How to Draw a Barracuda

Step 1: Long thin body

Start at a pointed nose, draw a long low back to the tail. Draw the tummy below, open in front.

Tip Make it about 4 times as long as it is tall.

Step 2: Jutting jaw

From the nose tip draw a longer bottom jaw sticking out, then curve under and stop on the tummy.

Tip The bottom jaw pokes out past the top one: that is a barracuda.

Step 3: Friendly eye

Draw a round eye high on the head, just behind the jaw. Add a big pupil with a white shine.

Step 4: Smile and teeth

From the nose tip draw a smiling mouth line back, stopping before the eye. Add 3 little teeth under it.

Step 5: Forked tail

Join the body's ends with a curve. From back to tummy draw 2 pointed tail lobes with a dent between.

Step 6: Fins far apart

Start and stop each small pointed fin on the body: one mid-back, one near the tail, one under that.

Tip Keep the fins small: a big back fin makes a shark.

Step 7: Gill and side fin

Behind the eye draw a C gill from back to tummy. Low on it, add a small pointed side fin.

Step 8: Side line

Start on the gill, level with the eye. Draw one long straight line back to the tail curve.

Tip This line splits the dark back from the silver tummy.

Step 9: Dark bars

Start on the side line and draw 5 short slanted lines up the back. Stop below the top.

Step 10: Bubbles

In front of the mouth draw 3 bubbles floating up: small, bigger, biggest.

Step 11: Sand and seaweed

Draw a wavy sand line from edge to edge. Grow 2 wavy seaweed blades up from it to a point.

Step 12: Sandy floor, blue bubbles

Colour the sand sandy right to the paper's edges, and the 3 bubbles light blue.

Step 13: Silver body, grey fins

Colour the head and tummy silver, leaving the eye and teeth white. Colour the tail and fins grey.

Step 14: Green seaweed, dark back

Colour the seaweed green. Colour the back dark grey above the side line, from the gill to the tail.