How to Draw Tyrannosaurus Rex in 8 Steps

Tyrannosaurus Rex's strong legs, striped back, and razor-sharp teeth make it an impressively scary dinosaur. Follow our steps below to create your own impressive drawing of this dinosaur favorite.

In this section, we'll show you how to draw this Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur. You can draw it freehand while looking at your computer monitor, or you can print out this page to get a closer look at each step.

Here, we'll show you an illustration of each step and then give you a description of how to draw it. Follow the red lines in each illustration to learn exactly what to draw in that step. The lines drawn in previous steps are shown in gray.

Are you ready to get started? Check out the next page for the first step.

1. Draw the Body and Head

Draw an egg shape for the main body and an oval at one end for the chest area. Add two slightly overlapping teardrops to make the head and lower jaw.

On the next page, we'll add the neck and thighs.

2. Draw the Neck and Thighs

Draw two more egg shapes to form the thighs of the T. Rex. Because part of the thigh on the far side of the body will be hidden, it will be smaller than the thigh on the closer side. Add a long shape that is slightly bent for the upper part of the tail coming out of the body. Draw lines for the neck to connect the head to the body. Add two more lines to connect the upper and lower body shapes.

We'll draw the legs and tail on the next page.

3. Add the Legs and Tail

Draw two shapes for the shins: the near shin should be a long, thin oval, and the farther shin should be shaped like a peanut. Add two more peanut shapes for each of the feet. At the end of the upper tail, sketch a long, curved shape back toward the body that comes together in a point at the end.

On the next page, we'll add the jaw and forearms.

4. Add the Jaw and Forearms

Draw a flattened teardrop into the lower jaw section to define the inside of the mouth. Trace over the line on top of the mouth, and add a curve upward where it meets the lower jaw. Draw the close arm with an almost-round oval for the shoulder, a thin oval for the upper arm, and an even thinner, shorter oval for the forearm. Most of the other arm will be hidden by the body, so just add one more oval for the forearm.

On the next page, we'll add the eyes and claws.

5. Add the Eyes and Claws

Draw a pear shape for the eye ridge. Draw the edge of another pear for the top of the eye ridge on the T. Rex's far side. Put a small teardrop inside the eye ridge for the eye and a circle just behind the eye ridge for the ear. Add a tiny crescent shape for the nostril. Sketch two claw shapes at the end of each arm. Draw a spiked claw at the end of each foot for a toe and claw. At the side of each toe, draw two more lines that each follow the same shape. These are the rest of the claws, which are mostly hidden from view. On the back of the far foot, draw a backward claw. Add a bump above the last claw on the close foot for the opposite backward claw, which is mostly hidden behind the foot.

We'll add some skin detail on the next page.

6. Draw the Stripes and Teeth

Sketch a tongue shape inside the mouth. Add triangles for the teeth and the muscles at the back of the mouth that connect the upper and lower jaws. Draw curved triangles along the head, back, and tail to make stripes for coloring.

We'll finish up the skin detail on the next page.

7. Add the Skin Detail

Draw lines to form some detail. Add the lines in the legs and tail to show muscles. Lines in the neck and belly will show the skin folds.

We're almost done! Check out the next page, and we'll finish up.

8. Add the Final Touches

Draw over the pencil lines you want to keep with a felt-tip pen. Erase the pencil lines, and the Tyrannosaurus Rex is ready for coloring.

Your dinosaur is finished! Even if you don't get it right the first time, keep practicing until you're happy with your drawing.

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