How to Draw Triceratops in 6 Steps

The things that make the Triceratops scary -- its sharp horns and large, imposing crest -- also make it a favorite for many dinosaur fans. Learn how to draw this popular dinosaur by following the steps below.

In this section, we'll show you how to draw this Triceratops 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 Head, Body and Tail

Draw a large potato shape for the body. Add curved lines that meet in a point to make the tail. Add a shape for the head and another line curving underneath the head for the lower jaw.

We'll add the crest and horns on the next page.

2. Add the Crest and Horns

Finish off the shapes on the head by adding the horns: two long ones at the top of the head and a shorter one at the tip of the snout. Connect the jaw to the body with a neck line. On top of the head, draw a bumpy oval line to make the crest.

On the next page, we'll work on the legs.

3. Draw the Legs

Draw a fat pear shape for the shoulder and upper leg, an upside-down egg shape for the lower leg, and a shape for the foot. Sketch a larger egg shape for the thigh, a rounded rectangular shape below it for the shin, and a shape for the foot.

On the next page, we'll add the face and opposite legs.

4. Add the Face and Legs

Draw a curved line in front of the foremost leg for the front lower leg on the far side of the Triceratops, and place a sideways pear shape below it for the foot. Draw another line behind the back leg for the shin and foot. Most of this leg will be hidden behind the body and the closer leg. Make a boomerang shape overlapping the larger spike for a brow, and draw an oval just below it for the eye. Add another oval below the front spike for the nostril. Draw two triangles, one above the other, at the end of the snout to make a beak. Finish the face with detail lines around the mouth, nose, and eyes.

On the next page, we'll add some skin features.

5. Add Skin Features

Draw a line from the top of the head to the top of the crest. Add some wavy lines around the edge of the crest for detail. Add lines in the legs and tail to show muscles. Lines in the neck and belly will show the skin folds. Don't forget to draw toenails on the feet.

Head over to the next page, and we'll finish our drawing.

6. Add the Final Touches

Draw over the pencil lines you want to keep with a felt-tip pen. Erase the extra pencil lines, and the Triceratops is ready to color.

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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