Caroline
It seems hard to even imagine these days, but millions of years ago the earth was ruled ver by prehistoric dinosaurs.
All we have left over from these days are bones and fossils to study, and scientists have tried their best to determine what dinosaurs may have looked and acted like.
Some dinosaurs are definitely more well-known than others, and the triceratops is one of them thanks to its very unique look.
Learning how to draw a triceratops is a great way for fans to show off that they love this unique beast!
If you love the triceratops or dinosaurs in general, then this will be a tutorial that is perfect for you!
This step-by-step guide on how to draw a triceratops will show you how you can recreate this iconic plant-eating dinosaur.
How to Draw A Triceratops – Let’s Get Started!
Step 1
The triceratops gets its name partly from the trio of spikes it sports on its face, so these are what we shall begin with in this guide on how to draw a triceratops.
First, use some curved lines for the sharp, open mouth of the dinosaur. Then finish off with the outlines for the face and the large frill at the back of the head.
Then, be sure to add some thin, sharp shapes for the three horns.
The two top horns will be much larger than the one that is just above the nose, as shown in our reference image.
Once you have completed all of these outlines, we can start the second section of this guide.
Step 2 – Now, draw some facial details for the triceratops
With the outline of the head complete, we can now start adding some finer details to this area.
There is a lot to add in this step, so try your best to take it slowly as you replicate the details as they appear in our reference image of this triceratops drawing.
These details will include a tongue and the eyes, and we will be adding a lot of line details around the eye area as well.
Then, draw some line details to the rest of the head and the frill for some extra skin and bone textures. Once all of these details are drawn, it will be time for step 3!
Step 3 – Draw the back and the tail of the triceratops
Continuing on with this guide on how to draw a triceratops, we will be adding the back and the tail for the dinosaur in this next step.
The back should be rather simple to draw, as it will be made up of some curved and rounded lines.
The tail will be drawn using some wavier lines that culminate in a pointy tip at the end. The tail will be rather thick at the base and then get progressively thinner the further you go.
Add some more line details to these areas, and then we shall proceed.
Step 4 – Next, draw the front legs for the triceratops
For this fourth part of your triceratops drawing, you can add the front legs. For these legs, we will be using lots of cursing, rounded lines.
The legs are quite evenly thick all the way through, and then they will end in some fairly flat feet.
Finish off by drawing the big, thick toenails, and then we will be ready to add the final details and elements in the next step!
Step 5 – Add the final details to your triceratops drawing
Before you color this drawing, we have a few more elements to add in this step of our guide on how to draw a triceratops! First, we will be drawing the final back leg of the animal.
Use some more curved lines to draw the back leg as it appears in our reference image.
It will seem a bit smaller and thinner than the front legs thanks to the perspective, but otherwise it will look very similar to the other legs.
Then, you can finish off with some curved lines on the body for some rib details. When finishing off this image, you could also add many details and ideas of your own!
Scientists debate to this day what dinosaurs would have really looked like, with many believing they would have been covered in feathers.
You could draw some feathery details onto this triceratops if you agree with that theory, but you could also create an entirely unique look! How will you finish off this mighty triceratops?
Step 6 – Finish off your triceratops drawing with color
This is the final step of this triceratops drawing, and in it you can finish up this artwork with some colors!
We have no way of precisely knowing what colors dinosaurs would have actually been, so this is a step where you could take your own direction and use your own favorite colors.
In our reference image, we went with a more muted approach by using some dark, rich greens for the skin of the triceratops.
Then, for the horns, mouth and toenails we used some lighter beige colors.
These are some colors that you could go for if you like this approach, but this is also your chance to show off your color creativity! What colors do you think this giant herbivore would be?
4 More Ways To Make Your Triceratops Drawing Unique
Make this awesome triceratops sketch even better with these fun ideas!
This drawing of a triceratops shows this famous dinosaur looking quite agitated. One way you could make it look even more exciting would be by adding another triceratops that is fighting this one.
By reversing the images in the guide, you could make a triceratops facing the opposite direction. By changing just a few details, you could make it look like 2 triceratops sparring with one another.
You could also create a more peaceful pose for these 2 triceratopses instead, and it depends on what you prefer!
Adding another triceratops to this drawing is just one way of adding some more dinosaur action. There are thousands of other dinosaur species that you could add to the image.
Once again, the dinosaur could be fighting with this triceratops or maybe just hanging out with it. If you have some favorite dinosaur species, then they would be great to add to this image.
Which dinosaurs could you add to the picture, and what sort of pose could they be in?
If you want to have this triceratops drawing just showing this one dinosaur, you could make it more unique by changing the pose and look of the triceratops.
This could be done by showing the triceratops standing in a more relaxed pose, for example. Or, it could be as simple as giving the triceratops a less intense facial expression.
You would be surprised how much some small changes can change the entire mood of the image!
Finally, adding a background would be a great way to give this triceratops sketch more of a sense of place.
By adding some prehistoric trees or some volcanoes erupting, you can make a dramatic scene that captures the feeling of this era.
If you’re going for a more relaxed scene, then the background could reflect that. For a more action packed setting, the background could reflect the drama of the moment.
What background settings could you go for?
Your Triceratops Drawing is Complete!
We may not know for sure what exactly real dinosaurs may have looked like exactly, but you created an awesome portrayal in this guide on how to draw a triceratops!
Drawing detailed creatures like this can sometimes be quite challenging, but we wanted to show you that by breaking it down into smaller steps that you can make it much easier on yourself.
Now that you have mastered our guide, you can keep adding your own details, elements and ideas!
Maybe you could even show off what you feel real dinosaurs may have looked like by decorating and adding to this one. Have fun getting creative to see what happens!
If you liked this guide, we have many more waiting for you on our website.
We have tons of awesome guides waiting for you there, and we plan to bring out many more that you won’t want to miss.
We would also love to see how you finished up this triceratops drawing, so please go ahead and share your finished artwork on our Facebook and Pinterest pages!
