In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Tyrannosaurus Rex roaring step-by-step.

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How to Draw a Tyrannosaurus Rex Dinosaur Roaring

All of the tutorials on How2DrawAnimals.com are excellent for beginners and experienced artists alike. The online lessons are easy to follow, teaching you foundational drawing basics while showing you how to sketch animals step by step. Each subject includes a video drawing tutorial option along with step-by-step photos and written text to follow.

To draw a T. rex, follow along with the video tutorial below and pause after each step to work at your own pace. You may find it easier to use the step-by-step drawings underneath the video. The new lines in each step are highlighted in red, so you'll know exactly what to draw next. You may want to open the video in a new tab and utilize both methods. Take your time and sketch at your own pace.

Materials You’ll Need

Before starting, gather these basic drawing supplies:

Pencil (an HB lead pencil is best for light sketches)
Eraser
Black ink pen or marker
Drawing paper

Start with Simple Lines and Shapes

For the first few steps, don't press down too hard with your pencil. Use light, smooth strokes to begin.

Step 1: Draw a half circle as a guide for the top of the Tyrannosaurus rex's head. First draw a sloping line, and then add an arc at the top. The half-circle should be a bit thin.

Step 2: Under the head, near the right side, draw a curved line. This line, which looks similar to the letter U, is a guide for the T. rex's lower jaw.

Step 3: To the right of the head, draw a big circle as a guide for the T. rex's body. First make four small marks to indicate its height and width. Then connect the marks using curved lines. If you're struggling to draw the circle, trace the outer rim of a coin, a small lid, or any other object with a circular edge. Pay attention to the size of this circle in relation to the head. For a more detailed guide on the different ways to draw a circle check out this tutorial: Four simple ways to draw a circle. Add a couple of lines on the left for the neck.

Keep Building the Animal Slowly

Step 4: To the right of the body, draw a long oval as a guide for the top part of the leg. Make two marks to indicate the height of the oval. Then connect the marks using curved lines. Under the oval, draw a small, U-shaped line for the middle section of the leg. At the bottom, draw a triangular shape as a guide for the T. rex's foot.

Step 5: Under the neck, draw two U-shaped lines on top of each other as guides for the top part of the Tyrannosaurus rex's other leg. At the bottom, draw another triangular shape for the other foot. This shape should stretch toward the left side.

Step 6: Near the bottom of the body, draw a line similar to the number 7 as a guide for the first arm. Under the neck, draw another short, angled line as a guide for the T. rex's other arm.

Finish Up the "Skeleton"

Step 7: On the top, right side of the body, draw two long lines that come to a point to form the guide for the T. rex's tail.

That's it for the guides! From this point on, press harder with your pencil for a more defined drawing.

Now Add Details

Step 8: Inside the T. rex's head, a little to the right from the middle, draw a small oval-like shape for the eye. Inside the eye, draw a tiny circle off to the side to represent glare. In the middle, draw a dot for the pupil. Draw a couple of curved lines above and below the eye for the eyelids. Draw more short, curved lines under the eye for the folds on the skin.

Step 9: Draw a series of sloping lines above the eye for the big, bony brow. The shape of the brow consists of two sloping lines above the eye to make the shape thick. Add a few extra bumps on the side to give the brow a rougher texture. Add a few more lines between the Tyrannosaurus rex's eye and the brow for extra detail.

Step 10: Use the bottom part of the initial half-circle as a guide to draw the top of the mouth. Follow the basic path of the guide and lightly sketch a wavy line below for the mouth. When you get the shape of the T. rex's mouth right, darken the line.

Step 11: Draw a series of V-shaped lines under the mouth for the teeth. Start drawing the T. rex's teeth in the section that's below the eye and move toward the left. Make the teeth near the middle bigger than the ones on the sides. On the left side, draw a curved line for the other side of the T. rex's mouth and add teeth under it too.

Step 12: At the bottom, lightly sketch a wavy line that has the same slope as the guide line for the bottom part of the mouth. Notice the distance from this wavy line to the guide at the bottom. Don't draw it too close. When you get the shape right, darken the line. This line should meet the corner of the mouth at the top. Draw a series of triangle-like shapes along the path of the Tyrannosaurus rex's mouth, on the left side, for teeth.

