Caroline
Film history is full of iconic and recognizable monsters that have brought nightmares to countless people.
In 1979, the film Alien introduced a terrifying idea of what a predatory alien species may look like.
The design was unlike any other representation of an extraterrestrial, and it remains popular to this day.
The Xenomorph has appeared in many films, video games, comic books and more, and many people like to learn how to draw a Xenomorph as well.
For fans of this intimidating extraterrestrial, this guide will be the perfect way to learn how you can represent it in some artworks.
We hope you have a great time as you work with us on this step-by-step guide on how to draw a Xenomorph in just 6 steps!
How to Draw A Xenomorph – Let’s Get Started!
Step 1
The classic Xenomorph design was created by the artist H.R. Giger, and the head of the alien is one of the most recognizable aspects of the design.
For that reason, we will begin with the head for this first step of our guide on how to draw a Xenomorph.
The top of the head is a long, rounded shape that extends over the back, so you can use a curved line to draw this section of the head as it appears in the reference image.
The face of the Xenomorph is small and squat compared to the rest of the head, so you can use some more angular lines for the little open mouth.
Finish off with a straight line for the jaw, and then we can move on to the next step.
Step 2 – Now, draw some details for the head and chest
This second step of your Xenomorph drawing will see you adding some details and additions to the head and chest area of the alien.
First, add some jagged lines inside of the open mouth to create sharp teeth for the alien. We will then be drawing some curved lines inside of the head outline to give it some more definition.
Next, we will begin the arms and chest of the creature, and you can begin this arm by using some curved lines.
The arms are quite thin and muscular, and we will only be drawing the shoulder, biceps and elbow for now.
The chest of the alien is quite thin and bony, and by using some curved lines you can show off the bony ribcage of the Xenomorph.
Step 3 – Draw the rest of the limbs for the Xenomorph
Now you’re ready to finish off the outlines for the rest of the limbs for the alien in this third step of our guide on how to draw a Xenomorph.
First, draw the hand at the end of the arm that you started in the previous step. This hand will have long fingers that culminate in some sharp, pointed claws.
Then, draw a similar-looking arm on the other side, and have this one raised a bit. The legs will then be drawn with some more curved lines to show them bent below the alien.
These legs will be much thicker than the arms were, and the way they’re positioned will make the alien look ready to pounce.
Step 4 – Next, draw the back spikes and tail for the Xenomorph
This fourth part of your Xenomorph drawing will see you adding some more iconic elements to the alien.
The first of these will be the thick, rounded spikes that poke off of the back of the creature. Draw three of these curvy shapes, and then we can add the tail.
The tail of the Xenomorph is long and curvy, and it has sharp spikes poking off the top of it. There are also a lot of line details on the tail to make it look separated into several segments.
The tail ends in a large, sharp triangular shape, and once that’s drawn we can then move on to the final details in the next step.
Step 5 – Add the final details to your Xenomorph drawing
You have finished off the outline of the alien, so in this step of our guide on how to draw a Xenomorph we will finish off the final details and touches.
There are several rounded, pointy shapes on the legs of the Xenomorph that have lines drawn inside of them for some texture.
Finish off by adding some subtle line details throughout the Xenomorph drawing to make it look even more dynamic.
Then, you could finish off with some extra details and additions of your own to really finish it off.
One idea would be to draw a background, and you could use your favorite scene from the various Alien films as inspiration.
How will you finish it off?
Step 6 – Finish off your Xenomorph drawing with color
There are a few Xenomorph variations throughout the Alien franchise, but this Xenomorph drawing has the classic dark color scheme of the original.
In our reference image, we went with some dark greys with highlights of lighter greys and blues.
The alien in the films has a bit of a shine to it, so using these lighter shades helps to make the skin look a bit shinier.
Will you use similar colors to recreate the classic Xenomorph design, or will you use some different colors to create a different variation? We can’t wait to see what you go for!
5 Tips To Make Your Xenomorph Drawing Even Better!
Make this iconic movie monster even better with these tips for your Xenomorph sketch!
In the Alien movies, the only thing worse than encountering a Xenomorph is encountering multiple. To make this drawing of a Xenomorph even scarier, you could add more than one!
Now that you know how to draw a Xenomorph, you could add some more in different forms or poses. How many Xenomorphs would be needed to make this drawing as terrifying as possible?
In the films, there are other creatures that the heroes of the film need to face off against. The facehugger would be a great example, and these could also be added to the scene.
These horrifying little creatures look a bit like crabs, and you could add some in a similarly cartoony style. What other threats from the Alien films could you add?
You may also want to have a hero to face off against this Xenomorph, so you could add a human character from the films. In the movies, the main character is the brave engineer Ellen Ripley.
She is portrayed by Sigourney Weaver, and you could look up some images of this character to help you as you draw a cartoon version of her.
In the first film, the Xenomorph terrorizes Ellen and her crew on the Nostromo. The interior of this ship is so iconic, and it would make for a great background for your Xenomorph drawing!
Once again, you would probably want to look up some images of the interior of the ship if you wanted to draw it to look accurate to the film. What other ship interiors could you draw?
It would also be fun to draw this Xenomorph sketch facing off against another iconic movie monster. In the movies, the Xenomorph has faced off against the Predator monster.
This is a character you could add to the scene to create a fearsome showdown! What are some other characters you would like to see facing off against the Xenomorph in your picture?
Your Xenomorph Drawing is Complete!
That brings you to the end of this guide on how to draw a Xenomorph!
This may be one of the scariest movie monsters ever created, but in this guide we aimed to make sure that drawing one wouldn’t be a scary experience!
Now that you have completed this famous monster, be sure to have fun adding to the drawing by creating more details.
What terrifying scenes will you create by drawing some awesome background details for this Xenomorph?
If you had a great time with this guide, then you will find many more awesome guides to enjoy on our website! We have tons of guides to enjoy and upload new ones frequently that you won’t want to miss.
We always love to see how your pictures come out, so please share your finished Xenomorph drawing on our Facebook and Pinterest pages for us to admire!
