How to Draw a Spinosaurus: Easy 9-Step Dinosaur Guide

Bring the king of the river to life with this easy-to-follow Spinosaurus tutorial. Designed for young artists ages 5 and up, this guide requires only a pencil, paper, and an eraser. Follow these steps to master the iconic sail-backed dinosaur and build your confidence in sketching prehistoric creatures.

10 Steps

🎯 Final Result

Colorful cartoon Spinosaurus standing in a prehistoric landscape.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sketching the Head and Snout

Pencil sketch showing the initial outline of a Spinosaurus head, eye, and snout.

Start by drawing the snout and the top of the head using smooth, curved lines. Draw a small teardrop shape for the eye and add a round pupil inside. Teacher's Tip: Keep your pencil lines very light here so you can easily adjust the jaw shape later.

Step 2: Defining the Open Jaw

Drawing the open mouth of a Spinosaurus with sharp triangular teeth.

Use two curved lines to form the lower jaw, creating a wide-open mouth. Add a small triangle at the hinge to show depth, and draw sharp, triangular teeth along the upper jaw. Teacher's Tip: Make the teeth slightly different sizes to give your dinosaur a more natural, fierce look.

Step 3: Adding Teeth and Neck

Adding the tongue and beginning the neck structure of the Spinosaurus.

Add teeth to the lower jaw and draw a curved tongue inside the mouth. Extend the lines from the head to begin the neck. Teacher's Tip: Use short, overlapping strokes to suggest the texture of dinosaur skin as the neck meets the head.

Step 4: Sketching the Back and Forearm

Drawing the back, chest, and first clawed arm of the Spinosaurus.

Continue the neck line into the back. Draw the chest and the first forearm, ending with a sharp, teardrop-shaped claw. Teacher's Tip: Spinosaurus claws were quite large; don't be afraid to make them look bold and pointy!

Step 5: Adding Fingers and Rear Leg

Adding fingers, belly, and the start of the rear leg.

Draw the remaining fingers with claws, then sketch the belly and the upper part of the rear leg. Teacher's Tip: Use a 'C' shape for the belly to give your dinosaur a sturdy, grounded appearance.

Step 6: Completing the Feet and Second Arm

Drawing the rear foot and the second arm of the Spinosaurus.

Finish the rear foot with teardrop-shaped claws. Add the second, smaller forearm tucked behind the body. Teacher's Tip: Overlapping lines help create the illusion that one arm is further away than the other.

Step 7: Drawing the Tail and Leg

Adding the tail and the second rear leg to the drawing.

Complete the foreleg and draw the long, powerful tail. Add the remaining rear leg with a large claw. Teacher's Tip: Make the tail slightly curved to show movement, as if the dinosaur is walking.

Step 8: The Iconic Sail

Adding the distinctive sail and spine details to the dinosaur's back.

Finish the rear foot, then draw the Spinosaurus's most famous feature: the back sail. Use a series of scalloped, curved lines to create the fan shape. Teacher's Tip: Draw the spines connecting the back to the sail to make it look structurally sound.

Step 9: Final Details

Adding final contour lines and cleaning up the Spinosaurus sketch.

Add final lines to the sail and contour the neck, shoulders, and belly with short, light strokes to suggest muscle and skin texture. Teacher's Tip: Erase any overlapping guidelines from the earlier steps to make your drawing look clean and professional.

Step 10: Bring It to Life with Color

A fully colored, cartoon-style Spinosaurus illustration.

Your Spinosaurus is ready for color! Try using earthy tones like forest green, slate gray, or sandy brown. Teacher's Tip: Use a darker shade of your chosen color near the belly and under the tail to create a simple shadow effect.