If you like dinos, you’ll probably enjoy this inspiring collection of dinosaurs in art, featuring awesome creators from across the globe! From sculpture to watercolour, we’ve found all sorts of artwork to get your creativity flowing. For a range of skill levels, there’s a dinosaur project for everyone.
1. Dessert-themed
Why not mashup a few things you love and give your dino a sweet tooth? This cookies-and-cream-themed polymer clay Stegosaurus shows us that you can really make your project anything you want it to be – there are no limits to the imagination! So, when you’re brainstorming ideas, think about how you can combine your dino with something you love (or love to eat!). Grab some polymer and get creating!
2. Keep it simple
Sometimes the cutest dino creations are not the most complex. This red acrylic Stegosaurus, named Steffi, uses bold colour placement with no outlines, drawing the eye with a gentle ombre on her back plates. Even her simple smile is bright and full of character! Whether you’re just starting your creative journey or have more experience, it never hurts to keep it simple and let the subject do the talking. Pick up some acrylic paints and have a go at home!
3. Loose colouring
Image: @dailydinosketch | Etsy
Watercolour can be an awesome medium to create freeform colouring and art styles. This dinosaur is painted blue, with flowing shadows and highlights and an abstract pink background. The pen outline brings form and detail to the piece, containing the loose colouring and defining the Triceratops’ movement. This can be a great way to break into art or refine your skills, learning to understand the way watercolour moves, saturates, and dries on the page.
4. Forbidden foods
Though you can’t eat these dinos, they sure are fun to look at! Using clay to make projects that look like food is an interactive way to explore texture and colour matching techniques. Whether you craft a nugget or perhaps even pasta, you can explore fun shapes such as a dinosaur by experimenting with clay products such as polymer and air-dry clays.
5. Patterns
When sculpting a dinosaur, why not bring it to life by adding some fun patterns and colours. Free yourself from the norm and experiment with styles and palettes that don’t match your subject’s typical colouring, making a creature that is entirely unique! While real dinosaurs didn’t have polka dots, we sure wish they did!
6. Interpret history
You may know that birds and dinosaurs are closely related. In fact, birds evolved from them! So why not make your art dino colourful like a bird and put your own spin on history? This artwork uses vibrant colours to capture the likeness of a bird in the body of a Pterodactyl. What will you splice for your next project? Products such as air dry clay or even polymer can be great for sculpting an artwork like this.
7. Cretaceous crafting
If you like cute crafts, maybe have a go at making wearable dinosaurs? Take your artwork with you on the go and show the world your cute creations. These little pink dinos have a simple shape and can be made using polymer clay so have a go at home!
8. Small details
This little critter, Peaches, shows us that finishing details can really add something special to your piece. She is bedazzled with stars that add out-of-the-box dimension and texture. The glossy finish and glitter dripping down her back add shine to make the stars sparkle. Have a think about the fun details you could add to your next project that will help it stand out. You may just find a gloss medium or varnish makes your polymer clay pop!
9. Metallic monster
This simple dinosaur creation has been brought to life with a smokey, metallic finish. Adding a coat of reflective paint brings exciting texture and detail to this project, transforming the clay work into a dynamic dinosaur. Try out this technique and watch your clay change before your eyes as it appears to become steely. You could start with polymer clay and then experiment with metallic paints and you’re on your way.
10. Look inside
Instead of tackling the whole dinosaur, maybe have a look at what’s inside. Skulls and bones make for an interesting subject to paint, with lots of layers and dimensions. Adding an exciting background colour can help make the ancient bones leap off the page! This project was made with oil paints so jump online to check out our range and see if any ideas come to mind.
11. Sketch up a storm
It’s always a good idea to practice when creating. These cute dino characters show us how fun it can be to draw your ideas and create creatures that make you smile. Little artists and creative minds alike may just end up with a whole host of fun characters to play with!
12. Use nature
Venture into the great outdoors and take inspiration from nature – it could be a fun excursion for growing artists! These pebble dino creations are simple but stunning, capturing the shape of a few different kinds of dinosaurs in a unique way. Next time you’re beside the water, looking for a stone to skip, imagine what else it could become. It’s like cloud gazing but for pebble art!
13. Colour play
This gouache Stegosaurus shows us how delightful it can be to have fun with colouring. The way the blues, purples, and greens bleed together is very freeform but carefully placed enough to bring dimension to the piece. Notice how the back plates are layered with light and dark tones, bringing depth to the creature’s form. So, pick up some gouache and experiment with colouring at home!
14. Capturing movement
If you have a little experience playing with polymer clay, it could be a fun challenge to make a model of a moving dino. We’ve created a step-by-step video that dives into how we made this project, so you can have a go too! Moulding the limbs to appear proportionate and natural as they extend is cool way to explore realism.
Hopefully, this collection of dinosaurs in art has inspired you and the whole fam to create some dino masterpieces. 😊 Whether you decide to venture into the outdoors to find some pebbles or try and sketch some characters together, these projects are worth giving a go! Get creative and have a go experimenting with the different styles, colours, and characterisations captured by these talented featured artists.
If you feel inspired to have a go for yourself, #montmarteart or tag us @montmarteart on Instagram or Facebook. We’d love to see what you create!
Looking for supplies? Our sketching sets, watercolour paints, and clay collection will kick-start your creative journey. You’ll find more ideas across our inspiration blogs, and some tutorials in our projects & how-to collection.
