Ultimately, there are as many different types of dragons as there are people who want to draw them. Size, shape, texture, details—all of these things are up to the artist, and there’s no limit to what you can come up with. However, in terms of the dragons that are described in classic myths and stories, there are several specific types of dragons that show up quite often. Here are four of these types, which I present as a place for you to start cultivating ideas.
Western (Classic) Dragon In Western culture, this type of dragon is the most familiar: terrorizing kingdoms, dueling with knights, and kidnapping young princesses. Occasionally they appear as good guys, providing strength or wisdom, or as the patron who serves the heroes with their quest. Their reputation is mixed at best, but they remain a beloved archetype. Western dragons usually have four limbs; the forelimbs may or may not end in hand-like paws. Most have two wings, horns, a long tail, and spiky ridges or fins running along the spine.
Eastern Dragon Whereas dragons often play the role of the villain in Western culture, Eastern dragons are usually respected and considered wise and benevolent. They can, of course, be angered, but are not usually envisioned as being predisposed to unfounded rage or unprovoked antagonism, as are their Western cousins. Unlike Western dragons, Eastern dragons usually do not have wings. Rather, their bodies are very long and slender, and their flight is marked by writhing, coiling movements. They usually have four limbs, with the number of claws on each foot varying according to the type of dragon (and sometimes their rank or status). Their horns usually resemble the antlers of a deer.
Wyrm The wyrm (pronounced “worm”) is a type of dragon with no legs or wings. The word can also refer to dragons in general, or specify that a dragon is very old. But for our purposes, the term refers to limbless dragons. There are many examples of wyrms in mythology, such as Jörmungandr, the World Serpent from Norse mythology who grew so long that he could wrap himself around the Earth and grasp the end of his tail in his mouth. Because wyrms lack wings and limbs, other means must be used to make them look like dragons: Try using thick scales or ridges along the length of its body. The best place to focus on, of course, is the creature’s head: Add horns, whiskers, bumps, brow ridges, fins, or perhaps even long ears.
Wyvern The wyvern is another type of dragon, often regarded as vicious and foul-tempered, and sometimes less intelligent than the Western dragon. The exact appearance of wyverns varies slightly from story to story. Most commonly, they have two wings and two hind legs. Like bats, their forelimbs function as their wings. Sometimes their tail ends in a spade, other times in a sharp barb, which is usually poisonous. In this example, I’ve given the creature lots of wicked-looking horns and spikes to make it look malevolent.