How to Draw a Gar

Step 1: Long body, needle jaws

Start top right. Draw a flat back into a long needle snout, then the tummy back, stopping under the start.

Tip A living spear, about 4 times longer than tall. Leave the right end open.

Step 2: Eye and long mouth

Draw 1 big eye where the jaws end. Add a mouth line from the snout, stopping before the eye.

Tip The mouth line runs down the middle of the jaws, never reaching the eye.

Step 3: Round tail

Join the body's ends with a short curve. Draw a round paddle tail from the back round to the tummy.

Step 4: Fins by the tail

Near the tail draw a small fin from the back out to a point and back down. Same underneath.

Tip Gar fins sit far back, like the feathers on an arrow.

Step 5: Gill and small fin

Draw a C gill behind the eye, from back to tummy. Hang a small fin under the tummy behind it.

Step 6: Armour scales

Behind the gill draw a row of 4 big diamonds along the middle of the side, toward the tail.

Tip Gars wear hard diamond-shaped armour plates instead of soft scales.

Step 7: Teeth and bubbles

Along the back of the mouth line draw 3 little pointed teeth hanging down. Add 3 bubbles by the snout.

Step 8: Sand and seaweed

Draw one wavy sand line from edge to edge. Grow a wavy seaweed blade up from it on each side.

Tip Each blade starts and stops on the sand line.

Step 9: Sandy floor, blue bubbles

Colour the floor under the sand line sandy, right to the edges. Colour the 3 bubbles light blue.

Step 10: Tan armour, pink cheek

Colour the 4 diamonds tan. Add a soft pink dot on the cheek.

Step 11: Orange tail and fins

Colour the tail and all 3 fins orange.

Step 12: Green gar and seaweed

Colour the body and seaweed green, around the diamonds and cheek. Leave the eye and teeth white.