger outlines.

Dinosaur drawing featured and practice

Millions of years ago, there were countless different kinds of dinosaurs, and of course it is impossible to cover all of them in a single tutorial.

However, we have tried to explain the basic principles of drawing these prehistoric animals. The first and most important idea to remember is that many, or even most, dinosaurs are visually similar to reptiles.

The principles of drawing a dinosaur are very similar to those used when drawing a crocodile and other similar creatures.

The appearance of dinosaurs has also influenced the way mythical creatures have been designed. Because of this, many of the principles in this tutorial are also useful when drawing dragons.

An elongated snout, sharp teeth, a large mouth, reptilian eyes, and long, flowing body shapes are common features shared by both real and fictional creatures.

For additional practice, try drawing dinosaurs with different body proportions and in different poses.

You can also draw a Tyrannosaurus, which follows many of the same principles covered in this tutorial, or try drawing a pterodactyl, whose proportions and details are more distinctive while still following the same fundamental concepts.