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How to Draw a Turtle Shell
Draw a turtle shell 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: the dome.
Step 1: The dome
In the middle of your paper, draw a big low dome like an upside-down bowl, wider than tall, flat bottom.
Tip A smooth hill, like half an egg lying on its side.
Step 2: Two big eyes
In the middle of the dome, a little below the centre, draw 2 big eggy eyes an eye apart.
Step 3: Open smile and cheeks
Under the eyes, draw a line, then a U from end to end. Add a tongue hill and 2 cheeks.
Step 4: The middle plate
Around the whole face, draw a big hexagon: 6 straight sides, flat top and bottom, a point at each side.
Tip A turtle's shell is made of plates; the biggest is in the middle.
Step 5: Plate lines
From each of the 6 corners of the hexagon, draw one straight line out to the edge of the dome.
Step 6: The rim
Start at the dome's bottom left corner. Draw a sagging band under the dome, curling up into the right corner.
Step 7: Rim marks
On the rim band, draw 6 short upright lines, 3 on each side, from the top to the bottom.
Step 8: The sand line
Draw a long sand line under the rim, from one edge of your paper to the other.
Step 9: Sandy floor, tan rim
Go over your lines. Colour the floor under the sand line sandy yellow and the rim tan.
Step 10: Pink cheeks and tongue
Colour the 2 cheeks and the tongue pink. Leave the eyes white.
Step 11: Leaf plates
Colour the middle plate leaf green around the face, and every other outer plate too, like a patchwork.
Step 12: Green plates, red mouth
Colour the other 3 plates green, and colour the mouth red around the tongue.
Your finished drawing
Follow the steps above and this is where you end up: a turtle shell, drawn by you.
Every step in one picture