Step 13: Draw a few more triangle-like shapes on the left side for more teeth in the T. rex's mouth. Lightly sketch a short, curved line and add more teeth on top. Now draw a curved line that connects to the top of the mouth. Use the initial sloping line on the left as a guide to draw this connecting line.

Step 14: Inside the mouth, on the right side, draw a curved line for the skin that connects the T. rex's jaws. Inside the mouth, draw the tongue using a couple of curved lines that slope to the right.

Step 15: Use the initial half-circle as a guide to draw the top of the head. Follow the curvature of the guide as you draw the front part of the head but make the line a bit bumpier. Above the brow, draw another bumpy line for the back of the T. rex's head. To the left, draw yet another bumpy line along the path of the guide for the brow on the other side. Inside the head, near the left side, draw a small oval-like shape for the nostril.

Step 16: Use the initial curved line at the bottom as a guide to draw the shape of the Tyrannosaurus rex's jaw. Follow the path of the guide but make the line a bit wavier. Add a few lines under the mouth too.

Step 17: Darken the initial lines that connect to the body to create the neck. Add a few lines inside the T. rex's neck for the side of the head and extra detail like veins.

Stay Patient and Keep Drawing

Step 18: Use the line that's shaped like a 7 as a guide to draw the first arm. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the arm around it. Use a series of curved lines as you draw the shape of the arm for the muscle structure. When you get the shape of the arm right, darken the lines. The Tyrannosaurus rex's fingers point backward, so just draw a pointy shape on the right side at the bottom.

Step 19: Use the short, angled line under the neck as a guide to draw the other arm the same way. First lightly sketch the shape of the arm around the guide. When you get the shape right, darken the lines. The fingers are folded and point to the back. Draw a pointy tip on the right side of the shape.

Step 20: Use the shapes on the right side as guides to draw the first leg. Simply darken the outer edges of the shapes to create the leg. Make the lines bumpier for texture. Add a few extra curved lines in the middle for the leg's joint. Add a few lines for the folds of skin too. The shape of the T. rex's leg should get narrower at the bottom, above the foot.

Use the triangle-like shape at the bottom as a guide to draw the foot. Use a series of short, curved lines to create the individual toes inside the guide. At the end of each toe, draw a small shape with a pointy tip for the Tyrannosaurus rex's claws. The toe in the middle is facing front, so the top of the shape curves up toward the leg. The claws should be round at the top and thin and pointy at the bottom.

Step 21: Darken the initial circle in the middle to create the body. Use bumpier lines for texture. Make the top part extra bumpy. Don't overlap the leg or arm on the right as you darken the shape of the T. rex's body.

You're Almost There!

Step 22: Darken the outer edges of the shapes behind the arm on the left to create the other leg. Use the triangular shape at the bottom as a guide to draw the foot. Follow the top edge of the guide to draw a thin wavy shape for the middle toe. Add the T. rex's claw at the tip. Draw the inner toe the same way as you follow the edge of the guide. This toe should be shorter. This leg is pointing more toward the left, so these toes should appear longer than the ones on the right.

Step 23: Use the lines on the top, right side as guides to draw the shape of the Tyrannosaurus rex's tail. Follow the guide but make the shape wavier as you darken the lines.

Step 24: For a cleaner look, erase as much as you can of the initial guide lines. Don't worry about erasing all of the guides. It's okay to leave some behind. Re-draw any final sketch lines you may have accidentally erased.

Now It's Time to Shade

Final Step: Add some shading to your T. rex drawing to give it more dimension and volume. Pick the direction of the light source when shading so that the shadows are consistent with it. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Don't worry about shading too smoothly; the rough value gives the skin texture. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the Tyrannosaurus rex so it doesn't appear to be floating.

Add even more value throughout the body for extra detail. For a rough, scaly texture, draw random tiny, squiggly lines throughout the body. This process may seem more intricate than it actually is. Don't overthink it. Just add random squiggly lines all over the dinosaur's body. This is the Tyrannosaurus rex version made popular by the Jurassic Park movies. Real T. rexes may have had feathers!

Use a lighter value on the veins to make them stand out and on the claws for shine. Add the value lightly at first, and then gradually build up to the level of darkness that you want. For an easier version, skip the texture and just use a medium value all over the T. rex's body. Or color your drawing! Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Don't forget to pause the video to draw at your own pace.

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Drawing a Tyrannosaurus Rex Dinosaur Roaring