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How to Draw a Nautilus
Draw a nautilus in 13 easy steps, about 10 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: the hood.
Step 1: The hood
Start just above the middle. Draw a round hood to the left, curling under and back to the middle.
Step 2: The head
Start under the front of the hood. Draw a round chin down and back, stopping far below the hood's middle.
Step 3: One big eye
Under the hood draw one big round eye. Add a black dot and a white shine.
Step 4: Smile
Start under the front of the eye. Draw a small smile that curves down and up.
Step 5: The opening
Start at the end of the chin. Draw a curve up behind the head and hood, stopping at its top.
Tip This is the edge of the shell's opening.
Step 6: The shell
Start at the top of the opening. Draw a huge round C over and around, stopping at the chin.
Tip Make the shell about one and a half times as tall as the head and hood.
Step 7: Short tentacles
Under the head draw 7 short tentacles in a bunch, each getting thinner with a round tip.
Step 8: Middle dot
In the middle of the shell draw a small circle for the middle of the curl.
Step 9: Tiger stripes
Start on the back edge of the shell. Draw 5 fat stripes curling in, with round ends near the dot.
Step 10: Bubbles
In front of the hood, draw 3 bubbles floating up, each one bigger than the last.
Step 11: Cream shell, blue bubbles
Go over your lines. Colour the shell cream around the stripes, and the bubbles light blue.
Step 12: Peach head, pink cheek
Dab a pink cheek. Colour the head and tentacles peach around it. Leave the eye white.
Step 13: Brown stripes and hood
Colour the stripes, the hood and the middle dot brown. Your nautilus is done!
Your finished drawing
Follow the steps above and this is where you end up: a nautilus, drawn by you.
Every step in one picture
