How to Draw a Seashell (Easy Step by Step)
This little seashell has a sweet smile and tiny feet, and it is built from just a few easy shapes: a big round bowl, a row of bumps, and some curved lines that fan out like a hand fan. It is a great first drawing because the lines do not need to be perfect to look charming.
- Easy
- 12 minutes
- 9 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawingIn this article (7 sections)
How to draw a seashell step by step
How to Draw a Seashell · 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: The round shell
Draw a big, wide curve like a bowl, with a gently wavy bottom. Finish each end with a small curled lobe on the left and right sides near the top.
Step 3: The scalloped top
Draw a row of little rounded bumps across the top, like a fan or a cloud. Start at the top of the left lobe and end at the top of the right lobe.
Step 4: The middle ridge
Draw one straight line from the dip between the two middle bumps, going down toward the center of the shell. Stop about halfway down.
Step 5: Next two ridges
Draw a slightly curved line on each side of the middle one. Start each where two bumps meet and let it lean outward a little as it goes down.
Step 6: Wider ridges
Add one more curved line on each side, starting where the next two bumps meet. Let them lean outward a little more, like the spokes of a fan.
Step 7: The outer ridges
Draw the last long, sweeping curve on each side, starting at the top of each big side lobe. Curve them down and inward toward the middle of the shell.
Step 8: Two tiny feet
At the bottom, draw a small loop on the left and a matching loop on the right, like two little leaf shapes tucked under the shell.
Step 9: The sweet face
Draw two small round dots for eyes in the middle of the shell. Add a little curved smile below and between them.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your seashell? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw an anchor or how to draw a squid next.
Tips for drawing a seashell
- Draw the top bumps small and rounded before you add any ridge lines. Each ridge will then start right where two bumps meet.
- The long curved lines should fan out like the spokes of a hand fan, with the middle one straight and the others leaning outward more and more.
- Keep the two eyes the same size and at the same height, then add the smile last so it can sit nicely between them.
Free seashell coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this seashell 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 seashell drawing
Try soft pink, peach, and sandy yellow for the shell, with a darker shade in the ridges. For a creative twist, draw a sandy beach and a few bubbles around your shell, or give it a pearl tucked under one foot.
Seashell fun fact for kids
Seashells are the hard outer homes of soft-bodied animals called mollusks, and the animal grows its shell bigger as it grows. Scallop shells have ridges that fan out from a small hinge, just like the lines in this drawing.
Questions about drawing a seashell
What shapes do I need to draw a seashell?
You need a big rounded bowl shape, a row of small rounded bumps along the top, and long curved lines that fan out toward the middle. Two dots and a small curve make the face.
How do I make my seashell look cuter?
Keep the eyes close to the same size, add a small smile between and below them, and draw a pair of tiny round feet at the bottom.
How do I get the lines on my shell to look even?
Draw the middle line first, then add one on each side and work outward. Matching each side to the other keeps the fan balanced.
