How to Draw a Dinosaur

Today we are stepping back in time and learning how to draw a dinosaur. Follow along with our step-by-step drawing guide, and you will have a Brachiosaurus illustrated in three simple steps. Add your drawing to all kinds of projects, such as sublimated mugs, party invites, and decor, or create fun coloring pages and activities.

To get started, gather your supplies to create your dino clipart. You can follow along with any traditional or digital medium you have on hand. These mediums can include something such as acrylic paint, watercolor pencils, Procreate, and Illustrator.

Are you looking to create a collection of hand-drawn animals, flowers, and food? Check out our FREE drawing tutorials for more exciting drawing adventures.

Step 1 - Create a Rough Dinosaur Sketch

Create a rough sketch of your dinosaur drawing with a sketching medium. You can use a tool such as a pencil or a light-colored medium and cover it when applying color. In this first step, we will break down the sections to draw for a brachiosaurus cartoon illustration. But you can quickly adapt it to other dinosaur types, like a T-rex, Triceratops, or Velociraptor.

Add the Base Shape

Start by drawing a large oval shape for the body (shown in red). Then leave a large enough space for a neck and draw a smaller oval shape that is off to the side for the dinosaur's head.

Shape the Neck and Tail

Let's add shape to our dino by drawing a long curved line that goes from the bottom of the body toward the head and another from the top of the head toward the body. This will create the brachiosaurus neck.

Then, on the rear of the dinosaur's body, draw a narrower curved shape toward the end to shape the tail.

Add Legs

Below your dinosaur's body, add the legs. We made the legs squared for our dino and made the front and back portions overlap. See our example sketch below.

Add Details

Now it's time to add the finishing touches to your dinosaur. Add details such as eyes, claws, or the texture of your dinosaur's skin.

With the details added, it's time to refine your drawing. Use your eraser to remove any unnecessary lines or shapes, and adjust any proportions that don't look quite right. Pay attention to the dinosaur's overall body, ensuring it seems balanced.

Step 2 - Make the Sketches Permanent

Your sketches are done, and now you can begin making your sketch lines permanent. You will need a lining medium for our second step to create your dinosaur outline.

Start your line art by tracing the main shape of your dinosaur. We used this "thin" brush from this chalk Procreate brush set for our outlines.

Then, define your remaining sketch lines. Make sure not to trace the base shape of the head and body.

Add any additional details to your artwork, and once you are done, clear your drawing of the remaining pencil sketches.

Step 3 - Apply Color to your Dinosaur

Add color and life to your dinosaur illustration with your favorite coloring medium. You can use any combination or color palette that you want. For our dinosaur, we added three shades of purple to create depth.

There are many different ways to shade and add texture to your drawing. Check out our guide on how to blend color in Procreate to learn four easy ways to color your illustrations.

You did a raur-some job illustrating your dinosaur! Thank you for following along with our beginner-friendly drawing exercise. With all the possibilities you can use your dino clipart, we know you will have a lot of fun creating your next craft.

Want to add other prehistoric elements to complement your dinosaur? Why not have a look at our caveman clipart on Design Bundles to fill your digital library?