How to draw an iguana — easy step by step drawing ideas

Iguana drawing ideas bring out the dinosaur lover in every child who walks into my studio. With its row of spikes, long striped tail and that funny flap of skin under its chin, an iguana really does look like a tiny dragon or a friendly little dinosaur. The kids love learning that iguanas like to lie on warm rocks and soak up the sun, and they always want theirs to look extra relaxed.

Here's what makes this reptile easier than it looks: from the side, an iguana is just a rounded rectangle for the head, a long oval for the body and a very long tapering tail. Four bent legs with long toes hold it up, and then the fun details go on top: the spiky crest along the back, the rounded throat flap called a dewlap, and one bright eye.

In this tutorial we'll draw a leafy green iguana resting on a rock, seen from the side, in six easy steps using the practice sheet below. I'll share the pro tips that help my youngest artists most, the three mistakes that turn an iguana into a crocodile or a plain lizard, and a few troubleshooting fixes for that super long tail. Grab a green crayon, and let's get started.

The 6 steps to easy iguana drawing ideas

Step 1 — Draw the head

Start on the left side of your page with the iguana's head. Draw a rounded rectangle, a little longer than it is tall, with softly curved corners. The front end is the snout, which can be slightly narrower and more rounded than the back.

Place the head a little above the middle of the page, because the iguana is resting on a rock and its body will slope down behind it. Leave lots of room on the right side of the page for the body and that very long tail.

Step 2 — Add the body

Behind the head, draw a long oval for the body, lying mostly flat as if the iguana is stretched out on its rock. Connect it to the head with a short, thick neck, since iguanas have sturdy necks rather than long, thin ones.

The body should be about two to three times as long as the head. Let the bottom of the oval sit a little flatter, like it's resting on a surface, which helps the iguana look heavy and relaxed rather than floating in the air.

Step 3 — Add the tail

From the back end of the body, draw a very long tail. Start it thick, just as wide as the back of the body, then let it taper slowly into a thin point. You can let it curve gently down and along the ground, or sweep it in a wave across the page.

Don't be afraid to make it really long! An iguana's tail is often longer than the rest of its body, and that super-long tail is one of the features that makes it look like an iguana instead of a small lizard.

While you're down there, sketch a big rounded rock under the body and tail. Keep it lumpy and uneven rather than perfectly smooth — iguanas love to bask on warm rocks, and the rock gives your drawing a natural place to sit instead of floating on the page.

Step 4 — Add the legs

Add four bent legs under the body: two front legs near the shoulders and two back legs near the hips. From the side, you'll see the two legs closest to you clearly, and the two on the far side can peek out just a little from behind. Each leg bends at the elbow or knee.

At the end of each leg, draw long, thin toes spread out on the rock, with little claws at the tips. Iguanas have noticeably long toes for gripping branches and rocks, so make them longer than you would on a gecko or frog.

Step 5 — Add the spikes, dewlap and face

Starting just behind the head, draw a row of small triangle spikes along the top of the neck and back, continuing a little way onto the tail. Make the spikes on the neck and shoulders the tallest, then let them get gradually smaller as they go toward the tail.

Under the chin, draw a rounded throat flap hanging down, like a soft half circle. This is the iguana's dewlap, which it uses to show off and to help control its body temperature. Finally, add one round eye on the side of the head with a dark pupil and a white highlight, plus a small, gentle smile.

Step 6 — Finish and color

Trace over the lines you want to keep and erase any leftover sketch marks, especially where the legs join the body and where the far legs overlap. Draw a simple rounded rock shape under the iguana if you'd like, so it has somewhere comfy to rest.

Color the head, body and legs a bright leafy green. Add darker green stripes in bands across the tail, spaced evenly from the base to the tip. Color the dewlap a soft yellow-green and the row of back spikes a cheerful orange. The rock can be gray or light brown.

Common mistakes to avoid

The tail is drawn too short

A short tail makes an iguana look like a gecko, a newt or a small plain lizard. The super-long tail is one of the iguana's most recognizable features, so cutting it short changes the whole animal.

Make the tail at least as long as the head and body combined, tapering slowly to a thin point. If space is tight, curve the tail around instead of shortening it.

The spikes are all the same size

Spikes that are all big and equal can make the iguana look like a dragon or a stegosaurus. It also makes the back look crowded and stiff instead of natural.

Make the spikes tallest on the neck and shoulders, then let them shrink as they move down the back and onto the tail. That gradual change looks much more like a real iguana's crest.

The dewlap is left out

Without its throat flap, an iguana loses one of its most special features, and it can easily be mistaken for a crocodile or another lizard. The dewlap is a detail kids love learning about.

Always add a rounded half-circle flap under the chin. Even a small dewlap instantly tells people this is an iguana, and coloring it yellow-green makes it stand out.

Troubleshooting

My iguana looks like a crocodile

This usually happens when the snout is long and pointed and the legs are very short. Make the head a rounded rectangle with a blunt snout, add the dewlap under the chin, and give the iguana a row of spikes on its back. Those changes quickly turn a crocodile into an iguana.

The far-side legs look confusing

If the legs on the far side are cluttering the drawing, make them smaller and show only a little of each one peeking out behind the near legs. You can even leave them out entirely; the iguana will still look great with just two visible legs.

The spikes look messy

Messy spikes usually come from drawing them too fast or too big. Erase them and redraw them one at a time as small, neat triangles, starting tallest at the neck and getting smaller toward the tail. Keep the gaps between them even.

Key takeaways

FAQ

Is an iguana easy to draw for kids? Yes — from the side, an iguana is just a rounded rectangle head, a long oval body and a long tapering tail, with four bent legs. Children aged five and up can usually finish this tutorial in about fifteen to twenty minutes.

What is the flap under an iguana's chin? The rounded flap of skin under an iguana's chin is called a dewlap. Iguanas can stretch it out to show off or send signals to other iguanas, and it also helps them warm up and cool down.

What colors do I need for an iguana drawing? Leafy green for the head, body and legs, darker green for the stripes on the tail, yellow-green for the dewlap and orange for the row of spikes. Gray or light brown works nicely for the rock underneath.

How do I draw iguana spikes? Draw a row of small triangles along the top of the neck and back, starting just behind the head. Make the spikes tallest at the neck and shoulders, then let them get smaller and smaller as they move down the back toward the tail.

And there is your iguana! Whether your spikes came out neat and tidy or a little bit wild, you just drew one of the coolest reptiles around, basking happily on its rock. Try drawing it again climbing a tree branch or add a bright tropical sun overhead, and come back tomorrow for a new tutorial. You might also enjoy our new gecko tutorial for another lizard friend.

More tutorials: All tutorials · How to draw a chameleon · How to draw a dinosaur · How to draw a turtle · How to draw a gecko