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How to Draw a Marlin

14 steps · Medium · about 11 min

Draw a marlin 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: long sleek body.

Step 1: Long sleek body
From the left, draw a long back curve to a thin tail end. Draw the tummy curve under it.
Tip Make it about twice as long as it is tall, and leave the front open for the bill.
Step 2: Thick bill
At the open front, start on the back. Slope out to a sharp point, then back to the tummy.
Tip The bill is a thick short spear, not a thin stick.
Step 3: Big eye and smile
Draw one big eye behind the bill. From the bill's bottom, draw a small smile up toward it.
Step 4: Crescent tail
From the back draw a long point up, back in to a dent. Draw a point down to the tummy.
Step 5: Tall sail fin
Start on the back above the eye. Shoot straight up to a sharp spike, then slope down to the tail.
Step 6: Gill
A little behind the eye, start below the back. Draw one short C bowing back and stop above the belly.
Step 7: Side fin
Just behind the gill, draw a fin pointing down and back to a sharp tip.
Step 8: Belly fin
Start on the tummy. Draw a small fin sloping back to a point, then back to the tummy.
Step 9: Four stripes
On the back half draw 4 thin stripes. Start each on the back and curve down to the tummy.
Tip Skip over the side fin.
Step 10: Bubbles
Above the bill, draw 3 bubbles floating up, from small to biggest.
Step 11: Sand and seaweed
Draw a wavy sand line from edge to edge. Grow 2 wavy seaweed blades up from it.
Step 12: Sand and bubbles
Colour the sand sandy right to the paper's edges, and the 3 bubbles light blue.
Step 13: Pink cheek, green seaweed
Colour a soft pink cheek under the eye, and the 2 seaweed blades green.
Step 14: Blue fish, dark fins
Colour the fish blue around the cheek, and the sail, tail and fins dark blue. Leave the eye white.