How to Draw an Alligator

In this guide, we will show you how to draw an alligator. This will be a pretty interesting drawing tutorial because the alligator has a rather unusual appearance. However, if you have mastered drawing a snake and a lizard, you will surely avoid any difficulties.

How to Draw an Alligator

Step 1 – Draw the Outlines of the Head and Torso

Firstly, place two circles close to each other, and the third one farther away. The crocodile is a reptile, which means that its main type of movement is crawling on the ground. Keep in mind that we are drawing an animal horizontal to the ground.

Step 2 – Sketch the Outlines of the Tail

Draw a line from above, starting from the first circle, which will then turn into the head. Next, draw a line along the second circle, the third, and finish with the outline of the tail.

Step 3 – Sketch the Upper Jaw

Sketch the upper part of the crocodile’s mouth. It looks like a curved line inside the circle that goes up and rounds. Draw the nose. So Continue to draw a line and draw two “bumps”, one of which will become an eye.

Step 4 – Sketch the Alligator Mandible

Draw a powerful, large lower jaw. It looks like two triangles with one side adjacent. Pay attention to the smooth rounding of the corner of the lower jaw. So, the upper edges of the jaw are formed by lines with smooth, frequent bends.

Step 5 – Draw the Teeth of an Alligator

Draw a small almond-shaped eye that sits at the top of our predator’s head. Draw sharp, fairly large teeth that look like triangles. On the upper jaw, the dentition is located much closer to the head, this is a rather important detail.

Step 6 – Sketch the Lower Torso Line

This is a very simple step, however, it is a very important step. Draw the lower part of the torso that merges with the lower outline of the tail. As a result, you should get a graceful body and a powerful, large tail.

Step 7 – Draw the Upper Parts of the Front Paws

Draw the final outlines of the front paw of our alligator. As you can see, it looks like two rectangular shapes that form an unfolded angle. The upper part of the paw is much wider than the lower one.

Step 8 – Draw the Toes of the Front Paws

Draw the alligator’s fingers and pointed claws. As you can see, the predator’s fingers are spaced apart for maximum stability. Pay attention to the shape of the fingers and their relative position.

Step 9 – Draw the Upper Parts of the Hind Paws

Draw the outlines of the alligator’s hind paws. It looks like right angles with smooth edges. Use baselines as a guide. Pay attention to the position of the hind limbs in relation to the lines of the body.

Step 10 –  Draw the Toes of the Hind Legs

Draw the outlines of the toes on the hind legs of the alligator. The toes of the paw farthest from us are parallel to the ground. Don’t forget the small, pointed claws.

Step 11 – Erase the Guidelines

So it’s time to give our predator a complete and clean look. To do this, take an eraser and delete the entire drawing from unnecessary auxiliary lines. Next, take a darker pencil or marker and carefully trace the sketch, making the lines darker and sharper.

Step 12 – Color the Alligator

So let’s use colors to make our alligator perfectly finished. As the main color, you can choose light grey or dark grey. Do not forget about the dark eyes with flares. In addition, don’t forget the shadows. A darker shade of the main color will be an excellent choice for applying small shadows.

Well, is your exotic pet already showing off on a formidable predator? We are sure you have a wonderful drawing. We took into account all your wishes and prepared step-by-step drawing lessons for a wide variety of wild animals. And we hope you found this guide helpful.