How to draw a crocodile - a free crocodile drawing guide
Learn to draw a friendly crocodile step by step using simple shapes, practice sketching, shading, and adding details to create your own crocodile drawing.
Photos of crocodile drawing examples
Step-by-step guide to draw a crocodile
How to Draw a Crocodile Step by Step | Drawing for Kids | Cute Crocodile Drawing
Step 1
Lightly draw a long horizontal oval in the middle of the paper for the crocodile's body.
Step 2
Add a slightly smaller circle overlapping one end of the oval for the crocodile's head.
Step 3
Draw two parallel curved lines from the opposite end of the head that meet in a point to make the tail.
Step 4
Sketch four short rounded legs under the body using small ovals or rectangles spaced evenly.
Step 5
Draw a long curved line across the front of the head to make the crocodile's mouth.
Step 6
Add small triangle teeth along the top and bottom edges of the mouth.
Step 7
Draw two rounded eye bumps on top of the head for the crocodile's eyes.
Step 8
Put pupils inside the eyes and draw two small nostril dots on the snout.
Step 9
Draw a row of small triangles along the crocodile's back to make the spiky ridges.
Step 10
Sprinkle small oval scales across the body to give your crocodile texture.
Step 11
Trace over the final lines with a darker pencil or fine-tip marker to make the drawing bold.
Step 12
Gently erase the light sketch lines so only the clean outline remains.
Step 13
Shade under the belly and legs with light pencil strokes and then colour the crocodile with greens yellows or your favorite colors.
Step 14
Share your finished crocodile drawing on DIY.org
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use if we don't have a fine-tip marker, colored pencils, or an eraser?
If you don't have a fine-tip marker, trace the final lines with a darker pencil or ballpoint pen, use crayons or watercolors to color the crocodile, and replace an eraser with a kneaded eraser or a clean piece of white bread to lift light sketch lines.
My head and body don't look right or the tail point won't meet—how can I fix that?
If the overlapping circle for the head and the long horizontal oval for the body aren't aligned, redraw them very lightly and use a pencil guideline for the tail so the two curved lines meet in a clean point, then gently erase extra sketches before tracing.
How can I adapt this drawing for different ages?
For younger kids, simplify by drawing a single big oval body, a circle head, four rounded leg ovals and skip scales and spikes, while older kids can add the row of triangles for spiky ridges, many small oval scales, detailed teeth, and shading under the belly and legs.
How can we extend or personalize the crocodile drawing activity?
Enhance the drawing by adding a river or swamp background, creating color patterns on the scales, gluing textured green paper for bumpy skin, or turning the finished crocodile into a short comic strip before sharing on DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to draw a crocodile
How to draw Crocodile easy step by step for beginners
4 Videos
How to draw Crocodile easy step by step for beginners
How To Draw A Realistic Crocodile
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Facts about drawing animals
🐊 Crocodiles can have between about 60 and 70 teeth at once and grow new ones throughout their lives.
✏️ Many artists begin drawings with simple shapes—ovals, rectangles, and triangles—to build a creature’s body easily.
🎨 A crocodile’s bumpy scutes and scales are perfect for practicing shading and texture techniques.
🧠 Drawing animals helps kids improve observation, proportion, and fine motor skills—great practice for budding artists.
🌿 To make a crocodile look friendly, use rounded shapes, big eyes, and a soft smile instead of sharp angles.
