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How to Draw a Plecostomus

12 steps · Medium · about 9 min

Draw a plecostomus in 12 easy steps, about 9 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: flat head and body.

Step 1: Flat head and body
Start on the right. Draw a humped back to a nose, then a flat tummy back, stopping under the start.
Tip Leave the right end open for the tail. It lies flat like a doorstop.
Step 2: Eye and sucker mouth
High on the head draw a big round eye. Under the nose draw a small oval sucker with a smile.
Tip The mouth is a round sucker underneath, for clinging to glass and rocks.
Step 3: Forked tail
From the open end's top draw a pointy lobe back to a dent, then a longer lobe to the tummy.
Step 4: Huge sail fin
Start on the back behind the head. Draw a huge fin up to a tip and down to the back.
Tip The sail fin is as tall as the body is thick.
Step 5: Gill and side fin
Behind the eye draw a C gill from under the back to the tummy, with a low leaf fin behind.
Step 6: Armour spots
Over the body behind the gill draw small round spots in wobbly rows, keeping them off the fins.
Tip Plecos wear armour plates covered in spots.
Step 7: Gravel and pebbles
Draw a long wavy gravel line right across the paper, under the flat tummy. Below it draw 3 little pebbles.
Tip The pleco lies ON the gravel: the line runs right under its tummy.
Step 8: Bubbles
In front of the nose draw 3 bubbles floating up, each bigger than the last.
Step 9: Sand and pebbles
Colour the floor under the gravel line sandy and the pebbles grey.
Step 10: Bubbles and sucker
Colour the bubbles light blue and the sucker pink.
Step 11: Tan spots, brown pleco
Colour the spots tan, then the body and tail brown around the spots, sucker and fin. Leave the eye white.
Step 12: Dark fins
Colour the sail fin and side fin darker brown. Go over your lines and your pleco is done!