To learn how to draw a shark, draw a long, pointy body and a big tail shaped like a crescent moon. Add a tall fin on the back, a fin underneath and two small fins near the tail, then a belly line, three gills, an eye and a toothy smile.
This easy shark drawing is friendly rather than scary, so it works for kids of all ages. The free PDF has the step-by-step sheet, a tracing page, a practice grid and a coloring page.
What’s in the free PDF
- Step-by-step sheet with 6 numbered steps; new lines are black, earlier lines are grey
- Tracing page with a large shark in light grey to trace over
- Practice sheet with a small reference and two boxes with a light grid
- Coloring page with the finished shark in bold outlines
How to draw a shark step by step
- Body. Draw a long body that is pointed at the nose on the left and narrows toward the tail on the right. The top line is more curved than the bottom line.
- Tail. At the right end, draw a big tail shaped like a crescent moon, with the top part longer than the bottom part.
- Big fins. Draw a tall, curved fin on the back and a long fin under the body that points back.
- Small fins. Near the tail, draw one small fin on top and one underneath.
- Belly and gills. Draw a curved line along the lower body from the nose to the tail for the belly. Behind the eye area, draw three short curved lines for the gills.
- Face. Draw an eye with a dark pupil and a curved smile, then a zigzag line inside the smile for the teeth.
The tall back fin is what everyone recognizes. Draw it big and curved, and your shark reads as a shark even before the face is done.
Easy shark drawing: common mistakes and fixes
- The body looks like a fish. Make it long and slim, about three times longer than it is tall.
- The tail halves are the same size. A shark tail has a longer top half.
- The back fin is straight. Curve its back edge so it sweeps toward the tail.
- The teeth are too big. Keep the zigzag small inside the smile.
Trace, practice, then color
Trace it first
If drawing freehand feels hard, start with the tracing page. Go over the grey lines with a pencil, pressing lightly, and you learn the shapes and their order without worrying about mistakes. Then try again on the practice sheet.
Practice on the grid
The practice sheet has a small finished shark for reference and two boxes with a faint grid. Count how many squares wide and tall the reference is, then draw your shark the same way. The grid keeps the parts the right size next to each other.
Color the finished drawing
Color the top of the shark blue-grey and leave the belly below the belly line white or light grey. The fins can be a shade darker than the body. Add blue water and a few bubbles around it.
Shark drawing tips for kids
- Draw a hammerhead by adding a wide, flat head with an eye on each end.
- Add a little fish swimming in front of the shark for a fun scene.
- Draw the shark smaller with a big round head for a baby shark.
- Use a ruler to draw a water line and let only the back fin stick out above it.
Download the pages one by one
Prefer a single page? Click a link to open the full-size image, then print it or save it. The PDF with all pages and a cover is in the download box.
- How to draw a shark: step-by-step sheet (PNG)
- a Shark tracing page (PNG)
- a Shark practice sheet with grid (PNG)
- a Shark coloring page (PNG)
More to draw: how to draw a fish, how to draw a dragon, 45 cute animal drawings and fun drawing ideas.
FAQ
What is the easiest way to draw a shark?
Draw a long pointed body, a crescent-moon tail and a tall fin on the back. Those three shapes make it look like a shark right away; the face and gills come last.
How do you draw a shark fin?
Start on the back of the body, draw a line up and slightly back to a point, then curve a second line back down to the body. The back edge should curve inward.
How do you make a shark drawing look friendly?
Give it a round eye with a big pupil, a gentle smile and small teeth. Sharp, big teeth and narrow eyes make it look scary.
How many gills does a shark have?
Most sharks have five gill slits on each side. In a simple drawing, three short curved lines are enough to show them.
