How to Draw a Nurse Shark

Step 1: Wide round head

Start on the left. Draw a wide round head like a big C, stopping straight below where you started.

Tip Round and blunt, not pointy: a nurse shark has a soft wide nose.

Step 2: One big eye

Behind the nose, draw 1 big round eye. Fill it mostly black and add a white shine.

Step 3: Back and two fins

Start on top of the head. Draw a low back with 2 round fins, sloping down to the tail.

Tip Both fins sit far back, and the second one is smaller.

Step 4: Long tail

Start at the end of the back. Draw a long top tip, then a tiny bottom tip back.

Tip The tail is almost all top tip.

Step 5: Flat tummy

Start at the chin. Draw the tummy back, almost flat, then curving up to meet the tail.

Step 6: Mouth and whiskers

From the front of the nose, draw a small smile back to under the eye. Hang 2 whiskers below it.

Tip The 2 feelers hang under the nose like a little moustache.

Step 7: Gills and stripe

Behind the eye, draw 3 gill curves. From the mouth corner, draw a long stripe back to the tummy.

Step 8: Round side fin

From the stripe under the gills, sweep a round fin back past the tummy, then up to the stripe.

Tip Rub out the bit of tummy line inside the fin.

Step 9: Spots

Dot 5 small dark brown spots on the back, between the gills and the tail.

Step 10: Sand and bubbles

Draw a long wavy sand line across the paper under the shark. Add 3 bubbles above the nose.

Step 11: Cream tummy

Go over your lines. Colour the tummy under the stripe cream, around the side fin.

Step 12: Tan shark

Colour everything above the stripe tan, around the spots, and the side fin too. Leave the eye white.

Step 13: Sand and blue

Colour the sea floor under the wavy line sandy and the bubbles light blue. Your nurse shark is done!