Learn how to draw a Triceratops in nine simple steps. My tutorial will help you figure out to draw his odd shaped body and where to place his three horns.

Triceratops Tutorial
Triceratops Coloring Page

Drawing of a Triceratops dinosaur

Triceratops is a type of herbivorous dinosaur that first appeared during the Late Cretaceous period, about 68 million years ago in what is now North America. These beasts could grow up to almost 10 feet tall and weigh 13 tons! Their round bodies and short legs make them look a bit like a more fierce version of a modern day rhinoceros.

One of the most recognizable dinosaurs, the Triceratops is famous for their large fanned head along with their three menacing horns. The name ‘Triceratops’ comes from the Greek language, with ‘tri’ meaning three and ‘ceratops’ meaning horned face.

Parents and teachers might be happy to learn that children’s love of dinosaurs might actually help them become better learners too.

“A 2008 study found that sustained intense interests, particularly in a conceptual domain like dinosaurs, can help children develop increased knowledge and persistence, a better attention span, and deeper information-processing skills.” — www.sciencedirect.com

Triceratops Art

This tutorial will show students how to draw a Triceratops with a very strong and heavy body that sits low to the ground. Its distinctive head may look complicated at first glance, but breaking it down into steps will make it easier to see.

Older students may want to see if the extra set of guide lines (the dashed lines) help them plot their drawing a bit more. Most of my tutorials have one guide in each direction, but some animals that have a few more shapes to them have more. All your students have to do to make the guides on their paper is to fold the paper in half twice, in each direction, instead of once. Those extra creases will help them place their initial shapes more accurately, and end up with a nice big Triceratops that fills their drawing paper. In addition, they will disappear by the time the drawing is done and all colored in.