MARINE ANIMALS

For most marine animals, it’s best to start the body by drawing a curve similar to an inverted comma shape. Each species will have unique features that you can add later; but generally, the head should be placed on the thickest side of the body (the decimal point of the comma). It’s important to keep the body looking flexible and sinuous.

After drawing the dolphin’s body, add more features like the dorsal fin, the triangle-shaped tail, and—one of the more unique characteristics for dolphins—the snout.

Draw the two small fins near the head like small wings, with one behind the other to make your drawing look more three-dimensional. Then re-sketch the contours and add a few more line details to give your dolphin a wet, sleek look—like it’s swimming in the ocean.

Porpoises have compact heads and small, triangular snouts, so make sure to highlight those features. Then add additional detail to make your drawing really stand out.

Whales, on the other hand, have stretched-out snouts, and their fins are farther down the sides of the body than a dolphin’s fins. Recognizing and applying these different proportion details is guaranteed to make your drawing look amazing and accurate!

Sharks are easy to identify because of their prominent snouts, rows of sharp teeth, and, of course, the pointed dorsal fin.

Some fish can have very unusual features, like the hammerhead shark, whose head is perpendicular to the line of its body!