How to Draw a Pteranodon
Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Pteranodon" video 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 pteranodon's head. The circle doesn't have to be perfect. It's just a guide. Leave enough room at the top and on the right for the wings.
Step 2: Draw a long, thin triangle-like line on the left side of the circle as a guide for the top part of the pteranodon's mouth.
Step 3: Draw another long, thin triangle-like line under the first as a guide for the lower part of the pteranodon's mouth.
Step 4: Draw yet another triangle-like line on the top right side of the circle as a guide for the pteranodon's head's crest. This triangle-like shape should be smaller than the first two.
Step 5: Draw another circle to the right of the pteranodon's head as a guide for the top half of the body. This circle should be around the same size as the first one. Don't draw it too far from the head, otherwise your pteranodon will end up too long.
Step 6: Add two lines between the pteranodon's head and body for the neck and an arc on the lower right side for the bottom half of the torso.
Step 7: Draw two lines on the lower right side of the body as guides for the legs.
Step 8: Draw two long curved lines on top of the pteranodon's body as guides for the first part of the wings. The guide for the wing on the left should be placed closer to the head. The guide for the wing on the right should start inside the circle. The longer these lines are, the longer the wings will be.
Step 9: Use a few more lines to complete the guide for the wings. Draw two short lines for the fold of the wing on the left and another long line for the bottom part of the wing on the right.
That's it for the initial sketch! From this point on, press harder with your pencil to get a more defined sketch.
Step 10: Lightly sketch the shape of the pteranodon's eyes inside the circle near the top. The shape is similar to a football. When you get the shape right, darken the lines. Add a circle inside for the actual eyeball. Shade the pteranodon's eye except for a tiny circle to represent glare. Add a few lines around the eye for extra detail. Draw a couple of lines above the eye for the bony structure and a few more lines under it for the wrinkly skin.
Step 11: Add a few more curved lines under the eye to represent the body structure of the skull. Draw the nostril as a tiny slit on the left side.
Step 12: Use the initial triangle-like line as a guide to draw the top part of the mouth. Follow the path of the guide but make the shape thinner. The pteranodon's mouth should extend to the inside of the head.
Step 13: Use the triangle-like line at the bottom as a guide to draw the lower part of the mouth. Follow the basic path of the guide as you darken the lines and form the lower jaw. Add a few more lines within the shape of the jaw for the inside of the mouth and the tongue.
Step 14: Use the shape on top of the pteranodon's head as a guide to draw the crest. Follow the guide and darken the lines. Add an extra line near the bottom for the body structure of the eye on the other side.
Step 15: Draw the neck under the pteranodon's head by using the initial lines as guides. Make the neck thinner as you darken the lines.
Step 16: Use the initial lines above the body as guides to draw the top part of the pteranodon's wings. Follow the path of the guide and make the arm portion thicker. Draw the claws using small curved lines near the middle of the wing. Draw the top of the wing on this side of the body the same way. First follow the guide and make the shape of the arm thicker. Then draw the three small claws using three short curved lines near the middle of the wing.
Step 17: Draw the rest of the pteranodon's wing using the initial lines as guides. Follow the basic path of the guide to create the front portion of each wing. The tip of the wing is actually the fourth digit of the hands. The pteranodon's "pinky" finger should come to a point at the end. Darken the other guides to finish the shape and structure of the pteranodon's wings. Add a small line above the shoulder to the wing on this side. Follow the path of the guide for the bottom part of the wing but curve the line a bit more.
Step 18: Use the lines under the body as guides to draw the pteranodon's legs. Follow the basic path of the guides and make the top part thicker. Add the claws at the bottom using curved lines. Draw the leg on the other side of the body the same way but make it smaller because of the perspective.
Step 19: Use the remaining lines and shapes as guides to draw the rest of the pteranodon's body. Add some lines within the shape of the body to emphasize the structure of the chest.
Step 20 (optional): 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 (optional): Add some shading to your pteranodon 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. Don't worry too much about the shading if you're going to add more value to your pteranodon drawing.
You can add even more value throughout your pteranodon drawing for extra detail. Add the value lightly at first, then gradually build up to the level of darkness that you want. Nobody knows for sure exactly what pterosaurs looked like, so you can shade yours any way you'd like! For a spotted pattern line this one, simply use a darker value on certain sections of the pteranodon's body. For a simpler drawing, just add a single value to the entire body. Don't worry about shading too smoothly. The rough value gives the skin texture. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Remember to pause the "How to Draw a Pteranodon" video after each step to draw at your own pace.
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