How to Draw a Manatee (Easy Step by Step)
A manatee is a good first sea animal to draw because it is mostly one big bean shape. You only need a rounded nose, a long body, a paddle tail and two little flippers. The dots for the eye and snout give it a sweet, sleepy face.
- 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 a manatee step by step
How to Draw a Manatee · 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: Nose and back
Start under the chin and draw a small round bump for the nose on the left. Then draw a long, smooth hill over the top for the head and back, sloping down to the right.
Step 3: The round belly
Start under the chin and draw a gentle curve that swoops down and across, like a smile, toward the right. It ends just below where the back line stopped, so the body is almost closed.
Step 4: The paddle tail
At the right end of the body, draw a rounded paddle like a mitten. Start at the end of the back line, loop out and around, and come back to meet the end of the belly line.
Step 5: Two flippers
Under the belly, draw a bigger U shape for the front flipper. Add a smaller U a little way to the right for the back flipper.
Step 6: Tail curve
Near the tail, draw a short curved line, like a little rainbow, to show where the body bends into the tail.
Step 7: Eye and snout dots
Add one bigger dot for the eye, up high and a little behind the nose. Then dot four tiny spots on the snout.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your manatee? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a blobfish or how to draw a hermit crab next.
Tips for drawing a manatee
- Draw the back in one smooth stroke. A light oval first helps you keep the curve even.
- The belly line is the trickiest part. Make it curve gently, like a hammock, and start right under the chin.
- Keep the flippers small and round, and tuck them right under the belly so they look like they are paddling.
Free manatee coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this manatee 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 manatee drawing
Color the manatee soft gray or blue-gray, with a lighter belly. For a twist, make the water around it sparkly with seagrass and bubbles, or give your manatee a rainbow tail.
Manatee fun fact for kids
Manatees are gentle sea cows that eat plants. Their closest living land relatives are elephants.
Questions about drawing a manatee
What shapes do I need to draw a manatee?
You need one big rounded bean or oval for the body with a small bump for the nose. Add a paddle shape for the tail and two U shapes for the flippers.
How do I make my manatee look cuter?
Place the eye fairly high and make it a little bigger than the snout dots. Add four tiny dots on the snout and keep every line soft and round.
How is a manatee different from a dolphin?
A manatee has a round, plump body, a flat paddle tail and a blunt nose. A dolphin is slimmer, with a pointed snout, a fin on its back and a tail with two lobes.
