Easy How to Draw a Chinese Dragon Tutorial and Coloring Page

Below you'll find an easy step-by-step tutorial for how to draw a Chinese Dragon and a Chinese Coloring Page.

The Chinese New Year 2021 falls on Friday, February 12th, 2021, and celebrations culminate with the Lantern Festival on February 26th, 2021. The Chinese New Year marks the transition between zodiac signs: 2021 is the year of the Ox; 2020 the year of the Rat.

When it comes to drawing one of the most popular symbols of China, there are many ways to do so. One of my versions are the ones where the body is more like a snake, the feet with distinct claws, and spikes running down the entire back, and so on.

The trick in drawing one is to figure out how to get some main shapes in place, and then add lots (and lots!) of detail. This tutorial should do the trick for those that really want to draw something that looks like the original, without getting hopelessly frustrated in the process.

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Chinese Dragon Drawing Page

Materials for How to Draw a Chinese Dragon

  • Pencil. The Ticonderoga brand are the most reliable, make nice dark lines when you need them, and are the easiest to erase. Buying the pre-sharpened ones will save busy teachers a lot of time.
  • Eraser. Large ones you can hold in your hand do a much better job than just the pencil tip erasers, especially when erasing leftover pencil lines after tracing.
  • Black Sharpie Marker. These fine point permanent marker pens make nice black outlines, have a good tip for coloring, and never bleed when they get wet. Use them with good ventilation and add extra paper underneath to protect your tables.
  • Prang Crayons. These are a bit softer than other crayons so they sometimes look like oil pastels. They also have a some nice brown shades that Crayola does not have unless you buy their larger boxes.
  • Crayola Crayons. The reliable brand that always works well. The 24 pack has some of my favorite golden orange and yellow colors that seem a bit richer and warmer than the ones Prang has.

Step by step Directions for How to Draw a Chinese Dragon

Time needed:45 minutes.

How to Draw a Chinese Dragon

  1. Fold or print guide lines. Start the body.

  2. Add a matching curve line.

  3. Draw the head, open mouth and tongue.

  4. Add two legs and feet on the close side.

  5. Add two legs and feet on the far side.

  6. Draw the belly line with stripes.

  7. Add the spikes on the back.

  8. Finish with a fiery looking tail.

  9. Trace with marker and color.

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