How to Draw a Fossil (Easy Step by Step)
An ammonite fossil is a spiral shell pressed into stone, and it is a fun drawing because the ribs do most of the work. You only need a wobbly square, a circle with a curly tail, and some short curved lines that run around the shell.
- Medium
- 15 minutes
- 8 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw a fossil step by step
How to Draw a Fossil · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Guide shapes
Lightly sketch this oval. It only shows where the big parts go, so press softly. You will erase it at the end.
Step 2: The stone square
Draw a big wobbly square with rounded corners, like a flat piece of rock. It does not need to be perfect, because real stones are bumpy.
Step 3: Shell circle and tail
Inside the square, draw a big round circle in the middle, a little lower than the center. Stop before you close it at the bottom right, then let the line sweep down and to the right like a tail.
Step 4: End of the tail
Near the bottom of the stone, draw a short curved line that finishes the tail. It starts at the end of the sweeping line and bends down toward the bottom edge of the stone.
Step 5: Ribs from the middle
Inside the circle, draw wiggly lines that start near the middle and spread out to the edge of the shell, like spokes on a wheel. Leave a small empty space in the very center.
Step 6: A ring line
Draw one curved ring inside the shell, going most of the way around the center. It should hug the middle and bend the same way as the circle.
Step 7: More short ribs
Add a few more short curved ribs between the lines you already drew. Put one near the top, one on the left and one near the bottom, so the shell looks like it has little rooms.
Step 8: The crack
Finish with a tiny curved line in the top left corner of the stone, like a little crack. Now it looks like it was dug out of the ground.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your fossil? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a T. rex or how to draw a triceratops next.
Tips for drawing a fossil
- Draw the circle lightly first, then go over it, so the shell sits nicely in the middle of the stone.
- Leave a small gap at the bottom right of the circle so the tail has room to sweep away.
- Ribs look best when they curve a little, not straight. Let them spread out from the middle toward the edge of the shell.
Free fossil coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this fossil coloring page at full size and print it. It is the same drawing you just learned, with clean lines ready for crayons or markers.
How to color your fossil drawing
Try sandy tan, gray, and soft brown to make the stone look old, with a slightly darker shade inside the shell. For a creative twist, color the sections of the shell in rainbow stripes as if it were a magic fossil.
Fossil fun fact for kids
Ammonites were sea animals related to squid and octopuses. They lived in the ocean millions of years ago, and their coiled shells turned into fossils when they were buried in mud that became rock.
Questions about drawing a fossil
What shapes do I need to draw an ammonite fossil?
You need a rounded square for the stone, a circle with a curly tail for the shell, and curved lines for the ribs and the ring. A tiny crack in the corner finishes it.
How do I make the ribs look right?
Start near the middle of the shell and let each rib curve out toward the edge. Drawing them lightly in pencil first lets you fix any wobbles.
How do I make my fossil look old?
Add a little crack in the stone and color it in dusty browns and grays. A bumpy, uneven edge on the square also helps.
