Dinosaur Drawing: Step-by-Step Tutorial & Easy Ideas
Learning how to draw a dinosaur is easier than it looks — the whole thing starts with a circle for the head and an oval for the body. This guide walks you through a dinosaur drawing in six clear steps, then hands you a set of dinosaur drawing ideas to keep going: easy versions for beginners, cute and cartoon takes, and variations worth sketching when you want more.
- Difficulty Easy
- Time ~15 min
- Tools Pencil, eraser, paper
- Starts with a circle for the head and an oval for the body
How to Draw a Dinosaur Step by Step
Step 1 of 9
Two body circles
Draw two light circles side by side near the middle of the page: a smaller chest circle on the left and a bigger hip circle on the right.
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Two body circles
Draw two light circles side by side near the middle of the page: a smaller chest circle on the left and a bigger hip circle on the right.
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Back and belly lines
Connect the tops of the circles with a gently dipping back line, and the bottoms with a slightly sagging belly line.
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Long neck
From the upper left of the chest circle, draw two long lines rising up and to the left to form a tall, gently curving neck.
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Head and eye
At the top of the neck, draw a small rounded head with a blunt snout, then add one small round eye near the top of the head.
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Leg lines
Draw four straight lines for the legs, two under the chest circle and two under the hip circle, all reaching the same ground level.
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Thick legs and feet
Add a second line beside each leg to give it thickness, then close the bottom of each leg with a small rounded foot.
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Tail and back bumps
From the right side of the hip, draw a long tapering tail, then add a few small rounded bumps along the top of the back.
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Ink the lines
Go over every kept line with dark ink, then erase the two light body circles.
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Color the dinosaur
Fill the body, neck, head and tail soft green, the back bumps darker green, the feet cream, and the eye black.
Dinosaur Drawing Ideas to Try Next
Once the basic dinosaur clicks, run it through these variations — each one practices a different skill while staying on a subject you already know.
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A cartoon dinosaur with a tiny accessory
Round everything, shrink the body, add one hat/bow/scarf. Accessories add personality for nearly zero extra difficulty.
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A dinosaur peeking around a corner
Half the animal hides behind an edge — you draw the easy half and the composition feels playful.
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A sleeping dinosaur curled up
Sleeping poses tuck away the legs and face details — draw one restful curve and let the pose forgive the anatomy.
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A baby dinosaur next to its parent
Same drawing twice at two sizes with bigger eyes on the little one — instant "aww" with skills you already have.
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A dinosaur in its natural habitat
Add two or three environment elements behind your dinosaur — the scene sells the story without needing a full background.
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Dinosaur face close-up portrait
Crop to just the face and make the eyes the star. Big expressive eyes carry the whole piece.
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Continuous one-line dinosaur
Draw the whole dinosaur without lifting your pen. Great warm-up, and the wobbles are the style.
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A geometric low-poly dinosaur
Build the dinosaur from straight-edged triangles only — a modern design look that secretly teaches structure.
Dinosaur Drawing Styles: Easy, Cute & More
Easy Dinosaur Drawing
Try a simplified version built from basic shapes — perfect for beginners and kids. Same nine steps as above — simply simplify or stylize the final pass.
Cute Dinosaur Drawing
Try the kawaii treatment: rounder shapes, bigger eyes, tiny proportions and soft colors. Same nine steps as above — simply simplify or stylize the final pass.
Tips for Better Dinosaur Drawings
- Compare proportions to something you know: how many heads long is the body? Where do the legs attach? Two measurements taken early save twenty corrections later.
- Eyes make or break animal drawings: place them carefully, keep them symmetrical, and always leave a white highlight dot. A perfect body with dead eyes still fails; a wobbly body with living eyes still charms.
Not feeling the dinosaur today?
Let the generator pick your next subject — filtered by mood and difficulty.
🎲 Random Drawing GeneratorDinosaur Drawing FAQ
What is the easiest way to draw a dinosaur?
Start with a circle for the head and an oval for the body, keeping your lines light. Refine the outline, add the defining details, then erase the construction shapes. The nine-step method above breaks this down — most people get a recognizable dinosaur on their very first try with it.
How long should it take to draw a dinosaur?
A simple dinosaur drawing takes about 15 minutes following this tutorial. A quick doodle version can be done in two or three minutes, while a detailed, fully-shaded study might take an hour. Speed comes with repetition — the second attempt is always faster than the first.
What supplies do I need for dinosaur drawings?
Just a pencil, an eraser, and any paper. An HB pencil for construction lines and a 2B for final outlines is a nice upgrade, and colored pencils or markers finish it off — but nothing on this page requires special supplies.
Is a dinosaur easy to draw for beginners?
Yes — the dinosaur is one of the friendlier subjects for beginners, and this method was written for first-timers. Kids can follow the same steps; just expect wobblier lines and more charm.
