Coral reefs are rich, diverse, and fascinating creations, and the fish that inhabit them are just as magnificent. In just a few short, simple steps, we will learn how to bring them to life – let’s get started!
Tutorial Video
Step-By-Step Images and Instructions
1.
Start with a black pen and a ruler, and draw a large square in the center of your page.
2.
Now, use a thinner black pen to add the outline of a fish’s tail inside the square, angled at around 45 degrees, and then bring a curved line across the bottom, up to the bottom of the mouth, and then add two “bumps” for the lips, adding a curved line to the top one. Bring a line up from the top of this, and add three “points”, before connecting to the tail at the end.
3.
Bring a curved line down behind the points at the top, and add a “fin” to the bottom, joining this to the bottom line with a curved line.
4.
Now, bring two curved, parallel lines up, across to the right, and hook them back across to the left, joining them at the end with a point.
5.
Add another set of parallel lines to the bottom of this, connecting this to the top of the tail in an “S” shape.
6.
Continue these curved lines down past the bottom of the tail, and then connect this to the bottom of the body with a curved line.
7.
Add two pointed, curved fins to the bottom of the front section…
8.
And then add a curved “crescent moon” shape to the end of the tail. Add a series of short lines across this.
9.
Next, add a circle to the front of the face, and add a small curve to the bottom of this, and a small circle in the very center.
10.
Now, add a curved line to the fin at the front, and add a series of wavy lines across this.
11.
Return to the curved line at the bottom, and take this up to the bottom of the body, creating a curved point. Next, bring two curved lines up across the body, and join these in a point at the top.
12.
Add another curved line behind the right one that you just drew, and then draw a shorter curved shape behind this.
13.
Return to the section just behind the face, and add a series of short lines to the top of this.
14.
Now, return to the curve at the front of the nose, and add two more curved sections inside this.
15.
Add a series of small marks inside the curve at the back.
16.
Next, add the outline of another fish to the bottom, with a square back and a curved front. Add a “loop” to the front of this, and add a curved line inside for the mouth.
17.
Add a curved shape to the top of the second fish for a fin, and add a jagged section to the right of this.
18.
Add two “u” shapes to the bottom of the fish at the front, and then another, wider shape at the back for fins.
19.
Add a circle above the mouth, and then add a thicker ring inside this for the eye.
20.
Now, add two wavy, parallel lines for a stripe at the front of the face.
21.
Next, add another fin behind this, at the bottom, and add four “loop” inside this.
22.
Add a wavy line to the top and bottom of this shape, and then add a “kidney” shape to the left of this.
23.
Now, add another shape inside the tail at the back, and fill this with a series of long, thin “fingers” inside this.
24.
Now, add a series of curved lines across each of the fins at the top and bottom.
25.
Add the outline of a third fish to the right of this…
26.
And add a dramatic fin to the top of this, with a jagged section at the top right, and two curved, parallel lines below this.
27.
Add another jagged section to the bottom…
28.
And then add two curved shapes in front of this, with a line just inside the left curve.
29.
Next, add a wavy line just behind the face of this fish…
30.
And a curved fin behind this at the bottom.
31.
Now, add a circle to the front of this line, and two curved shapes below this.
32.
Add a curved line to the bottom of this circle, and then add another small circle to the top.
33.
Add two curved lines to the front of the tail, and add a small, curved shape to the center of this.
34.
Draw a curved line at the end of the tail, and then add a series of curved lines across the width of the tail.
35.
Add a series of curved lines to the top and bottom fin…
36.
And then bring up a series of curved lines to the right of the group of fish. Add several wavy sections to either side of the main branches.
37.
Add a series of small circles to the left, and add two interlinked circles to the top.
38.
Next, add a wavy line to the bottom of the right-hand fish, and a zig-zag line from the left of the top fish to the edge of the page.
39.
Grab a black pen, and shade the edge of the fins of the bottom fish. Then, shade the tail, edge of the fin, fins, and face of the top fish.
40.
Use a yellow pen for the back and tail of the fish at the top, and the fins of the right fish.
41.
Grab a bright blue pen, and shade the bottom fins of the bottom fish, as well as the tail, and then the curved section of the top fish, and the point at the bottom. Use the same shade for the bubbles.
42.
Use an orange pen for the main body of the left fish…
43.
And then use a dark blue pen for the main body of the right fish.
44.
Now, grab a bright blue pen for the sections of the ocean on the right and left of the page.
45.
Finally, use a blue pencil for the rest of the ocean, and complete your underwater paradise.
And there we have it – a school of fish enjoying the beauty of a coral reef – why not learn how you can help to protect precious coral reefs, and play your part in ensuring that they are conserved and protected for the future.
