Dolphins are intelligent, playful marine animals loved by many for their friendly nature and acrobatic jumps. Drawing a dolphin can be fun and easy, especially when broken down into simple steps.
Dolphins live in oceans and are often seen jumping above water. In today’s tutorial, we’ll learn how to draw a dolphin in just a few simple guides. This tutorial is made for both beginners and experienced writers, so you can enjoy the process fully with easy steps.
Art Materials & Equipment
- Drawing Paper
- Colors of Your Choices
- Pencil
- Eraser
- Sharpener
- Marker
- Pen (Optional)
- Rural (Optional)
- Compass (Optional)
Steps to Draw a Dolphin
Get ready to bring this playful dolphin to life. Here is a quick preview of today’s tutorial—follow the step-by-step guide to learn how to draw dolphins easily and accurately. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll be able to draw an adorable, lifelike dolphin.
Step 1: Sketch the Body Outline
Sketch a banana-shaped curve (like a backward “C”) for the back. This will outline the top of the dolphin’s head and back.
Step 2: Draw the Nose and Complete Body Shape
From the head curve, draw a rounded snout. Extends outward and curves down gently to form the belly of the dolphin.
Step 3: Design the Flukes (Tail)
To draw the tail, start by extending two curved lines from the end of the body, splitting them into a “Y” shape. Make each fluke wide and slightly pointed, ensuring they’re symmetrical and mirror each other. Keep the curves smooth, as if the dolphin is swimming.
Step 4: Sketch the Side Fin
Draw a triangular side fin with a slightly curved edge, attaching it to the dolphin’s lower body near the middle. Angle the fin slightly toward the tail as shown in the image.
Step 5: Draw the Top Fin
Add the dorsal fin (top fin) by sketching a triangular shape on the dolphin’s back. Erase the extra overlapping line of the body to give a natural look.
Step 6: Complete the Side Fin and Draw the Facial Structure
Following the same step, draw the second side fin on the left side, positioned behind the top right fin to give a sense of depth and balance. Now, add a small curved line for the closed eye and a tiny upward curve for the dolphin’s smile to make it look joyful.
Step 7: Add Details
Draw a curved line to separate the belly and add a few detail lines on the body and fins to give it more depth. Reference the picture to create the exact look and to balance the idea created.
This step wraps up the sketching process. We’ve followed an easy-to-understand guide to help anyone draw it with clarity and confidence. If you had any problem with the guide, please follow the image we have shared on each step. Erase any extra lines in your sketch, and let’s move on to the coloring process to give your dolphin a life.
Coloring a Dolphin
Color the dolphin using a mix of blue tones and light sky blue to reflect its natural appearance. Apply a deeper blue to the top of the dolphin’s body and a lighter blue or white to the belly area. For the background or outer design, you can use a soft sky blue to complete the look. We have used simple and minimal colors to keep it clean; you can also add colors of your own choice.
Color Details:
- Dark Blue
- Sky Blue
- Lighter Shade or White
And that’s it – your colorful dolphin is complete. We hope you had fun following along with our simple steps. While we’ve shown our example in classic dolphin shades, feel free to get creative. For extra pop, try outlining your masterpiece with a black marker to make your dolphin really stand out!
All Done
You’ve successfully drawn a dolphin step by step using simple shapes and lines. We hope you enjoy the process of sketching and coloring equally. This easy guide helps beginners sketch confidently while having fun.
If you loved drawing this dolphin, explore more of our character tutorials and keep practicing. Share your artwork and creative ideas with us; we’d love to see what you create. Stay tuned for our next collection.
