How to Draw a Shrimp (Easy Step by Step)
A shrimp is a fun one to draw because it is really just a big curl with a round head and a little fan at the end. You will use a circle, a few curved lines, and a leaf-like tail shape. The tiny smile and the round eye on a stick make it look friendly.
- Easy
- 12 minutes
- 7 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawing
In this article (7 sections)
How to draw a shrimp step by step
How to Draw a Shrimp · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Guide shapes
Lightly sketch these 2 ovals. They only show where the big parts go, so press softly. You will erase them at the end.
Step 2: The round head
Draw a big circle on the left side of your page. This is the shrimp's head, so leave room to the right for its long curved body.
Step 3: The curved body
Start at the top of the head and draw a long curved line that arches up and over, then swings down on the right like a rainbow. Draw a second curve inside it, starting from the right side of the head, so the body looks like a thick curved tube.
Step 4: The tail fan
At the bottom end of the body, draw a small fan shape that looks like a leaf or a little paddle. Add a few short lines inside it that spread out from the body to split the fan into sections.
Step 5: Body segments
Draw short curved lines across the body, from the outer edge toward the inner edge, like the sections of a caterpillar. Then add a few small curved lines along the inside edge for the little swimming legs.
Step 6: Two long antennae
From the left side of the head, draw two long bendy lines that curve up and out, like thin whiskers. Make one a little longer than the other.
Step 7: Eye and smile
Draw a short stick coming up from the top of the head and put a small filled circle on the end for the eye. Then add a little curved smile inside the head circle.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your shrimp? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a dolphin or how to draw a shark next.
Tips for drawing a shrimp
- Draw the outer curve of the body in one smooth, slow stroke. If it wobbles, that is okay, because real shrimp are bendy too.
- Make the inner curve about the same distance from the outer curve all the way along, so the body stays the same thickness.
- Draw the body segment lines after the body and tail are done, and aim each one across the body so they look like stripes.
Free shrimp coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this shrimp 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 shrimp drawing
Pink and orange are the classic shrimp colors, with a lighter belly and darker stripes on the segments. For a creative twist, give your shrimp rainbow stripes and add bubbles and seaweed around it.
Shrimp fun fact for kids
Shrimp can swim backward in a quick burst by flicking their tails, which helps them escape from danger.
Questions about drawing a shrimp
What shapes do I need to draw a shrimp?
You need a circle for the head, a big curved tube shape for the body, and a small fan shape for the tail. The antennae are just two long bendy lines.
How do I make my shrimp look cuter?
Make the head circle big and add a small smile. A round eye on a little stick and long bendy antennae also make it look friendly.
How do I draw the curve of the body?
Start at the top of the head and draw an arch like a rainbow, then curl it down toward the tail. Draw a second curve inside it to give the body its thickness.
