How to Draw an Orca (Easy Step by Step)
This orca is a friendly, chubby whale built from a few easy shapes: a big round body, a pointed fin, and leaf shapes for the flipper and tail. It is a good first sea animal because most of it is one smooth curve. The smile and the eye patch give it a lot of personality.
- Easy
- 10 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 orca step by step
How to Draw an Orca · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Guide shapes
Lightly sketch this oval. It only shows where the big parts go, so press softly. You will erase it at the end.
Step 2: Body and fin tip
Start at the tip of a small pointed fin at the top. Draw down into a big round curve that bulges out on the left, then swing around the bottom and stop on the lower right.
Step 3: Back and tail
From the top of the fin, draw a short straight line down, then a long slanted line sloping down to the right. End with a little curve that hooks up into the upper tail tip.
Step 4: The tail fluke
Start at the notch under the upper tail tip and draw a curved leaf shape that swoops down to a point. Bring it back up to meet the end of the bottom of the body.
Step 5: The side flipper
On the bottom of the body, draw a small leaf shape that hangs down, like a little paddle. Start and end on the body line and let the bottom curve to a soft point.
Step 6: Smile and belly line
Start at the left edge and draw a small wavy smile. Then curve the line down and sweep it to the right in a long, gentle bowl shape, stopping before the tail.
Step 7: Eye patch and eye
Above the smile, draw a small tilted oval for the white eye patch. Then add a small dot below and to the left of the oval for the eye.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your orca? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a pufferfish or how to draw an anglerfish next.
Tips for drawing an orca
- Imagine a big tilted oval first, so the head and belly come out round instead of lumpy.
- The tall fin is the trickiest part. Make it a skinny point with one straight edge and one curved edge, right on top of the body.
- Draw the belly line in one smooth sweep and stop before it reaches the tail.
Free orca coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this orca 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 orca drawing
Color the top of the orca black or dark blue and leave the belly and the eye patch white. For a creative twist, give your orca rainbow stripes on its tail or draw bubbles and a bright blue ocean around it.
Orca fun fact for kids
Orcas are the largest members of the dolphin family. They live in family groups called pods, and each pod has its own special calls.
Questions about drawing an orca
What shapes do I need to draw an orca?
You need a big round shape for the body, a pointed fin on top, and leaf shapes for the flipper and tail. A small oval and a dot finish the face.
How do I make my orca look cuter?
Make the body extra round and keep the eye patch and dot close to the smile. A small curved smile and a little flipper make it look friendly.
How do I draw the white spot by the eye?
Draw a small tilted oval above the smile, a bit like a bean lying on its side. Then add a dot below and to the left of it for the eye.
