53 Sealife Drawing Tutorials for Kids

Dolphins have long been many people's favorite sea creatures because they are smart, playful, and social. Dolphins live in groups called pods and have been known to rescue humans. They communicate with each other using clicks and chirps, but they can be taught to understand human words as well!

The seahorse is a cute and interesting sea creature. Despite their bizarre appearance, seahorses are a type of fish. They are also the only animal in which the father gives birth to the babies!

Duh-nuh, duh-nuh... when you hear that iconic music play, you know Jaws is on his way!

You'll have a whale of a tale when you master this blue whale drawing tutorial. The blue whale is the largest creature to ever live on Earth - it's even bigger than the dinosaurs.

Octopi can solve puzzles, change colors to match their environments, and contort their bodies to pass through small spaces.

Koi are a type of carp similar to the goldfish. They grow very large and live for decades. They are a favorite showpiece in Japanese and Asian-style ponds and gardens.

Jellyfish are among the only large animal organisms able to live without a brain. Many species use stinging tentacles to protect themselves and capture food.

Narwhal tusks actually extend from their upper lip, but we've made this one look a bit like a unicorn. In fact, narwhal tusks may have inspired the unicorn mythos.

Squid are fascinatingly smart, and they range in size from tiny, finger-sized species to the once-legendary giant squid. They can also shoot "ink" to make a secret getaway!

Some crabs live in water, and others on land. They are also a favorite guest at seafood boils!

Like Peach from Disney's Finding Nemo, this starfish has a smiling face.

Orcas or killer whales are the largest species of dolphin. They are extremely smart, a trait they use for pack hunting or performing tricks for human trainers.

Will your lobster be shaded red, like one that has been cooked? Or will it be a rare "cotton candy" lobster in shades of light pink and pale blue?

Angler fish live strange lives in the deep ocean. They attract prey to their mouths with a blinking light at the end of a fleshy appendage. Male fish seek out females, bite them, and never let go - they actually become a permanent part of the female fish's body.

Hammerhead sharks are named for the shape of their heads, but they don't actually use their eyestalks to hammer anything. Hammerhead sharks are known to congregate in groups of thousands.

Did you know that that pearl necklace started with an irritant inside an oyster? When a piece of sand or something similar gets inside an oyster's shell, it coats it with a substance called mother of pearl to make it smooth and non-irritating. Eventually, it becomes a beautiful pearl.

Few baby animals are cuter than a baby seal. Is this one a fur seal, a harbor seal, or a leopard seal? The choice is yours.

Sometimes stingrays get a bad rap, but they are actually peaceful creatures. They may live individually or in groups, hiding on the bottom of the sea. When they swim, they appear to fly and glide through the water.

Whether you want to keep your sketches in an aquarium or the open sea, this backdrop contains all the scenery you need.

The Kraken was a legendary sea monster likely based on sightings of the giant squid or the colossal squid.

Great white sharks are among the largest and most dangerous sharks. But individuals like Deep Blue prove that there is more to these animals than being bloodthirsty maneaters.

When many people think of salmon, they imagine a can in the pantry. But in life, these fish make an amazing upstream migration, where they are a favorite treat of grizzly bears.

Betta fish originated in the slow-moving rivers of Asia. The males are often kept as pets because they are easy to care for and have long, brightly colored fins. They are also highly territorial - never put two males in the same bowl!

Manatees and dugongs are unlike any other sea creature. They are called sea cows due to their vegetarian diet and peaceful nature. These slow-moving mammals can grow as large as a car!

Swordfish are a popular quarry for sports fishermen. They are named for their long, hard, sharply pointed snouts that resemble swords.

Have you been drawing each sea creature on this list? Now, give them a place to live when you draw this coral reef. It is a complete ecosystem with corals, sponges, seaweed, and more.

Myths of mermaids - creatures whose upper half was that of a human female with the lower half or tail of a fish - have abounded for centuries.

Do you like to eat shrimp? Now you can draw one, too. In life, shrimp have many insect-like legs and resemble tiny lobsters.

You won't get catfished with this drawing guide - you'll just learn how to draw one! Catfish are a favorite of sport fishermen and chefs alike. They are named for the catlike "whiskers" called barbels, located around the mouth. The fish uses these to sense its environment.

Have you ever been whale watching? Humpback whales are a favorite species along the coasts of Australia, California, and the eastern coast of the United States. Why? These whales are playful and are often curious about human visitors.

Leafy sea dragons are a little-known denizen of the sea. They have a body similar to a seahorse's, with fleshy leaf-like appendages that offer them camouflage amid tangles of seaweed.

From freshwater lakes to the salty seas, this smiling cartoon fish can brighten your drawings.

From freshwater lakes to the salty seas, this smiling cartoon fish can brighten your drawings.

Turtles are unique among four-legged animals in that they carry a protective shell on their backs. You can draw this tortoise making his slow way across your sketchbook.

With her huge eyes and innocent smile, young Dory is an adorable fish. Don't forget to draw grown-up Dory, who you will find above.

Do you like collecting seashells? Draw the many layers of this striped scalloped shell to set a seaside scene.

Claim this beautiful ornamental fish as your very own pet. Notice the detail of the lips, the fins, and the "C" shaped scales.

Coral reefs are diminishing, but this one can flourish in your sketchbook. It includes staghorn coral, sponges, seaweed, a striped angelfish, and a jellyfish.

You can make a new friend to share your undersea adventures with this easy mythical maiden. She is interacting with a goldfish similar to the one listed above.

Dolphins love to jump and play. These have met in midair to form a heart shape with their bodies. Show your love for nature or someone special.

The Megalodon was once the biggest predator of the seas. As you will see in this sketch, it looks very much like a great white shark. The tiny dolphins are there for size comparison.

This type of reef-dwelling angelfish is called a copperband butterfly fish. Add it to your coral reef drawing, listed above.

This goldfish has a very simple outline with lots of details within - spines on the fins and rows of scales along its body.

Clownfish are one of the most popular coral reef fish. They are recognizable by their vertical stripes and the dark borders on their fins and tails.

This smiling crustacean is ready for fun under the sea. You will draw its many legs, its armlike claws, and its eyestalks.

The walrus has a similar body shape to the seal, an aquatic mammal. They have large, long bodies, flippers for arms, and a flippered tail. What sets walruses apart is their long teeth called tusks.

At first glance, you might confuse otters with seals, too. But these furry aquatic mammals have webbed paws instead of flippers. They also like to float on their backs.

Sharks have torpedo-shaped bodies with triangular fins. After drawing your shark, notice the dark shading on its back and the lighter shading on the belly. This helps the shark stay camouflaged from above and below.

Seahorses are named for their horse like heads with long snouts. They use their long, curly prehensile tails to hold onto seaweed, much as monkeys use their tails to grasp branches.

Tiger sharks are named for the striped pattern on their backs. Notice that like the shark above, they have dark shading on their backs and lighter shading on their bellies.

Angelfish are named for their long, flowing fins which look a bit like angels' wings. This one has stripes marking it as a species called a Moorish idol.

Whale sharks are the largest fish in the sea. They use their wide mouths to suck in water containing their favorite food - tiny plankton. Their bodies are covered in small spots.