How to Draw a Dragon

Co-authored by Hunter Rising

Dragons are some of the most well-known mythical creatures, made famous from fairy tales and ancient legends. If you want to design a dragon on your own, first pick what type you want to draw. Western dragons look similar to other lizards or dinosaurs with wings and are some of the most commonly seen types in art. Eastern (Chinese or Japanese) dragons usually don't have wings and resemble a snake more than a lizard. With a bit of practice and patience, you'll be able to draw any type of dragon!

Watch our step by step video here!

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Sketching a Western Dragon

1
Make a large and small circle next to one another for the front and back of the body. Start by making a large circle near the middle of your paper, using a compass if you want to get it perfectly round. Then draw another circle that's about two-thirds of the size of the first one to the left of it so there's a small gap between them. The larger circle will become the chest and shoulders of your dragon and the smaller one will be for the hips.^{[1]
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- Don't overlap the circles or else your dragon's body will look too short.
- Your dragon will look longer if you put the second circle further away from the first one.
- Be careful not to draw the circles too large or else the rest of your dragon won't fit on the page.
2
Draw a smaller circle with a rounded trapezoid to make the dragon's head. Make a circle that's about one-third of the size of the front of the body, and place it above the largest circle so there's a large gap between them. Where you draw the circle will determine how long your dragon's neck will be. Add a small rounded trapezoid to the right side of the circle to give your dragon a snout.^{[2]
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- Use a compass to draw the circle if you want it to look perfectly round. Otherwise, it's okay to draw it freehand.
- Draw with light pencil lines so you can erase and reposition the head if you don't like where you drew it the first time.
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3
Sketch curved lines connecting the head and body circles. Start from the bottom of the head and draw a curved line that connects to the far right side of the large circle. Then make another S-shaped line from the top of the head so it intersects the top of the large circle to complete the neck. Add a curved line from the top of the large circle to the top of the circle on the left. Make the dragon's stomach with another curved line that connects the bottom of the large circle to the bottom of the circle on the left.^{[3]
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- Avoid using straight lines when you connect the circles since it will make the dragon look unnatural.
4
Put in lines for the legs so you know what shape to make them. Start near the center of the largest circle and draw a straight line angled backward so it extends past the bottom of the circle. Then add a small dot to the end of the line for the ankle joint before drawing another straight line angled forward that's about one-fourth of the length of the first one. Attach a straight horizontal line for the dragon's foot. Continue adding lines for the legs on the front and back circles until your dragon has 4 legs.^{[4]
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- Some dragons may only have wings instead of front legs. (Those dragons are called lindworms or wyverns.) If you don't want your dragon to have front legs, just leave them off.
5
Sketch out rounded tube shapes around the lines you drew for the legs to bulk them up. Start by drawing a curved line on either side of the leg lines you made earlier. Make the legs so they're about the same thickness as the diameter of the head. Keep the straight guide lines you drew in the middle of the curved lines to add muscles to your dragon's legs. Extend the legs down to the ankle joints you drew at the bottom. Draw 3-4 toes on each foot that end in points to give your dragon some claws.^{[5]
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- You can also draw circles and ovals over your lines instead of tube shapes to make the musculature look more realistic.
- Look at pictures of other lizards and reptiles to use as references for your dragon's feet since they may have similar features.
6
Add a curved tail coming out from the back of the body. Start from the top of the medium-sized circle where the and draw a curved line going toward the left side of the page. Make the line about the same length as the dragon's body before ending it. Then draw a second curved line from the bottom of the circle that follows the curves of the first line. End the second line so it forms a point with the first one.^{[6]
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- You can draw your dragon's tail as long as you want it.
- Make the tail narrower as it gets closer to the tip so it looks natural.
7
Sketch out curved lines for the shape of the dragon's wings. Start the base of the wing at the top of the largest circle just behind the dragon's neck. Extend a curved line going back from the dragon's neck and end the line when it's over the middle of the dragon's body. Then make another curved line going angled toward the head and end it before it intersects the neck. Make a long curved horizontal line that ends above the tail to make the top of the wing.^{[7]
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- You can add spikes to the top corner of your dragon's wings if you want.
- You can make the wings larger or smaller if you want.
Tip: The second wing will be hidden behind the one that's in front, so you don't need to worry about drawing it if you don't want to.
8
Add the webbing to the wings to connect them to the body. Start from the tip of the wing that's over the tail and make a wavy line back toward the center of the dragon's body. Once the line intersects the dragon's back, draw curved lines from the top corner of the wing so they extend to the wavy line you just drew to make the webbing.
- Dragon wings traditionally look similar to those of a bat, so you can use pictures of them as references for your drawing.
9
Give your dragon features and horns on its head. Start by drawing small circles for the eyes near the top of the head. Add a bumpy brow ridge above the eye to make your dragon look angry or menacing. Draw a line from the end of the muzzle toward the center of the circle to add the mouth, and put a few pointed teeth coming out of the mouth. Then give your dragon 2 curved horns coming off the back of its head to give it more character.^{[8]
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- Some dragons have ears that resemble their wings. If you want to add ears, draw them directly below the horns.
- The pupil in your dragon's eyes can be round or look like a slit.
10
Erase any lines you made that aren't a part of your dragon. Use your eraser to remove any marks you made that aren't a part of your dragon's body, such as the circles or lines in the middles of the legs. Work carefully so you don't erase any of the dragon's outline, or else you'll have to redraw sections. Wipe or blow away any eraser shavings to clean off your paper.^{[9]
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- Use the eraser on your pencil or use a clickable thin eraser to clean up lines in tight areas.
- You can go over your dragon's outline with a pen or thin marker before you erase the guide lines to ensure you don't remove any marks by accident. Let the pen or marker dry completely before erasing since it could smear.
11
Add scales if you want to make your dragon look realistic. Once you clean up your drawing, add small curved or wavy lines inside the dragon's body to make a scale texture on its skin. Don't draw every single scale since it could make your drawing look messy. Work lightly in pencil so you can erase the scales if they make your drawing visually confusing or if you want to adjust the size of the scales.^{[10]
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- You don't need to give your dragon scales if you don't want.
- You may also add spikes along your dragons back to add more texture and detail.
12
Finished.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Drawing an Eastern Dragon

