Drawn light
Tyrannosaurus rex is the most famous dinosaur. Thanks to its impressive size and striking appearance, it has captivated both scientists and the general public for over 100 years. To date, more than 50 skeletons of these giants have been found, and some differ significantly from one another, prompting repeated speculation about the existence of multiple species of T. rex.
In March 2022, a paper by a group of scientists led by paleontologist Gregory Paul was published, formalizing these speculations. The paper proposed distinguishing three distinct species within the Tyrannosaurus genus: the massive, geologically older “Emperor” (T. imperator) and its two contemporaneous descendants—the “King” (T. rex) and the “Queen” (T. regina).
However, not everyone agreed with the conclusions of Paul and his colleagues. In this article, we’ll examine how the bones of different tyrannosaurs differ so significantly, what arguments exist for and against dividing T. rex into three distinct species, and where the scientific community currently stands on this issue. Tyrannosaurus rex is a great name. It’s catchy, memorable, and well-known. T. rex is one of those rare taxa whose genus and species names are familiar to people. Aside from it, perhaps only Homo sapiens itself is as widely recognized.
To draw a beautiful dinosaur, start with simple lines and follow our tips! The famous name for these ferocious predators from the Cretaceous Period was given in 1905 by paleontologist Henry Osborn, who described specimen CM 9380—now on display at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh.
Over the past 130 years alone, from 1892 to 2022, more than 57 specimens have been described as belonging to a single species, Tyrannosaurus rex. All of them are from the United States, mainly from the Hell Creek Formation in Montana. For paleontologists, 57 skeletons (or parts thereof) are a real luxury—plenty to work with. By comparison, many predatory dinosaurs, such as the horned carnivore Carnotaurus—the star of the cartoon *Dinosaur*, “Jurassic World,” and the recent “Prehistoric Planet,” are described based on a single skeleton.
Largely thanks to the abundance of material, Tyrannosaurus rex has become the most studied dinosaur. And some specimens have even been given names and have become icons of popular culture in their own right. For example, Sue, whose skeleton is 90% complete and who became the star of the documentary “Dinosaur 13.” She even has a Twitter account!
Meanwhile, the skeleton of another T. rex, Stan, was sold at auction in 2020 for a record $31.8 million. For over a year, paleontology enthusiasts wondered where the skeleton had ended up. To a millionaire’s villa? In the lobby of a luxury hotel? Finally, in March 2022, it was revealed that an anonymous buyer had purchased Stan for a museum in Abu Dhabi, which is set to open in 2025. Life-size replicas of Stan sell for $120,000 and are on display in many European museums.
Let’s get started drawing a dinosaur right away!
How to draw a dinosaur easy
Step 1
Let’s start drawing powerful hind legs for our fearsome dinosaur. To do this, we’ll draw two vertical arcs—one big and one small!
Step 2
Next, we’ll start drawing the outline of the tail!
Step 3
In this step, we’ll continue drawing the outline of the tail and add the belly!
Step 4
Here, we’re simply creating the outline of a Tyrannosaurus rex with a powerful, muscular back!
Step 5
And at this stage, we’ll create the outline of the ancient predator’s menacing, ferocious snout!
Step 6
Here, we’re simply drawing the outlines of our dinosaur’s two front limbs!
Step 7
In this way, we create the outline of the dinosaur’s two muscular hind legs!
Step 8
Let’s add some detail to our predator’s face—draw its eyes, nose, and sharp teeth!
Step 9
Let’s sketch the detailed elements of the muscles and skin on the front and hind limbs of the Tyrannosaurus rex!
Step 10
And here we’re creating skin folds on our dinosaur!
Step 11
We can create a natural backdrop of grass and rocks just the way you want it!
Step 12
And now let’s start coloring the upper body of the Tyrannosaurus rex in shades of green!
Step 13
Let’s finish coloring the rest of the dinosaur’s body!
