Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Betta Fish" video after each step to draw at your own pace.

 

 

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 as a guide for the betta's body. The circle doesn't have to be perfect. It's just a guide. Leave enough room on the sides for the betta fish's head and the long fins.

 

Step 2: Draw an arc on the left side of the circle as a guide for the head. The arc should be similar to a less-than sign (<).

 

Step 3: Draw another arc on the right side of the circle as a guide for the back portion of the betta's body. This arc should be almost as long as the circle and the first arc combined.

 

Step 4: Draw an angled line inside the circle as a guide for the betta fish's pectoral fin.

 

Step 5: Draw a shape similar to a half-circle on the top right side of the body as a guide for the betta fish's dorsal fin. To draw this guide, first draw a horizontal line to the right of the body, then add a big arc on top.

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Step 6: Draw a similar shape below the betta's body as a guide for the anal fin. These guides will determine the size of the fish's fins later, so you can make yours bigger or smaller if you'd like.

 

Step 7: Draw a long curved line that connects the two previous shapes as a guide for the betta fish's tail or caudal fin.

 

That's it for the initial sketch! From this point on, press harder with your pencil to get a more defined sketch.

 

Step 8: Draw the betta's eye as a circle inside the arc near the middle. Add another circle inside and shade it in for the pupil. Add a few curved lines around the eye for extra detail.

 

Step 9: Draw the betta's mouth a the tip of the arc on the left side. Use a series of short curved lines to create the top lip within the shape of the arc. Add another short curved line under the top lip for the bottom lip.

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Step 10: Draw the betta fish's head by using the arc as a guide. Follow the basic path of the arc but make the head thinner as you darken the lines.

 

Step 11: Draw a curved line on the right side of the fish's head, close to the guide for the pectoral fin, for the gills.

 

Step 12: Use the angled line as a guide to draw the betta fish's pectoral fin. Make the fin wavier as you darken the lines.

 

Step 13: Use the top left side of the shape at the bottom as a guide to draw the long pelvic fins. Follow the basic path of the guide as you darken the lines to create the long, thin fins that end at a point at the bottom.

 

Step 14: Use the shape at the top as a guide to draw the betta's dorsal fin. Follow the basic path of the guide but make the edge of the shape wavier as you darken the lines.

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Step 15: Use the shape at the bottom as a guide to draw the anal fin the same way.

 

Step 16: Add the caudal fin on the right by using the curved line as a guide. Different varieties of bettas, like crowntails, may have fins that are shaped differently, so you can change yours if you'd like.

 

 

Step 17: Use the remaining shapes and lines as guides to draw the rest of the betta fish's body. Follow the path of the guides as you darken the lines to create the body. Remember that there are many varieties of bettas, so feel free to adjust the fins on your drawing however you'd like.

 

Step 18 (optional): 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 that you may have accidentally erased.

 

Final Step (optional): Bettas are colorful, so instead of the usual shading, try coloring your drawing. Add some shading first using gray to give the betta fish drawing more dimension and volume. Pick the direction of the light source to draw the shadows consistently. Shadows are usually at the cool end of the spectrum, so use some blue or purple on the shadows. Add black to the betta fish's eye too. Pick the color that you want your betta to be and start adding a dark shade of that color to the shadows. If you want your betta to be red like this one, start with dark red or brown. Add the color lightly at first. Apply more pressure to your pencil to get a darker value as you cover the body. Add a few longer strokes at the base of the fins for the folds within the fins. Now use a slightly lighter shade of red to build up more color throughout the betta's body.

Add the color lightly at first and then darker as you cover most of the fish's body. Using different shades of a color, in this case red, gives the drawing more dimension. Continue adding the darker shade of red until you've covered most of the fish's body except for the tips of the fins. Now add another lighter shade of red on top of everything and push down a little harder as you go along. Adding different layers of color can be very time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. You can also just add a single layer of red to the entire body for a simpler drawing. Add another lighter shade of red, like red-orange, on top of everything and push down a bit harder. Every time you add a lighter shade, push harder with your pencil to blend the previous colors together. Add some yellow to the body, especially the edges of the fins to highlight the tips.

If you have a pet betta fish, try to duplicate its color on your drawing. If you're making it a different color, remember to use various shades of it. If you use blue, for example, add some purple to the dark sections and blue-green to the lighter parts. For extra detail, you can add tiny curved lines along the body using a dark color for the scales. Don't forget to pause the "How to Draw a Betta Fish" video after each step to draw at your own pace.

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To learn how to draw popular cartoon characters, visit EasyDrawingTutorials.com.

 

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