How to Draw a Chinese Dragon

Reviewed by Jeanine Hattas Wilson

Last Updated: January 28, 2024

Have you seen those beautiful paper and paint dragons they hang up in Chinese restaurants? Do you want to draw or paint one? Although they may look difficult to draw at first, they are really easy to do! Be sure to look at the images for guidance (click on them to enlarge).

Steps

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Draw two medium-sized circles that almost touch each other. Inside, draw a pretty big black circle inside it. Those will be the pupils. You can make the pupils any color, but you can also make no pupil at all. If you decide to make it without any pupil, your dragon will get a more scarier, fierce look.
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Draw the nose of the dragon by drawing a sort of four-leaf clover then draw the snout - making it like a trunk of a palm tree. If you are already in the mouth part, erase a bit of the snout and make a line that leads onto the mouth.
- If you want to, you can make the mouth of your dragon open and also add a tongue like in the picture.
- Don't forget to add the sharp teeth! The dragon is nothing with out sharp and menacing teeth.
Do you notice the orange things coming out of the back of the dragon? This is what separates the Chinese dragons from the fairytale dragons. When you draw the neck, make sure it looks elegant yet chunky and ugly. On the front of the neck, make sure you draw a patch of color on it. Remember to add scales in the back.
Make sure to make the body all tangled together like a spaghetti noodle. Or you can make the body all in a swaying way. Remember to draw the scales and the almost flaming things in the back.
Chinese dragons can be bright colors, like red and orange, or dark colors like purple and blue. Color your dragon for a realistic affect.
. Hang it up on a frame, give it to a loved one, or tape it to your binder's cover to show it off.

Community Q&A

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Question

What is the easiest way to draw a Chinese dragon?

Community Answer

Draw two parallel S-curved lines and taper them off on one end. On the other end, draw a large oval and a smaller circle underneath. Trace the oval and circle together. You should have a basic Chinese dragon shape.

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Question

How do I make the eyes look madder?

Community Answer

Add large bushy eyebrows and make the eyes squint.

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Question

Why does it have horns?

Community Answer

The horns represent strength.

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Tips

Remember to color!!

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If your result doesn't come out exactly like the picture, that's fine. A more creative spin could actually be better!

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Shading makes the drawing look more realistic.

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Warnings

Not everyone can draw a beautiful dragon at their first try so if your dragon doesn't come out as you expect it to be, try again. Once you get a hang of it, you will probably draw one of the most beautiful and best dragons anyone has seen!

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