Various marine animals

On this page you will find sample tutorials in step by step instructions to be able to draw jellyfish and other sea creatures.

How to draw Nautilus

The nautilus is also called pearl boat and belongs, like the squids, to the cephalopods. The basic shape is that of a circle, to which the opening extends in the shape of a snail. The shell is characterized by a beautiful grain and coloration.

Marine animals – drawing jellyfish

To create a balanced underwater image, other creatures such as jellyfish or even seahorses are the icing on the cake. Medusae (as the cnidarians are also called) consist mostly of water, so they are very transparent.

The nautilus, also called a pearl boat, for example, is a very primeval animal. Once giant in size, these have now become considerably smaller and float peacefully through the oceans. Drawing them is similar to drawing a snail.

Seahorses are adorable little fellows, which get their name from the horse-like head. They prefer to hang on to plants with their hindquarters to avoid being washed away by the current.

Coloring with colored pencil – An example from my German blog:

Draw small jellyfish

A medusa starts with a circle for the umbrella and tentacles.

Long jellyfish

The tentacles of a jellyfish vary in length and shape from species to species.

Round jellyfish

Here you can see a small round jellyfish with many small thin nettles.

Marine animals – seahorses

Below are step by step instructions for drawing seahorses:

Drawing a seahorse (view to the left)

The seahorse is characterized by a long, slightly serpentine body with an upturned tail that allows it to cling to plants. The head looks similar to that of a horse with a very long tip.

Drawing a seahorse (view to the right)

The skin of the seahorse is covered with bulges which makes it look slightly dragon-like. In the seahorses, the males have the young, which then -as here in the picture- have a thick belly.

Draw sea turtles

My blog has some examples of drawing and painting sea turtles:

More pages

• • • Blending and Shading with Pencil
    • Choosing the Right Drawing Technique for Me
    • Painting a Sea Turtle with Brush Markers
    • Painting an Underwater Mermaid with Markers

From the German blog

• • • Blending and Shading with Pencil
    • Which Drawing Technique is Right for Me?
    • Painting a Sea Turtle with Brush Markers
    • Painting an Underwater Mermaid with Markers

From the German Drawing Forum

• • Forum Article: Blending Colored Pencils