How to Draw a Dolphin in Cartoon Style

Let's draw a dolphin. Dolphins and other sea creatures are easy to draw as they don't have arms or legs, and don't have expressions that we could read.

You don't need to be an artist to draw a great looking dolphin. Just do it step by step.

The key is to use very light pencil touches when sketching the shapes. You will later use stronger lines to complete and touch-up the drawing.

To keep the process easy, we will sketch simple shapes first. Later, we will connect those shapes and a great looking dolphin will take shape.

Scroll down for a downloadable PDF of this tutorial.

​The challenge is to get the proportions right and that will become easier with practice.

And remember, it's a cartoon dolphin. It doesn't need to be realistic. If your first cartoon dolphin drawing doesn't satisfy you, do it again. I bet the next one is going to be even better and come together much faster.

In the following drawing stages, I've highlighted each step with lines of blue color.

You don't need any special pens or tools. A regular pencil, eraser, and paper are all you need. If you want, you can also color the drawing with colored pencils or pens.​

If you liked this tutorial, see also the following drawing guides: Whale, Narwhal, and Fish.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Drawing a Dolphin