In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Nurse Shark step-by-step. Nurse Sharks are a bottom-dwelling species of shark that can grow up to 10 feet in length. The tend to stay close to shore but are not a threat to humans unless they're provoked.

 

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All of the tutorials on How2DrawAnimals.com are good drawing tutorials for beginners and experienced artists alike. The online tutorials are easy to follow; they teach you the how to draw basics while showing you how to draw animals step by step. Each animal has a video drawing tutorial option, as well as step-by-step photos and written text to follow.

 

The Time-Lapse (Speed Drawing) video:

 

To draw a Nurse Shark step by step, follow along with the video tutorial below and pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace. You may find it easier to follow the step-by-step drawings below the video. The new lines in each step are shown in red, so you'll know exactly what to draw next. You may want to open the video in a new tab and use both drawing methods. Take your time and draw at your own pace.

 

The Written step-by-step video tutorial:

 

For the first few steps, don't press down too hard with your pencil. Use light, smooth strokes to begin.

 

 

Step 1: Draw a circle on the right side of the paper as a guide for the front part of the nurse shark's body. First make four small marks to indicate the circle's height and width. Then connect the marks using curved lines. If you're struggling to draw the circle, trace the outer rim of a coin, a lid or any other object with a circular edge. For a more detailed guide on the different ways to draw a circle check out this tutorial: Four simple ways to draw a circle.

 

Step 2: On the left, draw another circle as a guide for the mid-section of the body. Don't draw the circles too close. The farther apart they are, the longer your nurse shark will be. The circles should be about the same size and at the same level.

 

 

Step 3: Add the guide for the head by first making a mark on the far right side. Then draw two curved lines that connect the first circle to the mark to form the shape of the shark's head. The final shape should be a wide arc that's slightly pointed at the tip.

 

Step 4: Draw two long, horizontal lines that connect the circles to create the guide for the nurse shark's torso.

 

 

Step 5: Add the guide for the back of the body by first making a small mark on the far left side. Then connect the mark to the circle using long lines. The back portion of the nurse shark's body should be long and thin.

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Step 6: At the top of the circle on the left, draw a curved line as the guide for the nurse shark's dorsal fin. Draw a vertical line to the left to finish the guide for the dorsal. Farther to the left, draw a similar shape but smaller as a guide for the second dorsal fin.

 

Step 7: On the bottom, near the middle, draw another shape similar to the shark's dorsal fins, only upside-down, as a guide for the pectoral fin. To the right, below the circle, draw a similar shape, but smaller, as a guide for the pelvic fin. Farther to the left, draw an even smaller triangle-like shape as a guide for the shark's anal fin.

 

 

Step 8: On the top, left side of the body, draw a long, curved line as a guide for the nurse shark's tail or caudal fin. Now draw another curved line below it to make the shape thicker. Now draw another curved line below it to make the shape thicker. The bottom line curves down and then angles to the right toward the body.

 

That's it for the guides! From this point on, press harder with your pencil for a more defined drawing.

 

 

Step 9: Lightly sketch the eye inside the head, near the top, as a small circle. When you get the size and position of the eye right, draw a short line at the top for the heavy brow. Now darken the bottom edge of the circle to finish the shape of the nurse shark's eye. Inside the eye, draw a small, thin slit for the pupil. Draw a curved line under the eye for extra detail on the skin. Add a line higher up on the eye to emphasize the thick brow.

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Step 10: At the tip of the shark's head, draw a couple of curved lines for the barbel. Make the barbel thin and pointy at the bottom. To the left of the barbel, draw a curved, horizontal line for the mouth. Curve the line up and to the right for the fleshy portion at the edge of the mouth.

 

Step 11: To the left of the eye, draw a couple of curved lines for the spiracle, an organ that provides oxygen. Don't draw the nurse shark's spiracle bigger than the eye. To the left, draw a series of lines for the gill slits. Draw five gill slits. The two left-most slits should be close together.

 

 

Step 12: Use the initial arc as a guide to draw the shape of the nurse shark's head. Simply darken the path of the initial guides to create the shape of the head. Don't overlap the barbel as you darken the lines for the head.

 

Step 13: Use the first triangle shape from the right as a guide to draw the shark's pectoral fin. Darken the path of the guide but make the lines wavier. Draw the base or top of the fin inside the body toward the gills.

 

 

Step 14: Use the other triangle-like shapes under the body as guides to draw the nurse shark's other fins the same way. Curve the lines more than the guides and draw the base of the fins in toward the body.

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Step 15: Darken the big triangle-like shape at the top to create the first dorsal fin. Make the shape curvier as you darken the guides, especially the left side.

 

Step 16: Use the shape on the left as a guide to draw the nurse shark's second dorsal fin the same way.

 

 

Step 17: Use the long shape on the left side as a guide to draw the first part of the shark's caudal fin. Darken the basic path of the guide but make the lines curvier, especially at the bottom.

 

Step 18: Draw an angular shape around the tail to complete the shape of the caudal fin. Draw a triangle-like shape at the bottom so that it almost looks like another separate fin. Then continue drawing the line upward so that it's almost parallel with the inner shape. At the top, draw the tip of the caudal fin using a few short, angled lines. The tip of the nurse shark's fin is similar to two tiny triangles pointing left.

 

 

Step 19: Use the remaining lines as guides to draw the rest of the body. Simply darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the shape of the body. Don't overlap the fins as you darken the outline of the nurse shark's body.

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Step 20: For a cleaner look, erase as much as you can of the initial guide lines. Don't worry about erasing all of the guides. It's okay to leave some behind. Re-draw any final sketch lines you may have accidentally erased.

 

Final Step: Add some shading to your drawing for more detail. Nurse sharks don't really have a distinctive pattern on their skin, so use a medium value for the entire body. Use strokes that go in the same direction throughout the body to avoid creating a criss-cross pattern. Make the underside of the body lighter than the top part. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Use a slightly darker value when you shade the shark's tail. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Add the value to your nurse shark drawing lightly at first, then gradually build up to the level of darkness that you like. Add slightly darker values around the edges to create shadows and give the figure more dimension and volume. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Continue shading gradually, adding a darker value slowly until you're happy with the results. It's always a good idea to use reference as you draw. Don't forget to pause the video to draw at your own pace.

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