How to Draw a Dolphin Step by Step

Creating a realistic dolphin drawing is easier than you think. You just need to follow some simple steps and you’ll be able to create a cute dolphin drawing from scratch.

Dolphin drawings can be used for a variety of things, like posters, animations, and even logos! In this tutorial on how to draw a dolphin, we’ll also show you different dolphin logos and designs to get you inspired and use your dolphin sketches for larger design projects.

Here’s a realistic dolphin drawing turned into a logo for some inspiration:

In this tutorial, I will show you how to draw a cute dolphin step by step, from the silhouette and the details of the head to the fins. You will learn how to plan the drawing of an animal body, how to make it look 3D with some basic rules of perspective, and how to shade in a basic way. You can use any tools you want!

What You’ll Learn in This Cute Dolphin Drawing Tutorial

• How to draw a dolphin’s body
• How to draw a dolphin’s head
• How to draw dolphin fins
• How to finish the drawing of a dolphin

1. How to Draw a Dolphin’s Body

Step 1

Start your dolphin sketch by drawing the basic curve of the body.

Step 2

Find the middle of this curve. Don’t use any special tools—just estimate it.

Step 3

Divide each half of the curve into halves. This will help us with proportions.

Step 4

Draw a circle in the first quarter of the curve. It doesn’t need to be a perfect circle!

Step 5

Continue with your dolphin sketch by drawing an oval across another two quarters. Make it rotated, so that the curve is going right through it.

Step 6

Draw a row of circles, like beads on a string, until you reach the end of the curve. Make each gradually smaller than the previous one.

Step 7

Let’s add some perspective to the dolphin sketch to make it more realistic. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt! Draw an oval on the front of the head, creating a flat “face”.

Step 8

Cross the face in the middle to see this flatness better.

Step 9

Can you see the form of the body in the dolphin sketch? Draw a line along its side. Remember it’s you who decides where the side is!

Step 10

Draw a line going through the bottom of the body of the dolphin sketch. It must follow the rhythm defined by the side line.

Step 11

Draw the dolphin outline of the body, following this rhythm.

Step 12

You can add more form-creating lines along the body. They make it easier to see the depth of the drawing.

2. How to Draw a Dolphin’s Head

Step 1

Draw an oval on the front of the face. Remember that drawing dolphins from pictures or references can make the sketching process easier.

Step 2

Draw a small circle attached to that oval.

Step 3

Find the position of the eye with a curve ending with an oval.

Step 4

Place the eye inside the oval of the dolphin sketch. It should be shaped like an oval as well.

Step 5

Time for the smile! Cross the small circle on the tip of the mouth with a curve.

Step 6

From here, draw a curve towards the eye, and turn down right before it.

Step 7

You now have enough guide lines to draw the dolphin and the outline of the head.

3. How to Draw Dolphin Fins

Step 1

Draw a curve ending with a tiny circle on the back of the dolphin. It should start roughly in the middle of the body.

Step 2

Draw a curve between the circle and the body.

Step 3

Attach an upside-down “T” to the tail.

Step 4

Draw an upside-down heart in this area.

Step 5

Draw two tiny circles under the “T”.

Step 6

Outline the shape suggested by the guide lines.

Step 7

Again, use a curve ending with an oval to find a perfect spot for the pectoral fin.

Step 8

Another curve with a circle will create a part of the outline for the fin.

Step 9

The fin is slightly wider than its base. Define this width with a flat curve.

Step 10

Now you can outline the whole fin.

Step 11

Use the same method to draw the other fin.

4. How to Finish the Drawing of a Dolphin

Step 1

Now you have all the guide lines and the dolphin sketch, so we just need to put the final lines over them. You can take a clean sheet of paper and put it over the sketch if you’re drawing traditionally. You can also try to erase most of the guide lines and darken the ones you want to keep with a darker tool.

Outline the basic lines of the dolphin’s body.

Step 2

Fill the oval of the eye with dark shading, leaving a dot of shine.

Step 3

Use gentler, lighter strokes to show some less prominent features, like wrinkles of the skin.

Step 4

Gently accentuate the lines of perspective to keep the body 3D.

Step 5

Let’s shade the dolphin now. Imagine the light source over its body, and fill the shadowed area with strokes in one direction.

Step 6

To create more levels of shade, change the direction of the strokes.

Step 7

The perspective guide lines can be turned into rough details on the skin to keep their depth-defining function.

Step 8

Finally, outline the silhouette with dark strokes to make it pop. And now you have it! A cute dolphin drawing.

Good Job! Now You Know How to Draw a Dolphin!

You have drawn a cute dolphin! If you want to learn more about these beautiful animals, as well as their relatives, check out this tutorial as well:

5 Best Realistic Dolphin Drawings Turned Into Logos (From Envato Elements)

For a low monthly fee, Envato Elements offers access to thousands of creative assets with unlimited downloads. Everything you need is available, including dolphin drawings, logos, fonts, and more. Envato Elements is ideal for graphic designers and illustrators who want to elevate their work or differentiate themselves from the competition. This is the ultimate creative subscription!

1. Splasher Dolphin Drawing Logo (AI, EPS, JPG)

Gradient logos are eye-catching and modern. This dolphin logo has a blue gradient that goes from deep blue to a bright aqua color. Download this creative asset and get it in different files so you can work with it as you wish. The text is also completely editable, allowing you to add your company name and slogan.

2. Dolphin Outline Logo (EPS)

Get this minimal dolphin outline logo. If you’re not into realistic dolphin drawings for a logo, we’ve got you covered with this simple design. The best thing about this dolphin outline logo is that its simplicity allows you to use it for a wide range of projects.

3. Dolphin Sports Logo (AI, EPS)

This dolphin logo is ideal for a water sports team such as swimming, surfing, or diving. The design features various shades of blue, making it both visually appealing and welcoming. Go ahead and modify this dolphin logo to your liking.

4. Dolphin Sports Logo (AI, EPS, JPG, PDF, SVG)

Are you looking for a professional and realistic dolphin drawing logo? This is the right option for you! Download this premium file to get dolphins of multiple colors so you can choose the one that best fits your brand.

5. Dolphin Logo: Blue Gradient (AI, EPS, SVG, PDF, PNG, JPG)

Here we get another cool dolphin logo with a beautiful gradient. This design is vibrant, modern, and elegant. Use it for creative industries, media, entertainment, education, and other fields.

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Editorial Note: This post has been updated with contributions from Gonzalo Angulo. Gonzalo is a staff writer with Envato Tuts+.