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How to Draw a Sulcata Tortoise
Draw a sulcata tortoise 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 head.
Step 1: The head
On the left, a little below the middle, draw a small egg lying on its side for the head.
Tip Keep it small: a sulcata is almost all shell.
Step 2: Eye, nose and smile
Draw a big round eye near the front of the head. Add a nostril dot and a wide smile below.
Step 3: Huge boulder shell
Behind the head draw a huge shell like a boulder, almost flat on top. Fill most of the paper.
Tip The shell is wider than it is tall.
Step 4: Rim and neck
Start at the front corner, draw a saggy rim, ending at the back corner. Add a neck under the head.
Tip The neck runs from under the head into the rim.
Step 5: Front leg
Under the front of the shell draw a thick stumpy leg, like a tree trunk with 3 round toes.
Step 6: Back leg with spurs
Under the back of the shell, draw the same leg, leaning back. Add 2 rounded spurs on its back edge.
Tip The spurs give it its other name: the spurred tortoise.
Step 7: Far legs
Start on the rim behind the front leg. Curve down and stop at the foot. Same for the back leg.
Step 8: The tail
At the back end of the rim, draw a short stubby tail poking out, ending in a little point.
Step 9: Hexagon plates
On the shell, draw big rounded hexagon plates in 2 rows: 3 across the top and 4 below.
Tip Leave a little gap between every plate.
Step 10: The ground
Draw a long straight ground line under all the feet, from the head end to past the tail.
Step 11: Sand shell
Go over all your lines. Colour the huge shell and all its plates sand.
Step 12: Tan skin
Colour the head, neck, near legs, spurs and tail tan. Leave the eye white. Dab a pink cheek.
Step 13: Wood rim, far legs
Colour the rim and the two peeking far legs wood brown. Your sulcata tortoise is done!
Your finished drawing
Follow the steps above and this is where you end up: a sulcata tortoise, drawn by you.
Every step in one picture
