Turtles are fascinating reptiles known for their hard shells and slow movements. Their shells help them hide, protect themselves from other animals, and regulate body temperature. In this tutorial, we will draw a turtle using simple steps.
Turtles are found in diverse habitats worldwide, from oceans to freshwater ponds. They symbolize resilience and longevity in nature. Drawing and coloring turtles can be a fun and creative activity for kids. In this tutorial, we will draw a turtle with easy steps for beginners and kids.
Stay with us until the end of both the drawing and coloring processes. We will complete drawing a turtle in just nine steps, and we will provide the coloring step.
Art Materials & Equipment
- Drawing Paper
- Pencil
- Marker
- Pencil Color
- Eraser (Erase If Made Mistake)
- Sharpener (To Sharp Pencil)
- Rular (Alternative)
- Compass (Alternative)
Steps To Draw A Turtle
Preview the picture below for today’s drawing tutorial. At the end of it, you can draw it perfectly. We hope you will enjoy every step below while drawing the cartoon version of the turtle. Follow the simple steps given below.
Step 1: Sketch The Head
Draw an oval shape in the center of your paper, where you will place the turtle. This will be the shape of the head.
Step 2: Outline The Shells
From the right side of the turtle’s head, draw a rounded rectangle for the turtle’s shell. Make sure it’s a bit elongated horizontally, as shown in the image above.
Step 3: Refine The Shells
Draw another curved line at the bottom of the shells for a more in-depth look. As we observe in real life, the shell is hard, so we will strive to make it appear realistic. This simple step will later help our drawing to look natural.
Step 4: Sketch Right Side Leg
Start by drawing a straight line to extend from the turtle’s body. Then, sketch a slightly elongated circle at the end of this line to represent the turtle’s raised leg as if it were walking.
Step 5: Left Side Leg
Following the previous steps, draw an elongated circle for the left leg of the turtle. Extend this leg slightly downward from the body, as in the picture. To complete the step, draw the line toward the shell from the bottom of the leg for a complete body shape.
Step 6: Add the Backside Legs
Using the same method, draw the turtle’s backside legs. The left leg should be fully visible, extending slightly downward from the body. For the right leg, which is partially obscured, add a small triangular shape to complete the leg’s shape. This will give the turtle drawing a natural and balanced appearance.
Step 7: Create The Texture
To create the pattern on the shell, draw rounded shapes that cover the entire surface of the shell. This will give your turtle’s shell a textured and realistic appearance in the drawing.
Step 8: Draw The Facial Features
Sketch the two circles placed at a distance for the eyes. Overlay with the pencil and make it back for a realistic appearance. Then, just below the eyes, draw a curved line for a smiley face. This step will add life to our drawing.
Step 9: Final Touch
Finish the sketch by adding small circles on the legs to add detail. These circles can represent scales on the turtle’s legs. This detail enhances the overall appearance of your turtle drawing, adding realism and depth.
If you are confused about the guide, you can take a reference from the final picture of the drawing. This will complete our drawing process; make sure you have placed everything in the right position.
If you are interested in adding a touch of color, follow the guide below. Let’s enjoy coloring as well.
Coloring The Turtle
After sketching the character, we added some color to make it more fun. Here, we have begun by adding green to the turtle’s whole body, including the legs.
We have used a light mint green color; you can use any green or follow the same process. Then, for the details in the leg, we have to use a dark green color. Yellow has been used in the turtle’s shell, the most important body part. Then, finally, we added a cream color to the outer side of the shell for a deeper look.
Color Details:
- Mint Green
- Dark Green
- Yellow
- Cream
Finally, our cartoon version of the turtle is ready with a cheerful smile. We have used pencil colors for the coloring part; you can use your preferred one. We recommend using pencil color to make it more natural and not mess up. Additionally, if you are interested, you can outline the sketch with a marker for a neat and clean drawing. We hope you like the coloring process as well.
Please review both the reference picture we’ve provided and your drawing to ensure you’ve achieved the desired result. Compare them closely to ensure you’ve captured the details accurately and achieved a close resemblance to the reference.
Our Masterpiece is Ready
Finally, our simple and easy process of drawing a turtle is complete. We hope you find this guide easy and enjoyable. We focused on beginners and kids in this tutorial.
If you have any feedback for us, please share it through the comment box. We value your input and look forward to hearing from you. Anything you share, we will try to incorporate into our upcoming drawing guides.
