How to Draw a Perch

Step 1: Humped body

Start at the right. Draw a humped back to a pointed nose, then a deep tummy back to the start.

Tip Start a little above the middle. Leave the right end open for the tail.

Step 2: Eye and mouth

High on the head draw 1 big round eye. From the nose tip draw a short smile curving up.

Step 3: Forked tail

Close the open end with a curve. From its top, draw a forked tail that ends at its bottom.

Tip Up to a point, in to a dent, then down to a point.

Step 4: Spiky top fin

Start on the back above the eye. Draw 5 sharp spikes like a saw, stopping halfway along the back.

Tip Sharp as a crown: the perch's give-away. Leave a gap behind it.

Step 5: Soft back fin

Behind the gap, start on the back. Draw a soft rounded fin, down to the back near the tail.

Step 6: Gill and side fin

Behind the eye draw a curved gill from back to tummy. Low on it, add a leaf fin pointing back.

Step 7: Tummy fins

Under the tummy draw 2 little swept-back fins, each from the tummy line out to a point and back.

Step 8: Stripes and bubbles

Behind the gill draw 5 pointy stripes down from the back, above the fin. Add 3 bubbles by the nose.

Tip Perch wear tiger stripes: dark bars down the sides.

Step 9: Sand and seaweed

Draw a wavy sand line from edge to edge. Stand 2 wavy seaweeds on the left, 1 on the right.

Tip Each seaweed is a tall wavy leaf with a pointy tip, standing on the sand.

Step 10: Colour the perch gold

Colour the body golden yellow around the side fin and 5 bars. Leave the eye white. Add a pink cheek.

Step 11: Orange fins, dark bars

Colour all the fins and the tail orange. Colour the 5 bars dark grey.

Step 12: Sandy floor

Colour the floor under the sand line sandy, out to the edges and around the seaweed.

Step 13: Blue bubbles, green seaweed

Colour the bubbles light blue and the seaweed green. Go over your lines and your perch is done!