How to draw Ankylosaurus

The ankylosaurs were plated, armoured (armored) dinosaurs and if you were born in the 1990s, your first introduction to them was probably this character, Url, from the Disney movie Dinosaur. (It actually took me an uncommonly long time to find this picture, because I thought the name was Earl.)

Image source: Disney.com which does not sponsor, authorize or endorse anything on this site, I assume, because they are distracted running the happiest place on earth and her fleet of cruise lines. Stop by sometime, Disney. This blog is awesome.

​Ankylosaurs look like what happens when nature decides she wants to build a tank. Some of these dinosaurs even have shields on their eyelids! Plates that cover the body, spikes that cover the plates, 2 pairs of spikes on the head, and the iconic club at the end of the tail make up the iconic dinosaur. Let’s draw!

​How to draw Ankylosaurus – Step by Step

STEP 1: Make a few shapes, the head, the body, and tail layer on top of each other. Connect the head to body with the shape of the neck, and then add some legs. It’s OK if it’s messy at this stage. Draw light, because we’ll erase it later.

How to draw ankylosaur - Step 1

STEP 2: I usually start with the head. I want an idea of where the beak and the eye is going to go, and those great front spikes. Work out some toes on the feet, or change the feet if you like. If I’m happy with the tail’s position, I might sketch out a few lines there to give me a better idea of the armoured plates. 

How to draw ankylosaur - Step 2

STEP 3: Now start to sketch in those horned plates.  These dinosaurs weren’t going to break any land speed records, but they would have probably been flexible enough to shift around swiftly if they needed to. If it helps, you can think of the defensive plates in rows running down the ankylosaur’s body.

How to draw ankylosaur - Step 3

STEP 4: Lines! Lookin’ good! You can use this as a fine bit of line art, or practice as a colour (color) page. 

How to draw ankylosaur - Step 4

STEP 5: I brought my lines into Illustrator and Photoshop to add some final details, but creating a dinosaur in pencil and paints are just as fun. And fun is the whole point. Cheers!

How to draw ankylosaur - Step 5 - Fin.