How to Draw an Octopus (Easy Step by Step)
This little octopus is a friendly mix of easy shapes: a big dome for the head, long curvy lines for the legs, and a few dots and ovals for the face. The curly leg tips make it feel playful, and the smiling face makes it extra cute. Once you can draw this one, you can change the legs and face to make a whole octopus family.
- Medium
- 15 minutes
- 7 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw an octopus step by step
How to Draw an Octopus · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Head and curls
Draw a big tall dome, like an upside-down U. At the bottom, let each side bend outward and slope down and out, ending in a little curl, like a small hook.
Step 2: Two middle legs
Under the middle of the dome, draw two long legs side by side. Make each leg a pair of lines that run down together and finish with a little curl at the bottom.
Step 3: Legs beside the middle
Add one long curly leg on each side of the middle legs. Start each leg under the dome, run it down and slightly outward, and finish with a curl at the bottom.
Step 4: More side legs
On each side, tuck two more legs in the space between the legs you drew and the curl at the corner. Start them under the dome, slope them out and down, and give each a small curl at the end.
Step 5: Eyes and smile
Draw two small round dots for eyes, spaced apart in the middle of the face. Then draw a small curved smile between them and a little below.
Step 6: Cheek ovals
Draw a flat oval on each side of the face, below and outside the eyes. Leave the ovals empty. These are the sweet round cheeks.
Step 7: Sucker dots
Add small dots on the legs under the face, in neat little rows going down. These are the octopus's suckers.
All done!
Go over your lines with a marker, then color it in.
Finished your octopus? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a whale or how to draw a jellyfish next.
Tips for drawing an octopus
- Start with the two middle legs, then add legs outward on each side. This gives the rest of the legs a clear place to go, so you don't run out of room at the edges.
- Make each leg a pair of lines that run side by side, a bit like a long, thin ribbon. Try to keep the gap between the two lines about the same all the way down.
- Give every leg a small curl at the tip, like the letter J. Make the curls similar in size so the legs look like a matching set.
Free octopus coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this octopus coloring page at full size and print it. It is the same drawing you just learned, with clean lines ready for crayons or markers.
How to color your octopus drawing
Try a soft purple or orange octopus with pink cheeks and light blue suction dots. For a creative twist, give each leg its own rainbow color, or draw bubbles and seaweed around it.
Octopus fun fact for kids
An octopus has three hearts and blue blood. Two of the hearts pump blood to the gills and one pumps it to the rest of the body.
Questions about drawing an octopus
What shapes do I need to draw an octopus?
You need a big dome shape for the head, long curvy lines for the legs, two small ovals for the cheeks, and dots for the eyes and suckers.
How do I make my octopus look cuter?
Put the eyes wide apart in the middle of the face, and add a tiny smile and round cheeks. Curly leg tips make it look playful too.
How do I draw the legs so they look even?
Draw the two middle legs first, then add legs on each side. Try to make the legs on the left and right match, so the octopus looks balanced.
