If you love an ocean bullet journal theme then you’ll want to know how to draw a fish that looks cute and effective. In this post we’re going to take a look at a variety of simple fish drawing tutorials to help you.
Learn How to Draw a Fish Easily!
This article will go over everything you need to know to create beautiful underwater-themed bullet journal pages with a variety of species of fish including marine and tropical fish.
Art Supplies For Simple Fish Drawing
Here are the basics you’ll need for your easy drawing tutorials:
Journal
Fineliners
Brush pen set
Colouring pencils
You may also be interested in all of the best pens for journaling, which are perfect for cute doodling and also for creating lovely headers with fancy bullet journal fonts.
Just before we get to the tutorials, let’s first learn the anatomy of a fish!
Anatomy of a Fish For Easy Fish Drawing
In order to recreate a beautiful fish, you will need to understand the names for the different parts of a fish’s body. Here are the different parts we’ll be sketching:
- Dorsal fin
The top fin is known as the dorsal fin, and depending on the type of fish there may be more than one.
- Pectoral fin
The pectoral fin or side fin is located on the side of the fish.
- Pelvic Fins
The fins also known as ventral fins are on the belly of the fish, towards the front. These are the ones that look most like arms!
- Anal Fin
Fish may have one or two anal fins. These are located on the bottom of the fish towards the back and act like a rudder.
- Caudal fin
This is the tail fin.
- Gill covers
This is the area that separates the head of the fish from the rest of the body.
Now you know the different areas of a fish, let’s get creative!
17 Tutorials to Help You Master Drawing Realistic Fish, Step by Step
If you want to create amazing ocean-themed bullet journal spreads then you’ll need to know how to sketch real fish for an effective finish.
This visual guide will help you with simple steps to draw the fish you want to make the perfect underwater bujo spread!
This visual step by step guide will take you through the easy steps of drawing common carps.
- Draw an oval for the body of your fish.
- Add the caudal fin (fish tail).
- Add the opening for the mouth of the fish and rub out the join line for the tail.
- Add the top and bottom fin.
- Add the eye.
- Add the smile line of the mouth of your fish, ending at the bottom of the eye, and a curved vertical line at the front of the fish for the gill covers.
- Add the finishing touches including a few fish scales and then simply colour in!
These pretty tropical fish are a breeze to draw when you know how!
- Start with a few simple shapes to create the basic outline of the fish.
- Add a few more shapes for the fins of the fish.
- Use a curved line to join the angular shapes and form the fish body.
- Add the eye.
- Draw in some stripes.
- Colour your fish!
This visual step by step guide will help you draw a beautiful, realistic koi, in rich colours for a fantastic spread.
- Start with a circle for the head of your fish.
- Add a couple of wavy lines to make the body shape, in a diagonal line away from the head.
- Join together, adding in the tail.
- Add in the pectoral and pelvic fins.
- Shape the face of the fish.
- Add the gill covers.
- Add in the remaining little details, such as dorsal fin and scales.
- Colour your fish!
These pretty angel fish are so effective, and simple to recreate with this step by step fish drawing tutorial!
- Using curvy lines, start with an almond shape for the body.
- Add the caudal fin.
- Add the dorsal and anal (top and bottom) fins.
- Add the pelvic fins.
- Draw in some stripes.
- Colour your fish.
I love these cute fishes, they're perfect for illustrating underwater-themed journal pages!
- Using light line, draw the initial lines for the body of the fish.
- Add an eye.
- Add the other eye and the mouth.
- Draw the dorsal fin.
- Draw in the tail.
- Draw the bottom fin.
- Complete remaining fins on your fish.
- Add a few wavy vertical and horizontal lines on the fins, and colour in. I love the prussian blue colours of the body in this example!
Goldfish are super simple to doodle, and super cute for decorating your bullet journal!
Check out the basic steps in the attached image.
These cartoony fish are perfect for kids to get involved in some fun drawing!
Check out this pin for lots more clever ideas from Mom Junction for different ways to create simple, fun fish - as well as scales, and even a mini fish tank!
Looking for something even easier for the kids? Try these cute fish made from simple shapes!
I love these because they're so super easy, using a straight line or circle for the basic shape of the fish, and adding in a few simple details.
Happy doodling!