How to Draw a Tropical Fish (Easy Step by Step)
This round tropical fish is fun to draw because it is made almost entirely of ovals and curves. Start with one big oval for the body, then add a fan-shaped tail, little fins, an eye, a few bubbles, and two corals. It is a great first sea creature for young artists.
- Easy
- 12 minutes
- 8 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 tropical fish step by step
How to Draw a Tropical Fish · 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 body
Draw a big, plump oval in the middle of your page. Make the right side a little pointy for the fish's mouth, and add a tiny pouty lip there.
Step 3: The tail
On the left side of the body, draw a rounded triangle that looks like a fan. Start and end the lines on the edge of the body.
Step 4: Top and bottom fins
Draw a big curved hill shape on top of the body for the back fin. Then draw a smaller curved shape under the body near the tail, starting and ending on the body's edge.
Step 5: The little belly fin
Under the middle of the body, draw a small curved fin shaped like a leaf. Start and end it on the bottom edge of the body.
Step 6: Side fin and eye
In the middle of the body, draw a curved shape like a leaf or half moon for the side fin. Then draw a round dot near the front and color it in for the eye.
Step 7: Three bubbles
Draw three circles floating around the top of the fish. Make one big, one medium, and one small.
Step 8: Two corals
In the bottom corners, draw a coral plant on each side. Give each one three rounded fingers that join at a flat base.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your tropical fish? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a dolphin or how to draw a shark next.
Tips for drawing a tropical fish
- Draw the body oval big and light first, so the tail, fins, and eye all have room to fit around it.
- The pouty mouth is the trickiest part. Make a small pointy bump on the right side of the body, then add a tiny curved lip.
- Start the fins and tail right on the edge of the body so they look attached, and color in the eye dot near the front so the fish looks like it is looking ahead.
Free tropical fish coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this tropical fish 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 tropical fish drawing
Try bright orange or yellow for the body, with a blue tail and fins, and green or pink coral at the bottom. For a creative twist, add stripes, polka dots, or rainbow scales to your fish.
Tropical fish fun fact for kids
Coral reefs cover less than one percent of the ocean floor, but about a quarter of all ocean creatures live in or around them.
Questions about drawing a tropical fish
What shapes do I need to draw a tropical fish?
You need one big oval for the body, a rounded triangle for the tail, and a few curved leaf shapes for the fins. Circles make the bubbles, and a small filled dot makes the eye.
How do I make my fish look cuter?
Draw a round dark eye close to the front and a tiny pouty mouth. Chubby, round fins also make the fish look friendlier.
How do I draw bubbles?
Draw circles in different sizes and place them around the top of the fish. Leaving some space between them, so they do not touch, makes them look like they are floating.