1
Draw a circle with a curved jaw for your dragon's head. Place a circle near the top left side of your paper, making sure it's not too large or else the rest of the dragon won't fit on the page. Connect a small curved trapezoid shape to the left side of the circle to create a rough outline for dragon's snout.^{[11]
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- Use a compass or trace around a circular object if you want to draw the circle perfectly.
2
Make 2 more circles of the same size below and to the right of the head. Position the first circle below the head so there's a small gap between them. This first circle will be where you place the front pair of legs. Place the second circle to the right of the circle you just drew so it's the same distance away as the head's diameter. Make sure the center of the right circle lines up with the top of the first circle you drew this step.^{[12]
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- You don't have to draw perfect circles for the body, but you can use a compass or circular object if you want.
- Place the second circle further away from the first one if you want your dragon to have a long body.
3
Sketch a curved tube to connect the head with the other circles. Start a line at the top of the head and make an S-shaped curve down toward the top of the first circle. Continue curving the line until it intersects with the top edge of the second circle. Repeat the process starting at the bottom of the head and making your curved line to the left side of the first circle. Keep extending the line until you reach the bottom of the second circle.^{[13]
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- Eastern dragons have bodies similar to snakes, so look at pictures of how a snake curves its body for references.
4
Put a curved tube ending in a point coming off of the far right circle for the tail. Start from the top of the far right circle and make another S-shaped curve going toward the right side of the page so it's the same length as the head to the first circle. Then make a second line from the bottom of the circle and follow the same shape as your first line. Taper the end of the tail until it comes to a point at the end. Your dragon will now look like a long snake.^{[14]
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- You can make the tail as long as you want.
5
Add legs to the bottoms of the curves on the body. Draw a straight tube coming out from the center of the circle at the front of the dragon's body that's as long as the circle's diameter and about one-quarter as thick. Extend the tube down past the bottom of the circle before drawing a box for the dragons foot. Add 3-4 skinnier tubes that are about one-third the length of the leg onto the sides of the box to make your dragon's claws. Draw the other front leg and the back legs the same way.^{[15]
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- You don't have to draw the back legs on your dragon if you don't want to.
- Your dragon's feet don't need to be flat on the ground since Eastern dragons are commonly drawn flying.
6
Draw long hair around the dragon's head and legs. Eastern dragons have hair around their faces and the bases of their legs. Draw clumps of hair that end in a point coming out from where the dragon's head connects to its neck. Then draw hair in the same way around where the dragon's legs connect to the body for additional detail.^{[16]
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- You can make the hair as long or as short as you want.
- You can also sketch hair running down the middle of the dragon's back if you want.
Tip: Eastern dragons may also have beards, so include some hair on the bottom of the muzzle if you want to.
7
Give your dragon facial features. Start by drawing eyebrows on the front of your dragon's head the same way you added the hair. Draw circles underneath the eyebrows for your dragon's eyes and put in circular pupils. Add a curved line running along the side of the muzzle to add the dragon's mouth, and draw a few sharp teeth poking out from it. Then add thin wavy tubes above the mouth coming out near the front of the dragon's muzzle to give it whiskers.^{[17]
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- You may also choose to add knobby antlers coming out from the top of your dragon's head.
- If you want to give your dragon ears, add oblong oval shapes to the sides of its head.
8
Erase the circles and other guidelines you drew to clean up your drawing. Go through your drawing with an eraser and get rid of any lines that aren't a part of your dragon's body, such as the circles on the body or head. Be careful not to erase any of the details you added so you don't have to redraw them. Tip your paper upright to get rid of any eraser shavings when you're finished.^{[18]
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9
Add curved lines for scales down the length of your dragon's body. Make repetitive C-shapes that follow the curves of your dragon's body to add the scales. Draw the scales so they're similar in thickness to your dragon's legs so it doesn't get visually messy. Continue working down the full length of the dragon's body until you've added all of the scales.^{[19]
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10
Finished.

Community Q&A

Question

How do I draw an ice dragon?

Community Answer

Draw dragon #2, but instead of flames, draw mist with a light shade of grey and blue. For the rest of the body, color it with different shades of blue and grey spikes.
Question

How do I draw a nightwing from Wings of Fire?

Tokayyoshi

Community Answer

Use the #2 model and give it dark colors like black, deep purple, and very dark blue. Add silver or gray dots under the wings.
Question

How do I draw a better looking dragon?

Community Answer

Often it is easier to go online and look at images of dragons for inspiration. If you want your dragon to look "clearer", try drawing with pencil and paper, not on a computer.