How to Draw a Easy Fish Drawing for Kids and Beginners
Learn how to draw an Easy Fish with this easy step-by-step guide designed for kids and beginners. Even if you’ve never drawn before, you’ll be able to create a colorful Fish using simple shapes and smooth lines.
In this tutorial, you’ll follow clear steps, get helpful tips to improve your drawing, and learn common mistakes to avoid—so you can draw with confidence and create a fun artwork that looks bright, cozy, and full of spirit.
Difficulty Level: Easy
Time Needed: 25-30 Minutes
Last Update On: May 07, 2026 | Posted On: November 18, 2025
Material Needed:
- Pencil & Eraser – for sketching and fixing mistakes.
Drawing Paper – plain white or sketchbook page.
Colors – use crayons, color pencils, or markers.
Black Marker – to outline the Fish drawing.
Sharpener – to keep your pencil ready.
Color to Use:
- Body: Light Green and Dark Green.
- Fins: Dark Blue.
- Stripe Patterns: Sky Blue.
Before You Start Drawing
- Keep your pencil light – you’ll erase guidelines later
- Draw on a flat, clean surface
- Keep your colors ready (Red, Green, White, Gold)
- Don’t worry about perfection – practice makes progress
Step-by-Step instructions for Easy Fish Drawing
Download drawing PDF for Free, Learn and draw Fish with help of easy Instructions
Step 1: Draw the Body Shape
- Start by drawing a big, rounded oval shape.
- This will be the main body of your fish.
Tip: Draw lightly first—it’s easier to fix the body shape before outlining.
Step 2: Add the Tail
- On the right side, draw a wide, leaf-shaped tail connected to the body.
- Make it smooth and curved so it looks natural.
Avoid: making the tail too small or stiff—soft, balanced curves help your fish look more natural and lively.
Step 3: Draw the Top Fin
- Add a curved fin on top of the body.
- This fin arcs from the middle of the fish and joins near the tail.
Tip: Start with one long curve, then connect both ends smoothly to the body.
Step 4: Add the Bottom Fin
- Now draw a similar curved fin on the bottom.
- Add a little straight fin in front of the curved fin.
- This makes your fish drawing both easy and expressive.
Avoid: placing the bottom fins too low or uneven—balanced fin placement helps your fish look natural and well-proportioned.
Pause and check: Is your fish’s body shape balanced? If any line looks uneven, fix it now before adding more details
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Step 5: Draw the Inner Fin (Side Fin)
- Inside the body, draw a leaf-shaped fin with three lines curving inside it.
- This gives the fish a cute cartoon style.
Tip: Place the side fin near the center of the body for better balance.
Step 6: Add the Face
- Draw a small curved line for the mouth and a neat circle for the eye.
- Fill in the eye, leaving a white dot for shine.
Avoid: Drawing the eye too large or placing it too close to the mouth can make the fish look unbalanced. Keep the facial features small and evenly spaced.
Step 7: Add Body Patterns
- Now draw wavy stripe patterns across the body from top to bottom.
- These give the fish a bright, tropical look.
- If you want to make it a koi fish drawing, you can add random patches instead of stripes.
Tip: Leave equal space between stripes to keep the fish looking neat.
Pause before coloring – double-check your outlines first. If something looks off, correct it now before moving ahead.
Step 8: Color your fish drawing
- Body: Light Green and Dark Green.
- Fins: Dark Blue.
- Stripe Patterns: Sky Blue.
Tip: Color in one direction and stay inside the outlines for a clean finish.
Great job!
You’ve completed your Easy Fish Drawing
You’ve completed your easy fish drawing, and it looks amazing!
Kids will love this simple step-by-step style, and beginners can follow it easily, too. Whether you decorate it with stripes, dots, or colorful koi patterns, your fish drawing is sure to stand out.
Fish Drawing Process Overview – From Start to Finish
How to Make Your Fish Drawing Look More Realistic
- Use smooth, flowing curves to keep the fish’s body natural and balanced
- Keep the head, body, fins, and tail proportional to each other
- Add gentle shading near the fins, belly, and tail for extra depth
- Follow the natural body flow instead of using stiff, straight lines
- Make the eye bright and expressive by leaving a small highlight
- Keep the body stripes evenly spaced for a clean cartoon look
- Use confident, clean outlines to make your fish illustration look polished
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Drawing an uneven fish body
A crooked or unbalanced body shape can make the whole fish drawing look awkward—start with a smooth, oval base shape. - Making the fins too small or oversized
Fins should match the fish’s body naturally. Oversized or tiny fins can make the artwork look unbalanced. - Placing the eye too high or too low
The eye is one of the main focal points. Incorrect placement can make the fish look unnatural or off-balance. - Adding body stripes unevenly
Uneven stripes or patterns can make the design look messy—keep spacing clean and consistent. - Drawing stiff tail or fin lines
Fish move with soft curves. Straight or rigid lines can make your fish drawing look less lively. - Using flat colors without shading
Adding light shadows and highlights helps your fish artwork look more vibrant, polished, and full of life.
Time breakdown for Each Step
| Step | Time |
|---|---|
| Step 1: Body Shape | 2 min |
| Step 2: Tail | 2 min |
| Step 3: Top Fin | 2 min |
| Step 4: Bottom Fin | 2 min |
| Step 5: Side Fin | 2 min |
| Step 6: Face | 2 min |
| Step 7: Body Patterns | 3 min |
| Step 8: Coloring | 8-10 min |
| Total | 25-30 min |
Pro Tip for Parents/Teachers
| Age Group | Expected Time |
|---|---|
| 4-6 years (with help) | 35-40 minutes |
| 7-10 years (alone) | 25-30 minutes |
| 11+ years / Adults | 20-25 minutes |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the first step to draw a cute cartoon fish?
Start by sketching a smooth oval or rounded body shape. This creates the basic structure and makes it easier to add the fins, tail, eye, and body details.
Q2. Is this fish drawing tutorial suitable for beginners?
Yes, this fish drawing tutorial is perfect for beginners, kids, and anyone learning to draw. The drawing is broken into simple shapes and easy step-by-step instructions.
Q3. How can I make my fish drawing look cuter?
Focus on large expressive eyes, soft curved fins, a rounded body shape, and bright colors. These features instantly make a cartoon fish look more adorable and lively.
Q4. Do I need to color my fish drawing?
Coloring is optional, but adding bright colors, soft shading, and highlights can make your fish artwork look more vibrant, polished, and realistic.
Q5. Can I draw different types of fish using this tutorial?
Absolutely! Once you understand the basic fish shape, you can create tropical fish, goldfish, clownfish, aquarium fish, or even your own cartoon fish designs.
Learn More About Fish Drawing
Fish drawings are a fun and beginner-friendly way to practice smooth curves, balanced shapes, and colorful designs. Cartoon fish usually feature rounded bodies, flowing fins, bright eyes, and playful patterns that make them look lively and full of personality.
As your drawing skills improve, you can experiment with different fish species, underwater backgrounds, unique color combinations, and more detailed fin or scale designs to create your own creative aquatic artwork.
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Try these easy tutorials next and build your drawing skills step by step.
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