T. Rex Skeleton in a Museum Pose

This drawing shows a complete skeleton in the pose seen in many museums, with the head lifted and the tail held out behind. The ribs, backbone, hip bones and leg bones are all outlined separately. The skull has large openings for the eyes and nose and a row of long teeth.

Ideas for coloring

• Colour the bones in ivory, cream and pale brown.
• Use a darker tone in the gaps between ribs to give depth.
• Colour the teeth lighter than the bones.
• Try a fossil look with grey and rust-coloured mineral patches.

Good to know

Fossil skeletons are made of bone that has been replaced slowly by minerals. Few T. rex skeletons are complete, so museums often show a mix of real bones and casts. The best known specimens are named, such as “Sue” in Chicago and “Stan” in the Netherlands.

A pencil with a soft lead lets you add shading on each rib, which makes the skeleton look rounded rather than flat.