Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Dragonfly" video after each step to draw at your own pace.





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

Step 1: Draw a small circle as a guide for the dragonfly's head. The circle doesn't have to be perfect. It's just a guide.

Step 2: Draw an oval under the head for dragonfly's midsection or thorax. The thorax should be almost twice as tall as the head and a bit thinner than the head.

Step 3: Under the thorax, draw a very long oval-like shape as a guide for the dragonfly's abdomen. The abdomen should be about three times as tall as the thorax and should be skinnier than the thorax.

Step 4: Draw the dragonfly's leg guides using a series of lines on the sides of the thorax. The first pair of legs are near the top of the thorax pointing up. Bend the lines to indicate the joints. The second pair of legs are right below the first, and they point to the sides more. They are similar to wide letter V's. The third and final pair of legs are closer to the bottom of the thorax, and they point downward.

Step 5: Draw two long oval-like shapes on the sides of the thorax as guides for the first pair of dragonfly wings. Sketch lightly at first to get the shape of the guide right. Notice that the dragonfly wing guide has a diagonal orientation and is not strictly horizontal. Draw the guide for the other front wing on the right side the same way. Try to draw both sides similarly so your drawing has symmetry.