How to Draw a Komodo Dragon
Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Komodo Dragon" 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 two circles as guides for the komodo dragon's body. The circles don't have to be perfect. They're just guides. Komodo dragons have long bodies, so don't place the circles too close together or you'll end up with a short dragon. The gap between the two circles should be about the same width as the first circle. Place the second circle a bit lower too.
Step 2: Draw two curved lines that connect the two circles to finish up the guide for the komodo dragon's body.
Step 3: Draw another circle on the upper left side as a guide for the komodo dragon's head. This circle should be about one-third the size of the first one. The higher up you place the circle, the longer the komodo dragon's neck will be.
Step 4: Draw a long arc on the left side of the head as a guide for the komodo dragon's muzzle.
Step 5: Draw a few more lines as guides for the komodo dragon's neck and tail. A couple of lines that connect the head to the body make up the neck. Draw a long line on the right side of the body for the tail.
Step 6: Draw three short, angled lines under the body as guides for the komodo dragon's feet.
That's it for the initial sketch! From this point on, press harder with your pencil to get a more defined sketch.
Step 7: Draw a small football-like shape for the komodo dragon's eye on the top part of the arc next to the edge of the circle. Draw a dark dot in the middle of the eye for the pupil. Draw a few lines surrounding the eye for extra detail. Draw a few curved lines above and below the eye for the folds of skin and smaller lines for the scales. Above the eyes, draw two longer bumps for the outer structure of the eyes.
Step 8: Draw the komodo dragon's muzzle using the arc as a guide. Darken the top part of the muzzle, then draw a long wavy line that extends toward the small circle for the mouth. Draw the lower jaw by following the basic path of the bottom part of the arc. Leave a small opening in front.
Step 9: Draw the nostril and the tongue in front of the muzzle. The tongue consists of two curved lines that end in two points to create the komodo dragon's forked tongue.
Step 10: Use the small circle as a guide to draw the rest of the komodo dragon's head. Darken the top and bottom part of the circle and make the shape flatter to create the long head. Draw a few lines inside the head for the wrinkles. Draw an extra thick line to the right of the eye for the ear opening.
Step 11: Use the lines on the left as guides to draw the komodo dragon's front feet. Lightly sketch the shape of the first leg as you follow the path of the guide line. When you get the structure of the leg right, darken the lines. Use curved lines as you draw the leg to indicate the muscle structure. Draw a few lines at the joints for the folds of skin. Draw the digits in front using a series of short lines. Draw the claws at the end of the digits. Draw the foot on the other side using the other line as a guide. Sketch it lightly as you follow the path of the guide and darken the lines when you get the structure right. Draw the claws at the end.
Step 12: Use the line on the right as a guide to draw the hind legs using the same technique. Draw an extra curve inside the original circle as you lightly sketch the structure. This is the bent part of the top of the leg. Darken the lines and draw a few extra lines near the joints or the loose skin. Draw the komodo dragon's toes at the end. Draw the hind leg on the other side. Only draw the bottom part since most of it is hiding behind the body.
Step 13: Use the original circles and connecting lines as a guide to draw the rest of the komodo dragon's body. Simply darken the lines as you follow the initial shapes. Draw a few lines inside the dragon's body as extra detail for the loose skin. Draw these lines using curved strokes for a more organic feel instead of a rigid straight line.
Step 14: Use the line on the right as a guide to draw the komodo dragon's thick, long tail. Lightly draw two curved lines that come to a point as you follow the path of the guide line, then darken the shape.
Step 15 (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. Also re-draw any final sketch lines that you may have accidentally erased.
Final Step (optional): Add some shading to your 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. Try to add the value evenly as you shade for a smoother finish.
Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps ground the komodo dragon so it doesn't appear to be floating.
You can add more value throughout your komodo dragon drawing for extra detail. If you'd like, you can draw squiggly lines randomly all over the body to indicate the rough, scaly skin. Don't overthink it. Just draw the squiggly lines all over the komodo dragon's body as you add the value. It's always a good idea to use reference for accuracy. And don't forget to pause the "How to Draw a Komodo Dragon" video to draw at your own pace.
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