Dinosaur Skull Drawing: Fenestrae, Tooth Row, and Crest

Object Drawing Lessons

This lesson teaches a repeatable way to draw a dinosaur skull that shows three key features: fenestrae (openings in the skull), a tooth row, and a crest. You will use a simple side-view convention: the skull faces right, the midline is a horizontal guide, and the x-height is the distance from the baseline to the midline. Letter styles and crest shapes vary, so treat the proportions as a starting point and adjust to your own drawing. All measurements are hypothetical examples; measure your own paper and tools. The goal is a clear, readable skull, not a single universal answer.

Practice materials: Printable downloads are not available for this lesson yet. Use the instructions and four exercises below.

Set up the skull frame and midline

Place your paper in landscape orientation. Draw a light baseline near the lower third of the page. Draw a midline above it so the gap between baseline and midline is your x-height. For this lesson, a hypothetical x-height of 4 cm is used; measure your own paper and choose a value that fits. The skull will sit between these two lines, with the lower jaw below the baseline if you include it.

Mark a vertical guide at the left for the back of the skull and another near the right for the snout tip. Keep the snout tip slightly above the baseline. This frame keeps the skull from drifting and makes the fenestrae easier to place.

1. Draw a light baseline and a midline; label the gap as x-height.
2. Mark left and right vertical guides for the back of the skull and snout tip.
3. Sketch a rounded skull outline that stays mostly between baseline and midline.
4. Check that the snout tip is above the baseline and the back of the skull is rounded.

Place the fenestrae

Fenestrae are openings in the skull. In this side-view convention, draw three openings: a large oval behind the eye area, a smaller oval above it, and a narrow opening near the snout. Keep each opening inside the skull outline and leave a rim of skull around it. The exact sizes are flexible; the check is that each opening is fully enclosed and does not touch the outline.

Use light pencil first. If an opening crosses the outline, erase and redraw it smaller or move it inward. The openings should read as holes, not as surface marks.

1. Draw a large oval fenestra behind the eye area.
2. Draw a smaller oval fenestra above the large one.
3. Draw a narrow fenestra near the snout.
4. Check that every fenestra is enclosed by skull and does not touch the outline.

Build the tooth row

The tooth row sits along the lower edge of the upper jaw. Draw a light line just above the baseline from the snout tip toward the back of the jaw. Place teeth as small triangles or rounded wedges along this line. For a simple check, use a hypothetical tooth spacing of 1 cm; measure your own drawing and adjust. Teeth should point downward and stay within the jaw edge.

Vary tooth size slightly for a natural look, but keep the row continuous. Leave a small gap between the last tooth and the back of the jaw.

1. Draw a light jaw line above the baseline.
2. Mark evenly spaced points along the jaw line.
3. Draw teeth pointing downward from each point.
4. Check that teeth stay on the jaw line and do not float below the skull.

Shape the crest and finish

The crest is a raised shape on top of the skull. Draw it as a smooth bump or a low triangle above the back half of the skull. Keep the crest connected to the skull outline and avoid covering the fenestrae. Crest shape is a valid choice; a rounded crest and a pointed crest can both be correct if they are connected and clear.

Finish by darkening the skull outline, fenestrae, tooth row, and crest. Erase the baseline and midline guides. Add a simple eye socket mark if desired, but do not let it merge with a fenestra.

1. Draw a crest above the back half of the skull.
2. Check that the crest connects to the skull and does not cover a fenestra.
3. Darken the final lines and erase construction guides.
4. Label fenestrae, tooth row, and crest lightly for your own check.

Worked example

Draw a side-view dinosaur skull facing right with three fenestrae, a tooth row of six teeth, and a rounded crest. Use a hypothetical x-height of 4 cm and tooth spacing of 1 cm.

Four practice exercises

Common mistakes

• Fenestrae touch or cross the skull outline. Redraw each opening smaller and move it inward so a rim of skull remains.
• Teeth float below the jaw line. Start each tooth on the jaw line and point it downward; erase any tooth that begins below the line.
• The crest covers a fenestra. Move the crest higher or shift it toward the back so the openings stay visible.
• The skull drifts above the midline. Use the baseline and midline as guides; keep most of the skull between them.

Self-check rubric

• Skull outline is clear and mostly between baseline and midline.
• Three fenestrae are enclosed and do not touch the outline.
• Tooth row starts on the jaw line and teeth point downward.
• Crest connects to the skull and does not cover a fenestra.
• Final drawing is readable with construction guides erased.
• Valid alternatives: rounded or pointed crest, slight tooth size variation, and different x-height are acceptable if checks pass.

Questions and answers