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

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All of the tutorials on How2DrawAnimals.com are good drawing tutorials for beginners and experienced artists alike. The online tutorials are easy to follow; they teach you the how to draw basics while showing you how to draw animals step by step. Each animal has a video drawing tutorial option, as well as step-by-step photos and written text to follow.

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To draw this Plesiosaurus step by step, follow along with the video tutorial below and pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace. You may find it easier to follow the step-by-step drawings below the video. The new lines in each step are shown in red, so you'll know exactly what to draw next. You may want to open the video in a new tab and use both drawing methods. Take your time and draw at your own pace.

The Written step-by-step video tutorial:

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

Step 1: Draw a circle near the middle of the paper as a guide for the front part of the plesiosaurus' body. To draw the circle, make four marks to determine height and width. Then connect the marks using curved lines. Sketch lightly at first so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake. If you're struggling to draw the circle, just trace the outer rim of a circular object like a coin or a lid. To the left, draw another circle as a guide for the back portion of the body using the same technique. The circles should be about the same size. Place the second circle lower than the first and not too far away. For a more detailed guide on the different ways to draw a circle check out this tutorial: Four simple ways to draw a circle.

Step 2: On the top, right side, draw a third circle as a guide for the head. This circle should be about one-fifth the size of the first one. Place the head far away from the first circle so that the neck is long. On the top, right side of the plesiosaurus' head, draw a small, thin arc as a guide for the top jaw. Below that, draw a slightly smaller arc as a guide for the lower jaw.

Step 3: Draw two long lines that connect the head to the body to create the guide for the plesiosaurus' neck. Curve the lines slightly in the middle. Sketch lightly at first so that you get the shape right. The base of the neck should be wide, and the shape should gradually get thinner toward the head.

Step 4: On the lower, left side of the first circle, draw a couple of long, curved lines as a guide for plesiosaurus' the first limb. This shape should be similar to a tall letter V that's sightly tilted to the right. To the right, draw another long, V-like shape for the plesiosaurus' other limb. Bend the top, left side of the shape a bit.

Step 5: On the lower, left side of the second circle, draw another tall, tilted V-like shape for the plesiosaurus' first hind limb. To the right, draw another V-like shape for the other hind limb. The hind limbs should tilt more than the front limbs.

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Step 6: Draw two lines that connect the circles in the middle to finish the guide for the torso. On the left side of the body, draw two lines as a guide for the plesiosaurus' tail. The base of the tail should be wide and the tip should be thin and pointy.

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

Step 7: Inside the plesiosaurus' head, on the top, right side, draw a very small oval for the eye. On top of the eye, draw a short, sloping line for the thick brow. Inside the eye, in the middle, draw a tiny dot for the pupil. Draw a couple of short lines on the sides of the pupil for the plesiosaurus' actual eyeball. Under the eye, draw a curved line for a crease on the skin.

Step 8: Darken the small arc on the top, right side of the head for the top part of the plesiosaurus' open jaw. Stretch the bottom line to the left inside the head and past the eye for a wide mouth. Darken the lower edge of the initial small circle and the arc on the bottom to create the lower jaw. Stretch the top line of the arc inside the plesiosaurus' head to make the open mouth longer. Inside the top jaw, draw a small slit for the nostril. Curve the lines for the bottom jaw a bit more.

Step 9: Draw a series of tiny, triangular shapes along the edges of the open mouth for the plesiosaurus' sharp teeth. Space out the teeth; don't crowd them. Add a short line near the left side for the other side of the lower jaw. Draw a curved line above the eye to emphasize the thick brow. Darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the plesiosaurus' head. Draw a couple of short lines within the shape to give the head more structure.

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Step 10: Darken the second shape from the right that's under the body for the plesiosaurus' first limb. Make the lines at the top longer so that they're inside the body. Make the base of the limb thin like an oar. Add some lines around the base for creases on the skin. Darken the shape on the right for the plesiosaurus' other limb.

Step 11: Use the shapes on the left as guides to draw the plesiosaurus' hind limbs the same way. Make the top part of the limb thinner and stretch it inside the body. Add curved lines around the base for wrinkles. Darken the shape on the right for the hind limb that's on the other side of the plesiosaurus' body.

Step 12: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guides to draw the rest of the plesiosaurus' body. Simply darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the body. The top of the body is made up of one long, continuous wavy line from the back of the head to the tip of the tail. On the top and bottom tip of the tail, draw a couple of angled lines for extra fins. Darken the lower edges of the guides but don't overlap the limbs that are on this side of the body.

Step 13: 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.

Final Step: Add some value throughout the plesiosaurus' body for shadows. This will give the figure 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. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Add a lighter value all over the plesiosaurus' body for extra detail. Nobody knows for sure exactly what plesiosauruses looked like, so you can shade yours however you want. If you'd like, you can add spots on the body using random splotches of dark value. Make the spots dark at the top and light at the bottom for a transition effect. Leave the underside blank. Add smaller spots between the big spots and on the limbs. Use random scribbles to give the skin texture. Use current sea animals as inspiration on how you shade your plesiosaurus. 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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