A sea turtle is a marine reptile belonging to the family Cheloniidae (except the leatherback turtle, which belongs to the family Dermochelyidae). So, in this tutorial, we will learn to draw a sea turtle.
Sea turtles are characterized by their large, streamlined shells and flippers, which are adapted for swimming in the ocean. They are found in warm and temperate seas worldwide, often migrating long distances between feeding grounds and nesting sites. We will be sharing the easiest step for drawing a sea turtle.
Art Materials & Equipment
- Pencil
- Paper
- Marker
- Color pencils or markers
- Eraser (for mistakes)
- Sharpener
- Compass
Steps To Draw Sea Turtle Step By Step
Below, you can see a short demonstration of the process. Follow the detailed instructions to draw a sea turtle underwater perfectly. This guide was designed with beginners and kids in mind. By following the step-by-step instructions provided, you can easily create a detailed and beautiful sea turtle illustration.
This guide is designed for beginners and kids, making it easy for everyone to follow along and create their own sea turtle drawing.
Step 1: Draw the Shell
Before you begin drawing, mark your paper with two straight lines to help guide the underwater details later. Then, sketch an oval-like shape for the turtle’s shell. Position the oval shape in the middle of the paper or wherever you prefer to place your drawing.
Step 2: Add the Front Flippers
Position two flippers extending from the bottom sides of the shell. The front flippers are slightly curved and larger than the back ones, so make sure they look perfect.
Step 3: Add the Back Flippers And Head
Sketch two smaller, curved flippers, with the front one extending from the lower part of the shell. Make sure, it looks the the same as the image given below. Draw a small, rounded shape attached to the top right of the shell for the turtle’s head.
Step 4: Outline the Nuchal Shell
Inside the oval, draw a smaller oval, following the shape, to later add the details. This step will make your drawing clear.
Step 5: Detail the Shell
Add some details to the shell by drawing lines that follow their shape, giving them a more realistic look.
Step 6: Detail the Nuchal Shell
Following the same process to sketch the details of the turtle vertebral shell, add details to the nuchal shell by adding lines to the following shape.
Step 7: Draw the Eyes
Add two small circles on the turtle’s head for the eyes. Fill them in to make them stand out. Also, add the curved line below the eyes to shape the neck, as you can see in the picture.
Step 8: Add Underwater Grass
In the underwater scene, draw curved lines to the left side that rise upward to represent the underwater grass. This will add fine details to the scene.
Step 9: Draw The Grass
Following the same process used in step 9 for drawing underwater grass, sketch it on the left side of the scene, making it somewhat smaller than the grass on the right side.
Step 10: Add Bubbles Upward
Sketch small circles around the turtle to show bubbles, enhancing the underwater feel. You can draw just 4 bubbles as shown in the picture, or you can add more if you prefer.
Step 11: Draw the Waterline
Add two wavy lines at the top of the drawing to indicate the water surface, it will make the drawing look more natural and realistic. Erase any extra layer in the sketch, and this will finally complete our drawing process.
Make sure you have followed every process one by one for a perfect drawing. If you get confused about anything, just follow the provided picture at every step. With easy and fun drawing steps, follow the colouring steps with us! Let’s enjoy colouring together.
Coloring The Sea Turtle Inside The Water
The colouring process is more enjoyable, and effortless. We have chosen pencil color to follow the process, but you can choose any of your preferences. But we suggest you use pencil color to not mess up your sketch.
We started the process, by adding a blue color inside the water, and a light blue color above the wave of the water. We have used a light blue color for the bubbles as well. The green color has been in the details of turtle flippers, and underwater grass.
Then, we added a yellow-green color to the body of the turtle. Brown color has been used in the vertebral shell, and a lighter shade of brown has been used in the nuchal shell. We have completed the coloring process by choosing a basic color, you can also add some extra color of your own choice.
Color Details:
- Blue
- Light Blue
- Green
- Yellow
- Brown
- Light Brown
Finally, we have completed the coloring process. We hope you enjoy every process of coloring, as much as of sketching. Additionally, for a bold look, you can outline the sketch with the help of a black marker.
Great Job
Finally, our sea turtle is ready, with different shades of color and a cute look. This is how you draw sea turtles underwater in a simple, step-by-step process.
We hope you enjoy each step of this tutorial and look forward to seeing you in our next drawing guide. Please leave your thoughts or any feedback for us, as we appreciate your input. Happy Drawing!!
