Welcome to this step-by-step tutorial on how to draw a shark. Sharks are fascinating and feared creatures due to their reputation as ferocious predators. However, it’s important to remember that they play a vital role in the ocean’s food chain and contribute to the health of our planet.
When drawing a shark, we not only explore its anatomy and body structure but also learn about its behavior and unique features, allowing us to create a more realistic representation. Drawing complex animals like sharks is challenging but provides an opportunity to improve our drawing techniques, including shading, perspective, and proportion.
So, grab your pencils and paper, and let’s dive into the captivating world of shark anatomy through the art of drawing.
What You Will Learn:
- The body structure of a shark
- How to draw and shade a shark
Materials Needed:
- A piece of paper
- A 2H graphite pencil
- A 4B and 8B graphite pencil
- Powdered Graphite
- A soft brush
- A Tombow Mono Zero 2.3mm eraser
- A kneaded eraser
This is the shark you will be drawing:
And these are all the steps we’ll guide you through:
Section 1 – Drawing the Structure
Understanding the structure of a shark’s body is essential for drawing it from scratch. In this section, we’ll learn how to draw the structure of a shark’s body. Use your 2H graphite pencil with gentle pressure to create soft marks.
Step 1: Divide your Canvas
Draw two intersecting lines, one horizontal and one vertical, in the middle of your canvas.
Step 2: Draw a Circle
Draw a circle at the center of your canvas using the intersecting lines as a guide. This circle determines the diameter of the shark’s abdomen and affects the final size of your drawing. You can use a compass to ensure the correct diameter.
Step 3: Draw Another Circle
Draw a second circle with half the diameter of the first circle. Place it on top of the baseline in the center of the first quadrant. This second circle represents the shark’s head in your drawing.
Step 4: Draw a Smaller Circle
Draw a third circle below the baseline, approximately one-third of the diameter of the first circle. Position it at an equal distance to the second circle.
Step 5: Connect Them
Draw lines connecting the three circles as shown in the image. Repeat this step for the bottom part of the circles.
Step 6: Draw Two Lines
Draw two diagonal lines projecting upward from the largest circle. Connect them to each other. These lines represent the structure and position of the upper fin.
Step 7: Repeat
Repeat the previous step for the left and right circles. Draw straight lines from the sides of the circles, following the directions of the lines drawn in Step 5.
Step 8: Draw a Curved Vertical Line
To start drawing the shark’s tail, make a smooth curved stroke at the intersection closest to the smaller circle. This stroke serves as a reference for defining the shape and proportions of the tail.
Step 9: Define the Tail
Continuing with the tail, draw two diagonals that start from the middle of the smaller circle, forming a 90° angle. These lines connect with the curved line drawn in Step 8, gradually shaping the shark’s tail.
Step 10: Let’s Start Shaping the Mouth
The shark’s mouth has a distinctive shape. Follow the diagram below to draw the shark’s “nose” and mouth.
Step 11: Lower Jaw
Using the circle from Step 2 as a guide, draw the corresponding line for the shark’s lower jaw. Refer to the image for a visual reference.
Step 12: Let’s Start with the Fins
Since we’re representing only one side of the shark, the right fin appears to be further away. Draw two curved strokes, as shown in the image, with the left fin longer than the right. This creates a depth effect in your shark drawing. Draw a small curved line to indicate the opening of the mouth.
Step 13: Finish the Contour of the Fins
Draw two curved lines around the tips of the fins. These lines should follow the circular and elongated shape of the fins, connecting with the shark’s body.
Step 14: Draw the Other Fins
Sharks have two more sets of fins: the upper and lower smaller fins and the pelvic fins on the sides. The right pelvic fin is hidden by the shark’s body, but the left one is visible and flatter than the upper and lower fins.
Step 15: Draw the Eye, Nose, and Gills
Draw the shark’s eye, visible nostril, and gills. Start erasing your guidelines using a kneaded eraser.
Step 16: Outline Your Shark
With your 4B pencil, outline your shark and draw the teeth. At this point, your shark drawing is complete. However, if you’re up for a challenge, you can continue with the shading process.
Section 2 – How to Shade a Shark
In this section, we’ll use powdered graphite, your 4B and 8B pencils, and your kneaded eraser to shade the shark. Shading a shark’s body is not as easy as it may seem. Underwater lighting creates unique forms and volumes on the shark’s body.
Step 17: Define the Values
Sharks have two distinct colors on their bodies, dark gray on the back and white on the belly. Marking the color change with your 2H pencil at the beginning will help you achieve a more accurate shading.
Step 18: Fill the Area with Graphite
Use powdered graphite or your 4B pencil to softly fill the highlighted area with a layer of graphite.
Step 19: Draw Two Lines
To achieve the underwater shading style, separate the shark’s body into two parts using two lines. One line should originate from the nose, and the other from the tail.
Step 20: Start Shading
Begin shading the head by darkening the area marked by the line. Create a quick and short gradient between the two sections. Leave the borders of the eyes white but add some contrast to the base of the eye to create a sinking effect.
Step 21: Shade the Left Fin
Shade the left fin using the same technique. Leave the borders white and lighten the value near the part where the fin connects with the body.
Step 22: Shade the Body
Shade the shark’s body with a gradient, lightening the values when reaching the middle part of the body near the left fin. This part receives more light due to the fin’s movements.
Step 23: Shade the Tail
Follow the diagram below to shade the tail, leaving the borders lighter than the rest. Use darker values for the base of the tail, which receives less light.
Step 24: Shade the Upper Body
Softly shade the upper part of the shark’s body with your 4B pencil.
Step 25: Shade the Upper and Left Fin
Shade the upper fin, darkening the value closest to the head. Use a white border or your Tombow Mono Zero eraser to add highlights. Shade the right fin as well, remembering that it’s one of the darkest parts of the shark.
Step 26: Shade the Belly
The shark’s belly is white, but it’s affected by light and the shark’s position. Create a soft gradient with your 4B pencil, leaving only the sides of the shark with the lightest values.
Step 27: Shade the Mouth
Apply enough pressure and layers of graphite to create a very dark shade for the shark’s mouth. Leave the teeth white but shade the bases to define their volume.
Step 27: Add Water
Using powdered graphite and a soft brush or cotton ball, create a gradient that mimics water. Add highlights with your kneaded eraser to complete the underwater effect.
That’s it, you’re done!
Congratulations on completing your incredible shark drawing. We hope you enjoyed this tutorial and had a great time. Remember, working with shapes underwater can be challenging, but it’s an excellent exercise for artists of any level. Don’t worry if your first attempts aren’t perfect. Mistakes are part of the learning process.
Thank you for joining us on this adventure, and happy drawing!
