How to Draw a Fossil

1. Begin the cartoon fossil outline by drawing the dinosaur's skull. Use a curved line for the top of the eye socket and another to outline the top half of the skull.

Use curved lines to enclose the lower jaw, the orbit or eye socket opening, and the naris or nose opening.

2. Draw triangular teeth along the upper and lower jaw. Enclose another opening, the antorbital fenestrae, near the naris. Texture the skull with curved lines.

Then, begin drawing a series of overlapping teardrop shapes. These are the vertebrae of the neck. Notice that one is missing; this is common in fossils.

3. Use curved lines to enclose the bones of the arm. The shoulder or scapula is shaped a bit like a musical note.

The humerus or upper arm bone has a classic bone shape. The lower arm is made of two bones, the ulna and radius. The bones of the hand are metacarpals and the fingers are phalanges.

4. Draw a disconnected finger, then begin the dorsal vertebrae, rectangles with curved triangles on top. Use long curved lines doubled back on themselves to draw the pointed ribs.

5. Draw more dorsal vertebrae.

Then, use long curved lines to enclose the rounded triangle shape of the ilium or hip bone, and the long, narrow shapes of the femur and fibula, bones of the upper and lower leg.

6. Enclose the long shape of the tibia, the other lower leg bone. Then draw the rectangular bones of the foot and toes - the metatarsals and pedal phalanges.

From the hip, draw a series of caudal vertebrae or tail bones. These are rectangles with curved triangles on top.

7. Draw more tailbones, each one smaller than the previous. Above them, enclose the small, sharp bones called chevrons. Below the neck, draw small rib bones called cervical ribs.

8. Draw a long curved line around the bones, outlining them. Also outline the space between the neck and arm.

9. Draw curved lines and irregular round shapes around the fossil, indicating the dirt and rock it is encased in.

Your fossil outline is now complete. Often, fossil bones are creamy white in brown rock. Others turn brown or even black due to minerals in the rocks around them.