Drawing a cartoon alligator can be a delightful thought that unleashes your creativity and provides a sense of accomplishment. If you are a budding artist or just looking to improve your drawing skills, this step-by-step tutorial on how to draw a happy cartoon alligator is perfect for you.



 

Why I created this tutorial on how to draw a cartoon Alligator

The idea for this tutorial came to me during a visit to a local zoo where I saw a group of lovely and excited children mesmerized by the alligator display. As a teacher artist, their delight and laughter motivated me to develop an enjoyable and simple method for everyone to sketch the same happiness. this tutorial will help you create a happy and easy-peasy cartoon alligator that will inspire you to be creative and enjoy creating art of your own! Cartoon alligators are fun to create because they allow for a lot of creativity and can be as cute or fierce as you like. I feel excited to share his tutorial with you! In this tutorial, we’ll break the process into small, easy-to-follow steps, so grab your tools, and let’s get started!

MATERIAL NEEDED

Before begin, make sure you have the following materials
  • Drawing paper or a sketchbook
  • Pencil
  • Eraser
  • Black ink or marker
  • Colored pencils or markers

Step 1: OUTLINE

Firstly, start by lightly sketching the basic shapes that make up the alligator’s form….ovals…half circles, a rectangle…etc


STEP 2 Draw the Head Shape

Start by drawing the large oval shape for the alligator’s head. This will be the foundation of your cartoon alligator, so make it big enough to add details later. The oval doesn’t have to be perfect; a slightly uneven shape will add character to your cartoon alligator.



Draw a bigger and smaller circle…overlapping…like a sideways number ‘8’.





Draw a smaller and bigger filled-in circle within each eye.





Draw a white circle in the eye for the highlight.

STEP 3 OUTLINE THE SNOUT

From the left side of the oval, draw a long, slightly curved line extending outward. This will form the alligator’s snout.



STEP 4 ADD DETAILS TO FACE

It's time to embellish the face with details now that the fundamental framework is in place. Sketch the top of the head with two sizable oval eyes. Make the eyes a little bit different in size or add a silly expression for a more cartoonish look. Draw a smaller circle for the pupils inside each eye. Make a tiny curve for the eyebrows above each eye.



STEP 5 ADD DETAILS TO TEETH AND SNOUT

Draw a broad smile along the alligator's snout to give it a playful or amiable expression. To symbolize the teeth in the upper jaw add several tiny triangular shapes. For the lower jaw repeat these steps making sure that the teeth are uniformly spaced and marginally smaller.



STEP 6 CREATE THE BODY

Starting from the bottom of the oval, draw a long curved
Line downward to form the alligator’s body. This line should be twice the length of the head. At the end of this line, curve it back up slightly to suggest the tail’s base.



STEP 7 ADD THE LEGS AND TAIL

Bring both of your front legs up to your front. Keep them simple because cartoon alligators usually have short stubby legs. For the leg's upper portion use rounded shapes and for the feet add tiny oval shapes. Apply the same technique to the back legs as the front legs and draw two more rounded shapes at the end of the body.



From the end of the body extend the line to form a long curved tail. Make the tail taper to a point gradually. Make the tail a little wavy to give it a cartoonish appearance. Make a gentle curve to rejoin the tail to the body.

STEP 8 DRAW THE SCALES

Draw tiny curved lines along your alligator’s back and tail to give it some texture. You can choose how simple or detailed lines are to represent scales. You can make the scale larger and more angular to give them a more cartoonish look.



STEP 9 ADD FINAL TOUCHES TO YOUR DRAWING

Take a look at your drawing and make the necessary corrections. Make sure everything is in its proper place and that the proportions seem appropriate. Additionally, you can add some amusing details such as a tongue protruding from the mouth or tiny spikes running along the back



 STEP 10 INK AND COLOR YOUR DRAWING

It’s time to ink your drawing once your pencil sketch is complete. Carefully trace over the pencil lines with a black ink pen or marker. To prevent smudging take your time while doing this step. When erasing any leftover pencil marks wait for the ink to dry completely after shading.



The exciting part is almost here: color your cartoon alligator! Use crayons markers or colored pencils to make your drawing come to life. Though you are welcome to explore with other colors traditional alligators are green. To add more depth and dimension to your alligator apply shading and highlights.

CONCLUSION

Any artist regardless of ability level can enjoy the pleasure and satisfaction of creating a cartoon alligator. Following this step-by-step instruction, you can quickly and easily make your original cartoon alligator. Enjoy the creative process and always remember to be patient with yourself. You can confidently draw alligators and other cartoon characters if you make the necessary effort and use your creativity. Have fun with your drawings!

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