Learn How to Draw a Sea Turtle Step by Step

Alexia Young 02/09/2023

4 3 minutes read

Sea turtles are not just adorable creatures. These incredible reptiles have a lineage that dates back to the time of dinosaurs and embark on long journeys to nest and find food, covering thousands of miles. Living for up to a century in the wild, they are truly remarkable.

If you have ever wanted to artistically capture the beauty of a sea turtle with pencil and ink, you’re in luck. In this step-by-step tutorial, you will learn how to draw a sea turtle with ease. All you need are some drawing supplies, paper, and a reference photo of a sea turtle. So, let’s dive in and begin the artistic journey of drawing a sea turtle!

Table of Contents

Step 1: Create the Foundation

To start, form the head of the turtle by drawing a sideways oval shape. This will serve as the base for the turtle’s head.

Step 2: Shape the Neck

Next, extend two lines from the right side of the oval to create the neck of the turtle. This will give the turtle its characteristic elongated neck.

Step 3: Sketch the Body

Keeping things simple, sketch a large oval at the opposite end of the neck. This creates the body of the sea turtle, setting the stage for the rest of the drawing.

Step 4: Add the Front Flipper

Now, attach a long petal-like shape to the body to form the front flipper of the turtle. This adds further definition to the structure of the sea turtle.

Step 5: Include the Hind Flipper

Moving to the other end of the large oval, sketch a small half-circle to create the hind flipper of the turtle. This completes the basic outline of the turtle’s body.

Step 6: Bring Life to the Turtle

With the foundational shapes in place, it’s time to define the sea turtle’s features. Starting from the bottom of the neck, sketch a loose, wavy line that curves over the front flipper and rejoins the bottom line of the oval. This represents the shell, which covers the turtle’s appendages and stomach.

Next, add definition to the head by accentuating the nose and shaping a small oval for the eye, positioned midway down the face.

Step 7: Define the Flippers

Moving back to the flippers, replace the straight lines with wavy lines, adding a sense of movement and realism to the drawing.

Step 8: Capture the Shell’s Pattern

Now comes the exciting part – replicating the intricate pattern of a sea turtle’s shell. Begin by drawing a loose line along the bottom of the shell, then fill in the bottom row with rectangles of equal size. Gradually progress to the row above, incorporating both rectangles and pentagons. Keep checking reference photos to ensure accuracy and satisfaction with the overall result.

Step 9: Add Details to the Head

Remember, a sea turtle’s patterns extend beyond its shell. Focus on filling the head with various geometric shapes, starting with larger spots at the top and gradually getting smaller as you move towards the neck. Feel free to get creative with the patterns while maintaining the general rule of diminishing size.

Step 10: Embellish the Flippers

Extend the geometric pattern to the flippers, ensuring a denser arrangement in the front flipper and a more spread-out design in the hind flipper. Refer to your reference photos for guidance and inspiration.

Step 11: Ink It!

To enhance the beauty of the sea turtle’s distinct pattern and preserve your hard work, trace over the drawing with ink. Using your preferred pen, go over all the pencil marks and fill in the black areas of the pattern. If you choose to color the shell, leave white spaces between different shapes to maintain visibility.

Once the ink is dry, erase any remaining pencil lines, and voila! You have successfully learned how to draw a sea turtle.

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