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How to Draw a Catfish

14 steps · Medium · about 11 min

Draw a catfish in 14 easy steps, about 11 minutes. Free, with a printable worksheet.

Each picture adds one red line. Draw that line, then scroll to the next picture. Rub out any dashed helper lines at the end. First up: wide flat head.

Step 1: Wide flat head
On the left, draw a big C for a flat head. Start a smile at its front, stop halfway in.
Tip Leave lots of room on the right for the long body and tail.
Step 2: Friendly eye
High on the head, above the smile's end, draw a round eye with a pupil and a shine.
Step 3: Long low body
From the ends of the C, draw a long low back and tummy, narrowing to a thin end.
Tip Make the fish about 3 times as long as it is tall.
Step 4: Long whiskers
From the chin, draw a long whisker sweeping down and back. Add a second one along under the tummy.
Step 5: Bow-tie tail
Across the thin end draw a line. Draw 2 round lobes from its ends to a dent. Add 2 rays.
Step 6: Gill
Behind the eye, start just under the back. Draw a tall curve bowing to the tail, stopping above the tummy.
Step 7: Small top fin
Just behind the gill, start on the back. Draw a small low round fin leaning back, stopping on the back.
Step 8: Side fin
Start on the gill below the middle. Draw a leaf fin pointing at the tail, ending lower on the gill.
Step 9: Long belly fin
Start on the tummy behind the side fin. Draw a long low fin along it, stopping near the tail.
Step 10: Bubbles
Above the front of the face, draw 3 bubbles floating up: small, bigger, biggest.
Step 11: Sand and seaweed
Draw a wavy sand line from edge to edge. Grow 2 tall wavy seaweed blades from it, under the tail.
Step 12: Sand and grey fins
Colour the sand sandy. Colour the tail and all 3 fins light grey.
Step 13: Blue bubbles, green seaweed
Colour the bubbles light blue and the seaweed green.
Step 14: Dark grey catfish
Colour the body dark grey, around the side fin. Leave the eye white.