In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Sailfish step-by-step.

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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.

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To draw this Sailfish 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.

Below you can watch a Narrated 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 so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake.

Step 1: Start by drawing three circles as guides for the sailfish's head and body. To draw each circle, first make four marks to determine its height and width. Then connect the marks using curved lines. If you're struggling to draw the circles, just trace the outer rim of circular objects like coins or bottle caps. For a more detailed guide on the different ways to draw a circle check out this tutorial: Four simple ways to draw a circle. Pay attention the sizes and spacing of the circles. Don't draw the body circles too far apart or the body will be too long.

Step 2: On the left side of the head, draw a very long, thin shape as a guide for the sailfish's bill-like mouth. The bill should be about two and a half times the width of the head circle. Make the base of this shape wide and the tip thin and pointy. Connect the circles on the left using curved lines to complete the guide for the head.

Step 3: Connect the body circles using long lines to complete the guide for the sailfish's torso. The top line should be sloped. On the right side, draw a big, triangular shape as a guide for the back portion of the body. Pay attention to the size of this shape in relation to the rest of the body.

Step 4: Draw a big angled shape on top of the body as a guide for the sail-like dorsal fin that gives the fish its name. This guide is made up of two vertical lines on the sides and a couple of sloping lines for the top. This guide should be big in relation to the body.

Step 5: Under the first circle, draw a long, V-shaped line as a guide for the sailfish's dorsal fin. To the left, draw a long, sloping line for the longer pelvic fin. Under the circle on the right, draw a smaller V-shaped line for another fin. On the right tip of the body, draw a couple of long triangular shapes as guides for the tail. These guides should be big compared to the body.

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

Step 6: Inside the head circle, near the left edge, draw a small circle for the sailfish's eye. Add a couple of smaller circles inside the eye for iris and pupil. Shade in the inner-most circle for the dark pupil. Darken the long, thin shape on the left side for the bill. extend the bottom line farther inside the head to create the mouth.

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Step 7: Under the bill, draw the sailfish's lower jaw using a couple of sloping lines. Pay attention to how long the lower jaw is compared to the bill. On the right side, draw a couple of short, curved lines for the gills. Add a few shorter lines under the mouth to give the jaw structure.

Step 8: Use the angled line on top of the body as a guide to draw the sailfish's sail. Follow the basic path of the guide but use a series of small, U-shaped lines as darken the fin. Vary the size of the U-shaped lines. Change the orientation of the lines on the right side so that they're horizontal.

Step 9: Darken the outer edges of the initial guides to create the sailfish's body. Darken the shape under the first circle to create the dorsal fin. The top part of the dorsal fin should be inside the body.

Step 10: Darken the remaining shapes to finish the rest of the sailfish's fins and tail. Add a few more sloping lines to the right of the dorsal fin to create the long, flowing pelvic fins. Add a couple more small triangular shapes on the right side of the body for two more fins.

Step 11: 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: Shade your sailfish drawing for extra detail. Use a dark value on the top part of the body, a medium value on the fins and tail and a light value on the underside of the body. Shade lightly at first and gradually build up to darker values. For light values, push down very lightly on your pencil and push down harder for darker values. Use a very light value to create a strip across the entire body for a highlight. Shade slowly and evenly for a smooth texture. Add a medium value along the bottom of the body to create a shadow. Draw a series of vertical lines across the sail to give it more structure. Add some curved, vertical lines across the body for texture on the skin. It's a good idea to use reference as you shade for a more accurate depiction of a sailfish. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

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