How to Draw a Gila Monster

1. Begin the Gila monster outline by drawing the animal's snakelike head. Outline the basic shape of the face with a long curved line and a shorter curved line.

Use short curved lines to sketch the eye, eyelid, and eye ridge. Shade a small oval to indicate the nostril.

2. Extend two parallel curved lines from the front of the lizard's face. Connect them at the end with a "V" shaped line. This is the lizard's tongue.

Draw a curved line down the center of the tongue, then use overlapping curved lines to draw the lower jaw, neck, and shoulder. Contour the top of the head and around the eye with curved lines.

3. Use overlapping curved lines to sketch the lizard's leg and foot. Use teardrop shapes to draw its claws.

4. Extend long curved lines from the head and leg to outline the Gila monster's body. Complete the first paw with a curved line and a teardrop shape. Then, use curved lines to sketch two more legs.

5. Use a series of curved lines to draw the toes of the rear leg. Then, draw the remaining rear leg, including its pointed toes.

6. Continue the line of the body then double it back on itself to meet the rear leg. This is the Gila monster's thick tail.

Then, begin adding a mottled pattern to its head and body. Use curved lines to create swirling shapes.

7. Draw more wavy lines across the lizard's body. Notice how they form fat stripes.

8. Enclose irregular rounded shapes between the stripes. Draw curved lines along the lizard's upper lip.

9. Draw curved lines along the bottom lip and use patches of "U" shaped lines to give its body the texture of scales.

Your cartoon Gila monster outline is now complete. Color your lizard drawing. Gila monsters are black with yellowish-brown blotches. Sometimes the blotches are pink!