Learn How to Draw a Sea Turtle

A Simple (and Cute) Line Drawing Tutorial

Sea turtles are a fun subject to draw and this short tutorial is ideal for younger kids or anyone who's new to drawing. It's a simple line drawing that is easy, and anyone can do it by following along in the lesson. It's also a great way to show kids that most drawings are little more than a series of simple lines and shapes.

Have fun with this cute sea turtles swimming through the ocean. Use pencils for the base drawing, then outline it in markers or color it in with crayons if you like. It's a fun class project or something to try out at home just for fun. One group of students even used it to create a beautiful display of multi-colored painted turtles.

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Start With an Egg Shape

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We will begin the sea turtle by drawing the basic shapes of his body. This requires just a few simple lines and we'll fill in the details in the next step.

  1. Begin by drawing a tilted egg shape for the sea turtle's body. The bottom part where his head will be should be rounded and a little larger than the top, which is slightly pointed.
  2. Draw the front boomerang-shaped flippers, one on each side of where the head will be.
  3. Add the two back flippers, which have an almost triangular shape. The flipper closest to you will be a little longer and larger than the back one which is mostly hidden by the shell.
  4. Finish the outline by drawing the turtle's spoon-shaped head and neck.
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Add Detail to Your Turtle

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Your turtle is going to come to life after this step because we're going to add a few details and give him more dimension.

  1. Draw another egg shape inside the first to define the top of the turtle's shell. Let it join up with the top edge as shown to give it a three-dimensional look.
  2. To draw the shell pattern, add a row of squashed diamond shapes along the middle of the shell.
  3. Add the turtle's eye and mouth. Remember that we're only seeing one side of his head, so only one eye is needed.
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Finish the Sea Turtle

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It's time to finish your drawing and adding the final details is the best part.

  1. Complete the shell by drawing lines that divide the outer band of the shell. These are short lines between your two egg shapes that curve slightly as you move around the shell.
  2. Create the leathery texture of the turtle's skin by drawing a random pattern of little marks here and there. Be sure to get each flipper and add just a few dots along his neck, running up to the head.

That's all there is to it. You should now have an adorable, smiling sea turtle. You can add color or add a background as if he's swimming through the ocean or leave it as is.