Dragonfly Drawing: How to Draw Dragonflies Step-By-Step Guide

Introduction

Did you know that dragonflies belong to the Odonata order of insects? They’re famous for their ability to fly up, down, forward, and backward using four wings that look like they’re attached to the insect’s body at different angles. For this reason, drawing dragonflies may seem like an impossible task, but in fact, it’s pretty simple if you know how to draw them correctly.

Follow along as I teach you how to draw a dragonfly step by step!

The Basic Shape of Dragonfly

The first step of drawing a dragonfly is to draw the basic shape. Think of this shape as the general outline of the dragonfly and use it as your guide for all other steps. To start, draw two long lines that are parallel to each other and at least one inch apart.

Next, draw a dot at the bottom of both lines on each side where they intersect with one another. These dots should be about one inch from each line’s endpoint. Now connect these points together by adding four more equally spaced dots to form an X shape.

Connect these points again with three more equally spaced dots so that there are now nine evenly spaced points on the shape and you have completed the basic shape of the dragonfly!

Body Details of Dragonfly

Start with the head. The head is what we see at the top of the dragonfly. It’s oval-shaped and has two antennae on top of it.

Next, draw a straight line down from the head that goes past where you’re drawing right now–it will be the back of the dragonfly’s body, called the abdomen. This line should be shorter than the one on top of it because you’ll need room for wings later on.

Now draw three curved lines that start at the bottom left side of your abdomen line and end near the bottom right corner. These are the feelers on a dragonfly’s legs they help them detect movement in their surroundings while they rest upon plants or water surfaces during daytime hours.

Add antennas to both sides of the head.

Next, add eyes as dots just below the two antennas on either side of the head. Now take your pencil and make an outline of a circle around each eye so that there’s an empty space in between these circles–these shapes form dragonfly pupils!

Dragonfly Wings Drawing

Draw an upside-down triangle on each line (the tips of these triangles will form the points of your dragonfly’s wings) and add some curved lines on top of these triangles to give them their shape. Now that your wing is complete, you can add a bit of shading in between each stroke to help it stand out.

If you have time or patience, try adding highlights with a white pencil crayon or watercolor paint.

Final Touch

To finish off your dragonfly, add a line at the bottom as if it is sitting on something. Use different colors to give it a more realistic look. Then when you’re done, erase any guidelines and enjoy! You now know how to create a beautiful dragonfly using these easy steps.