How to Draw a Cartoon Crocodile: Easy 9-Step Guide

Ready to bring a swamp-dwelling friend to life? This tutorial is perfect for young artists ages 5 and up. All you need is a pencil, an eraser, and some paper to start building your character. We will focus on simple shapes to create a friendly crocodile that is full of personality.

10 Steps

🎯 Final Result

A colorful, friendly cartoon crocodile illustration, perfect for kids' art projects.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sketching the Eyes

Close-up sketch of a cartoon crocodile eye with a small pupil and a rounded brow loop.

Draw a rounded oval for the eye, adding a smaller pupil inside. Add a small loop above the eye to give it a 'bubbly' look. Teacher's Tip: Keep the eye shape simple; it acts as the anchor for the rest of the crocodile's head.

Step 2: Defining the Snout

Outline of a crocodile snout showing the mouth shape and nostril placement.

Outline the mouth using a wide, curvy triangle shape. Add small loops near the top for the nostrils. Teacher's Tip: Use a light touch here—crocodiles have long, distinct snouts, so make sure your lines are smooth and continuous.

Step 3: Adding Sharp Teeth

Drawing sharp, triangular teeth inside the crocodile's open mouth.

Draw small, jagged triangles along the inside of the mouth to represent teeth. Teacher's Tip: Don't worry about making them perfectly even; slightly irregular teeth make your crocodile look more natural and fun!

Step 4: The Tongue

Adding a curved tongue shape inside the crocodile's mouth.

Add two soft curves inside the mouth to form the tongue. Teacher's Tip: A tongue adds character—make it look like your crocodile is smiling or laughing!

Step 5: Drawing the Front Legs

Sketching the front leg and rounded toes of the crocodile.

Sketch a large curve for the shoulder and add four small loops at the bottom for the toes. Teacher's Tip: Keep the toes rounded to maintain the 'cartoon' style.

Step 6: Adding the Back Legs

Drawing the back leg of the crocodile to match the front leg's style.

Connect the head to the body with a curve, then repeat the leg-drawing process for the back leg. Teacher's Tip: Ensure the back leg is slightly smaller to create a sense of depth.

Step 7: Adding Texture and Scales

Adding bumpy, uneven scale patterns along the back of the crocodile.

Outline the back with a series of uneven loops to create scales. Teacher's Tip: Vary the size of your loops to make the crocodile look more realistic and textured.

Step 8: The Tail

Sketching the long, curved tail with scale details.

Draw two long S-shapes to form the tail, continuing the scale pattern along the edge. Teacher's Tip: A long, curved tail adds movement to your drawing.

Step 9: Final Details

Finalizing the drawing with belly texture lines and scale refinements.

Add texture lines to the belly and refine your scale outlines. Teacher's Tip: Use short, quick strokes to give the belly a leathery appearance.

Step 10: Coloring Your Crocodile

A fully colored cartoon crocodile with green skin, yellow belly, and pink tongue.

Bring your drawing to life! Use vibrant greens for the body, a pale yellow for the belly, and a pop of pink for the tongue. Teacher's Tip: Keep the teeth and eyes white to make them stand out against the green skin.