If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to draw a dolphin, this guide will help you capture its smooth and streamlined appearance. Follow along as I break down its key features and guide you step by step.
Understanding the Dolphin’s Features
Elongated body with a sleek, curved shape.
Distinct dorsal fin on top, positioned slightly behind the middle of the back.
Long, pointed snout.
Small pectoral fins on each side.
Tail fin that spreads horizontally.
A streamlined design with minimal visible details.
Once you’ve finished your dolphin drawing, you might want to try sketching other sea creatures, such as a blue whale or a sea turtle.
About This Dolphin Drawing Guide
To make the drawing process easier, this guide uses a color-coded system:
Red Color: Represents the current step to focus on.
Black Color: Shows lines that you’ve already completed.
Grey Color: Indicates the basic sketch used for structure.
This approach keeps the drawing organized and allows you to track your progress easily.
Step 1: Let’s start drawing the dolphin without a basic sketch. First, draw a long curved line forming an arc to shape the upper part of the dolphin’s body up to the tail.
Step 2: Draw the upper part of the dolphin’s rostrum, which is the top of its mouth or beak.
Step 3: Draw the lower part of the dolphin’s rostrum and continue this line down to where the fin will be.
Step 4: Draw the fin that’s closer to us, as we’re drawing the dolphin from a side view.
Step 5: Draw an oval near the mouth and fill it in with black, leaving a small area uncolored for a highlight. This will be the dolphin’s eye.
Step 6: Continue the line of the dolphin’s lower body from the fin down to where the tail will be.
Step 7: Draw the outline shape of the tail.
Step 8: In this step, we’ll draw the second side fin of the dolphin, known as the pectoral fin, and also the dorsal fin on its back.
Step 9: With the sketch of the dolphin complete, refine any details, add missing elements, or erase any excess lines. Optionally, you can outline your sketch with a pen or ink and then erase all pencil marks to achieve a clean, crisp drawing.
Step 10: You can also color the dolphin. Use the attached image as a reference or choose your own colors.
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