Adding Fun Drawings to your Adult Coloring Pages - step by step dinosaurs

Today's blog is all about having fun with those coloring pages you've been working so hard on. I found this color by number page in one of my adult coloring books. I am not a fan of color by number, but I immediately saw the potential that this one had and dutifully proceeded to color it with Derwent Coloursoft Pencils. Once it was done, I took great pains in framing and mounting it in a sturdy box frame (see the previous blog). With this done it was finally time to do what I envisioned right from the start; to draw some dinosaurs and add them to the scene. I show you step by step how to draw and color these dinosaurs in today's blog, before showing you how to add them to the scene so that they are interactive and FUN!

I start the project with nothing more than an A4 drawing paper, a pencil, a sharpener and a soft eraser.

Not having any photos of dinosaurs taken in the wild (he-he), I resorted to using illustrations of dinosaurs found in the Kennis encyclopedia as reference photos.

I started on a drawing of a Pteranodon. I drew an oval where its head would go and a slightly larger one for its body.

Two triangles marked the spaced for its wings.

I then developed the head in more detail.

From this point, I moved on to add detail to the largest wing, the body and the feet.

Lastly, I added a little detail to the furthest wing. I do not add too much detail in the drawing as this will be achieved when we color the drawing. This is more than ample to serve our needs.

I then move on to the Stegosaurus. Again I start by marking the basic outline for the dinosaur with ovals. The body has the biggest oval. I added the head below this. Then followed the tail in two ovals. The closest hind leg and foot was done with three ovals. The closest front foot has three smaller ovals marking its space. The other hind leg was slightly hidden behind this one. The furthest front leg was drawn in three more ovals.

I started developing the detail on the tail.

The detail on the nearest hind leg followed the tail.

The head and upper body was developed next.

The nearest front leg and the hind leg hidden behind it was developed in the next step.

The furthest front leg followed suit.

I developed the body, getting the lines in place for the prominent 'fins' on the back.

The fins/scales was drawn in on the back. This concluded the drawing of the dinosaur and I could move on to adding color to the dinosaurs.

I love the colors in the Derwent Drawing Pencils for drawing and coloring animals and landscapes and opted to use these pencils on the dinosaurs.

I started on the Pteranodon. I added the darkest brown first in Chocolate.

This was followed in Sepia.

This color was followed with Yellow Ochre.

I wanted to add some warmth and followed with Ruby Earth.

I used Chinese White on the underbelly of the 'bird'. I also used this pencil to blend the other colors already laid down.

The shadow in the white was done in Warm Grey.

Finally I added Ivory Black to accentuate the darkest and deepest shadows.

This concluded the coloring of the Pteranodon.

I started the coloring of the Stegosaurus in the darkest green in the collection; Olive Earth.

I followed this up with Crag Green.

I then added Green Shadow.

I now used Ivory Black to develop the deepest shadows.

I realized that it lacked warmth and I added splashes of Yellow Ochre to the highlighted areas. I also colored the inside of the eye Yellow Ochre to give it a more menacing look.

I used Chinese white to blend the colors.

Finally I was satisfied with the results and considered the Stegosaurus finished.

These two dinosaurs would work beautifully with the background I already had ready and prepared.

I cut the dinosaurs out roughly with a pair of scissors.

I glued the pictures to strong cardboard backing.

I then cut the drawing out neatly using a combination of scissors and a craft knife for the hard to reach areas.

I cut 4 small sections from a drinking straw, each approximately 2 cm in length.

I used Tombow glue to attach the straws to the backs of the dinosaurs. The Stegosaurus was pasted horizontally and the Pteranodon was pasted diagonally downwards.

 I found some Weed-eater string in the garage and cut two lengths to serve as 'runners' for the dinosaurs to 'move' on. One length has to be double the length of the frame and the other double the width of the frame.

I then made two holes at the top of the frame and two more diagonally across from these at the bottom of the frame.

I strung the string through the top holes and slid it through the straws at the back of the Pteranodon.

It was then strung through the holes at the bottom of the frame and secured tightly with a knot, after having been pulled taut.

This allows the Pteranodon to dive downwards in an attack on the Stegosaurus. But first we have to add the Stegosaurus.

The Stegosaurus is added in exactly the same fashion, except that the string is strung from side to side, giving the Stegosaurus the option of fleeing out of reach of the attacker.

I now had a picture to hang in a little boy's room that was sure to delight. Pictures intended for children are so much better when they are interactive, don't you think?

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Remember to keep nurturing your TALENT for making PRETTY things.
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