In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw an Iguanodon Dinosaur step-by-step.

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All of the tutorials on How2DrawAnimals.com are good drawing tutorials for beginners and experienced artists alike. The online tutorials are easy to follow; they teach you the how to draw basics while showing you how to draw animals step by step. Each animal has a video drawing tutorial option, as well as step-by-step photos and written text to follow.

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To draw this Iguanodon step by step, follow along with the video tutorial below and pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace. You may find it easier to follow the step-by-step drawings below the video. The new lines in each step are shown in red, so you'll know exactly what to draw next. You may want to open the video in a new tab and use both drawing methods. Take your time and draw at your own pace.

The Written step-by-step video tutorial:

For the first few steps, don't press down too hard with your pencil. Use light, smooth strokes to begin.

Step 1: Draw a circle near the right side of the paper as a guide for the front part of the iguanodon's body. To draw the circle, first make four marks to determine its height and width. Then connect the marks using curved lines. If you're struggling to draw the circle, just trace the outer rim of a circular object like a coin or a lid. For a more detailed guide on the different ways to draw a circle check out this tutorial: Four simple ways to draw a circle.

Step 2: To the left, draw a slightly bigger circle as a guide for the back of the dinosaur's body. Use the four-marks method to draw this circle too. The top edge of this circle should be higher than the first circle. Don't place the circles too far apart, otherwise your iguanodon will be too long.

Step 3: On the top, right side, draw yet another circle as a guide for the iguanodon's head. This circle should be about one-fourth the size of the first one. Place it farther and higher than the first circle.

Step 4: To the right of the head, draw a big sideways arc as a guide for the iguanodon's muzzle. Pay attention to the size of this arc in relation to the dinosaur's head. They should be almost equal in size.

Step 5: Under the first circle, draw an angled line as a guide for front limb. Pay attention to how and where the line bends. To the right, draw a line that angles slightly less as the guide for the iguanodon's other front limb.

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Step 6: Under the circle on the left, draw an even longer angled line as a guide for the dinosaur's first hind leg. The line should bend twice in the middle. This is where the leg joints will be. Bend the bottom tip for the iguanodon's foot. To the right, draw a similar line for the other hind leg. Don't draw the top part that's behind the circle.

Step 7: Draw two curved lines that connect the first circle and the head as the guide for the iguanodon's neck. The bottom line should be longer. Connect the middle circles using two curved lines to finish the torso. The top line should be curvy, and the bottom line should be flatter. On the top, left side of the dinosaur's body, draw a long, horizontal line that slopes down a bit as a guide for the tail.

That's it for the guides! From this point on, press harder with your pencil for a more defined drawing.

Step 8: On the top, outer edge of the head circle, lightly sketch a small oval for the eye. When you get the size and position of the eye right, darken the lines and make the sides of the shape pointier. The iguanodon's eye should be very close to the top edge of the head. Inside the eye, draw a tiny dot for the pupil. Above the eye, draw a small, curved line for the lower edge of the thick brow. Draw a couple of curved lines around the dinosaur's eye for creases on the skin.

Step 9: At the top of the initial sideways arc, near the bottom, draw a short, horizontal line for the iguanodon's mouth. Don't make the mouth too long. Darken the tip of the initial arc that's above the mouth. Darken the tip of the arc that's under the mouth too. Don't stretch these lines too far to the left. Add a few strokes on the muzzle for the beak-like mouth. At the top, draw a tiny oval-like shape for the dinosaur's nostril.

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Step 10: Darken the initial arc to create the rest of the muzzle and front of the head. Inside the head, near the left side, draw a series of short, curved lines for the bumpy texture of the skin. Darken the top edge of the initial circle for the rest of the head. Use wavy lines for the bumpy texture. Draw a series of small lines within the shape to give the dinosaur's head more structure and detail.

Step 11: Use the second line from the right as a guide to draw the first front limb. Follow the path of the guide and lightly sketch the shape of the leg around it. Make the top part wider than the bottom. When you get the shape of the limb right, darken the lines. Use curved lines to emphasize the iguanodon's muscles. Bend the shape along the guide to create the joint of the limb. Make the section near the bottom thin. At the bottom, draw two thin shapes for the digits. On the tips of the digits, draw short lines for the iguanodon's hoof-like nails. On the left side of the limb, draw a smaller, thinner, pointy shape for another digit.

Step 12: Use the line to the right as a guide to draw the dinosaur's other front limb the same way. Lightly sketch the shape of the limb around the guide. Curve the shape where the line angles for the joints. When you get the shape right, darken the lines. On the lower, left side, draw a small, cone-like shape for the iguanodon's distinctive thumb. Make the top section of the limb wide and then gradually make it thinner toward the bottom. Split the bottom part of the shape in two to create the digits. On the tip of each digit, draw a line for the hoof-like nails.

Step 13: Use the angled line on the far left as a guide to draw the iguanodon's first hind leg. Draw the shape of the leg around the guide. Curve the lines where the guide bends to create the joints on the leg. Use wavy lines to emphasize the muscle structure. Make the foot at the bottom thin. Split the section at the bottom in two to create the dinosaur's toes. At the tip of each toe, draw a line for the nails. Make the top part of the leg wide. Draw a series of lines within the shape to give the leg more structure.

Step 14: Use the angled line to the right as a guide to draw the visible section of the hind leg that's on the other side of the dinosaur's body. Use curved lines to draw the leg around the guide. Make the bottom thinner. Draw the iguanodon's toes and nails at the bottom too.

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Step 15: Darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the iguanodon's body. Use a wavy line when you darken the shape at the top for a bumpy texture on the back. Don't overlap the limbs that are on this side of the body as you darken the underside of the dinosaur's body.

Step 16: Darken the long, horizontal line on the left side for the top edge of the iguanodon's tail. Below that, lightly sketch another long, curved, horizontal line for the lower edge of the tail. Make the base of the tail wide. When you get the shape of the dinosaur's tail right, darken the line.

Step 17: For a cleaner look, erase as much as you can of the initial guides. Don't worry about erasing all of the guides. It's okay to leave some behind. Re-draw any final sketch lines you may have accidentally erased.

Final Step: Add some shading to your iguanodon drawing to give the figure more dimension and volume. Pick the direction of the light source when shading so that the shadows are consistent with it. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Add more value throughout your iguanodon drawing for extra detail. Use a medium value for the rest of the body. Shade lightly at first, and then gradually build up to the level of darkness that's lighter than the shadows. Don't worry about shading too smoothly. The rough value gives the dinosaur's skin more texture. Use a dark value for the beak-like mouth and the nails. Leave a section blank on these parts for shine. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks.

Use a dark value to draw a series of pointy shapes on the body for a striped pattern on the skin. Nobody knows exactly what iguanodons looked like, so you can shade yours differently if you'd like. Add a few random scribbles across the dinosaur's body to give the skin a rougher texture. Add a cast shadow underneath. This helps to ground the dinosaur so it doesn't appear to be floating. Don't forget to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

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