In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Doedicurus (Glyptodon) 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.

 

The Time-Lapse (Speed Drawing) video:

 

To draw a Doedicurus (Glyptodon) 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 small circle near the lower, right side of the paper as a guide for the glyptodon doedicurus' head. First make four small marks to indicate the circle's height and width. Then connect the marks using curved lines. If you're struggling to draw the circle, trace the outer rim of a small lid, a coin or any other object with a circular edge. 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 lower, right side of the head, draw a small, flat arc as a guide for the doedicurus' muzzle.

 

 

Step 3: Draw a sloping line across the entire head as a guide to help you place the doedicurus' facial features later.

 

Step 4: On top of the doedicurus' head, draw two small arcs as guides for the ears.

 

 

Step 5: Far from the left side of the head, make a small mark to determine the length of the carapace or shell. Now draw a horizontal line that connects the glyptodon's head to the small mark to create the bottom part of the shell. High above the horizontal line, make another small mark to determine the height of the shell. Connect the mark to the bottom shapes using curved lines to complete the guide for the shell.

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Step 6: Below the shell, on the right side, draw a couple of small, boot-like shapes as guides for the front feet. The doedicurus' first foot is made up of an L-shaped line on the left and a curved line on the right. The second foot is just a curved line.

 

Step 7: On the left, draw another, small, boot-like shape as a guide for the first hind foot. Draw the first shape the same way as the doedicurus' front leg. The second shape should be similar to a half-circle.

 

 

Step 8: Starting on the lower, left side of the shell, draw a long line that curves up as a guide for the glyptodon's tail. Add a second parallel line above it to make the shape of the guide thicker. Connect the lines at the top using a short, curved line to finish the guide for the tail.

 

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

 

 

Step 9: Inside the head, to the right of the guide line, lightly sketch a small circle for the doedicurus' eye. When you get the size and position of the eye right, darken the lines but make the sides pointier. Inside the eye, off to the side, draw a tiny circle to represent glare. In the middle, draw a dot for the pupil. Shade the inside of the eye using a lighter value than the pupil. Don't shade the tiny glare circle. Draw a couple of short, curved lines around the doedicurus' eye for extra detail.

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Step 10: Darken the right edge of the initial arc to create the front of the muzzle. Inside the muzzle , draw a couple of slit-like shapes and shade them in for the doedicurus' nostrils. Add a few short strokes above the nostrils for fur. Draw a few more lines around the nostrils to give the nose structure.

 

Step 11: Draw a line below the nose that curves to the left for the mouth. This line should be made up of short strokes to represent the fur along the mouth. The glyptodon's mouth should be parallel to the bottom edge of the initial guide lines.

 

 

Step 12: Draw a series of short strokes along the path of the guides at the bottom to create the furry chin/jaw. On the left side, draw short strokes that follow the curvature of the initial circle for the side of the head. Add some short strokes along the horizontal guide line at the bottom for a bit of the neck.

 

Step 13: Darken the arc on the top, left side of the head to create the glyptodon's first ear. Make the bottom part longer and narrower. Add some short strokes inside for fur. Use the arc on the right as a guide to draw the other ear the same way.

 

 

Step 14: Darken the right edge of the initial guides to create the bony plate on the doedicurus' head. As you darken the edge of the guides, make the lines jagged and angled to give the bony plate more texture. Draw a sloping, jagged line that starts at the ear, goes over the eye and ends on the nose for the inside edge of the bony cap. Add a few extra lines around the edge of the shape and inside to give the bony cap more texture.

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Step 15: Use the big dome to the left of the head as a guide to draw the doedicurus' shell. For the top part of the shell, simply darken the initial guide line. For the bottom part of the shell, draw a series of short, curved lines along the path of the guide. On the right side, curve the edge of the shell up toward the head. Continue drawing the curved lines above the head but don't overlap the ear. Draw a series of short, curved lines along the lower edge to give the bottom of the shell a ridge.

 

Step 16: Use the second shape from the right as a guide to draw the first front foot. Draw a series of short strokes along the path of the guide for the glyptodon's furry foot. Along the bottom of the foot, draw three small, triangular shapes for the big claws. Use short strokes along the left side of the claws for the furry base.

 

 

Step 17: Use the shape on the right as a guide to draw the doedicurus' other front foot the same way. A big part of this foot will be hidden behind the head and the other foot, so only draw the visible section.

 

Step 18: Draw short strokes long the path of the guide on the far right to create first hind foot. Draw three small, triangular shapes along the right edge of the guide for the glyptodon's big claws.

 

 

Step 19: Use the last shape under the doedicurus' body as a guide to draw the other hind leg the same way. Darken the guide using short strokes, and then add the claws using triangular shapes.

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Step 20: Draw a series of thin, triangular shapes along the tip of the doedicurus' tail for the spiked club at the end of it. The shapes should be similar to thin cones with a rounded bottom. The spikes in the middle that are facing the viewer should be more circular. Don't draw the bottom base for spikes that are on the other side of the tail.

Make the spikes smaller the farther down the tail they are. Draw a few more spikes between the first spikes to make the tail more densely covered. Doedicurus was a glyptodont (sub-family) that had a spiky tail. The genus Glyptodon didn't have spikes on its tail. The spikes at the bottom should be tiny. Darken the shape of the tail between the spikes.

 

 

Step 21: Darken the initial guides below the spikes to create the rest of the doedicurus' tail. Use a series of angled lines near the base of the tail to give the shape more texture. Add a few short lines inside the shape along the base for creases on the tail.

 

Step 22: 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 shading to your doedicurus' drawing for extra detail. Use a medium value all over the body but leave the spikes blank. As you shade the shell, use strokes that conform to the shape for a more dome-like appearance. Use a light value at the top of the dome to give it shine and a rounder look. Use a series of short strokes as you shade the feet and head for a furry texture. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Add some shadows to your doedicurus' drawing to give it more dimension and volume. Give each spike a stripe along the bottom edge to make them more three-dimensional. 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.

Add an extra-dark value to the sections directly under the glyptodon's shell. As you shade the bony cap on the head, draw a few lines across it for ridges and grooves. Add a series of short lines inside the shell to give it more texture too. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks.

Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps to ground the glyptodon so it doesn't appear to be floating. Continue to add more value throughout the doedicurus' body until you're happy with the result. Don't forget to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

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