How to draw a shark in the ocean

Step 1 of 49Guide lines

Reggie's guides

Reggie swims into the deep, where a little anglerfish lights the way. Lightly, two body curves: they meet at his nose, a quarter in and halfway down, and end three quarters across, at his tail.

Draw these lightly: they’re only there to help, and you’ll rub them out in step 38.

Step 2 of 49Guide lines

Fin and tail guides

Fin triangles: tall on his back, long and slanting back from mid-belly, narrow under his chest. Tail: up to a high point, in to the middle, down to a low point, back.

Draw these lightly: they’re only there to help, and you’ll rub them out in step 38.

Step 3 of 49

His head and top fin

Now the real lines: from his nose, follow the back curve over his head to the top fin. Go up its front edge to the tip, and down its back edge.

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His smile

From his nose again, round his chin, along his lower lip to the corner of his mouth, and back along its top edge without lifting. Then a little crease out from the corner.

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The side fin

The side fin comes before the belly. From the belly curve, halfway along, down its front edge to the long point, back up its other edge, and forward a little where it joins him.

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His belly

From the side fin's front edge, follow the belly curve forward to his chin and stop there.

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The far fin

His far side fin hangs behind the belly: from the belly just below the corner of his smile, down to a narrow point and back up.

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On to his tail

From the top fin's back edge, along his back and over a little fin, then on up the tail's top edge to its point, and down to a small notch.

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The tail

From the notch, down the tail's long back edge, in towards the middle and out again to the bottom point.

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Underneath

From the bottom point, along the tail's lower edge and under his body, round a big fin and back, then on to the side fin, without lifting.

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Two small fins

Two small fins hang from that line, each drawn from its front: a little one just in front of the big fin, then one near the tail.

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His eye

Above the smile's middle, an almond eye: from its pointed front corner, over the top and back under. Inside it, a tall oval, then a small circle in the oval's top left for the glint.

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Brow and eye line

Above the eye, a curved brow from front to back. Then a line sweeping out from the eye's lower back corner.

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His gills

Behind his head, four curved gill slits, each drawn up from the bottom. Start with the one nearest his eye.

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The line along his side

A long, light line high along his side, from above the last gill back towards the tail.

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The pale line at the front

Now the edge of his pale belly: a short line back from his snout, then a little curl for his nostril. Then a wavy line from beside it back to the first gill.

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The pale line behind the fin

The same wavy edge goes on behind the side fin: from its root, back along his body into the middle of the tail.

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The tail's inner line

Inside the tail, a line just inside its front edge: from near the top point, down to a V pointing right in the middle, and on down the lower half.

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Creases on his top fins

A fine crease up the top fin from its root, just inside its front edge. Then a short one up inside the little fin on his back, near the tail.

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Creases on his lower fins

A crease down the far fin from where it leaves him, one down the side fin from its root, and a short one along the big fin underneath.

Step 21 of 49

Placing the anglerfish

Now the anglerfish, below Reggie's nose and a little in front: an oval for its round body, about as wide as the far fin is where it joins him.

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The anglerfish's back

From where its tail will join, up over a small fin and along its back, up the curved stalk, round the drop of the lantern, and back down to its head.

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Its mouth

From the top of its head, down the back of its wide open mouth and out along the gum to the tip of its jaw, without lifting. Then a short line just under the gum.

Step 24 of 49

Belly and tail

From the tip of the jaw, round its belly to the tail, then on round the tail fin's wavy edge and back along to the small top fin, without lifting.

Step 25 of 49

Its teeth

Four sharp teeth stand up along the gum, from the back of the mouth to its tip. Then three more point out from the mouth's back edge, top to bottom.

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Its eye and cheek

A small ring for its eye, just behind the top of its mouth. Then a curved cheek line below the eye, round to its chin, and a little line inside the bend.

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Its side fin

Its side fin, just behind the cheek: a small C shape from the top round to the bottom, then four short lines inside it, top to bottom.

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Fin lines

Five lines across the tail fin, top to bottom, each from its root out to the wavy edge. Then three short ones in the small top fin.

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The glow

Six short dashes of light round the lantern, each drawn outwards: one on its left, then three down its right side, and two below it.

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Rocks on the left

The deep around them, drawn light and loose. Left of the anglerfish: a line slanting down to the right, two running up from it, then four shorter lines below, sloping the same way.

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The rocks above

The ledge far above, top left, in four long, faint lines: two in a row along the bottom, from the left, then two above them, each sloping up to the right.

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Rocks below him

Rocks below him: a faint line slanting down-left from under the side fin. Then a line up to a rounded top and back, and two long lines sloping up to the right, lower first.

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Specks below him

Specks below him: five under his belly and side fin, left to right.

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Specks round the anglerfish

Specks round the anglerfish, rings, dots and curls: four in a column in front of Reggie's nose, eight down the far left (one a dash off a rock line), then three below the anglerfish.

Step 35 of 49

Specks above his head

Eleven more above his head, left to right, from the rock ledge up towards the top fin: rings, dots and dashes, and one thin wisp, a long loop.

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Specks above his tail

Nine between the top fin and the tail, left to right: rings, dots and dashes, and three thin wisps, the first the longest.

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Specks by his tail

Last, nine by his tail, left to right: rings and curls round the rocks under it, one wisp, then three little dashes to the right of the tail.

Step 38 of 49

Erase the guides

Rub out the guide lines. Reggie, his friend and the deep stay.

Step 39 of 49

Go over Reggie

Press harder all round Reggie in one line: from his nose over his head, top fin and back, round the tail, then under him and round both side fins to his chin and nose.

Step 40 of 49

Go over the anglerfish

A firmer line round the anglerfish too, in one go: from its tail over its back, round the stalk and lantern, down its mouth, out along the gum, and round its belly and tail fin.

Step 41 of 49

Shading the anglerfish

Shading now, with the lantern as the only light, so keep it white. Shade the anglerfish's body a darker grey, right up to its mouth: the dark around the light makes it glow.

Step 42 of 49

The top fin

Reggie's shadow sides are the ones furthest from the lantern. Start with a soft, even tone in the top fin.

Step 43 of 49

Under the pale line

The same light tone in the band under the wavy pale line, from behind the side fin back to the tail.

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The top of the tail

Then the top half of the tail, the part of him furthest from the lantern: from the middle up to the point, soft and even.

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The lower tail

On down the lower half of the tail, along its back edge to the point.

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Above his eye, under his chin

A soft touch above his eye. Then a band of tone along the bottom of his belly, from his chin back to the side fin.

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Shading the far fin

Tone all over the far side fin, then a little darker at its top, where it sits in his shadow.

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Shading the near fin

Then the near side fin: tone along its top edge, from where it joins him to the tip, and a thin strip by its lower edge, near the tip.

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The darks

Last of all, fill in Reggie's tall oval, leaving the glint white, then the anglerfish's tiny eye, leaving a speck of white in it.