How to Draw a Realistic Sea Turtle with Pencil (Easy Step-by-Step Guide)

In this tutorial you’ll learn how to draw a realistic sea turtle with pencil in clear, easy step-by-step stages. Sea turtles have distinctive shells, flippers, and textured skin that make them fun and rewarding to sketch. Whether you’re a beginner or brushing up your animal drawing skills, this guide breaks down proportions, shell patterns, and shading so you can create a lifelike sea turtle drawing with confidence.

Step 1. Draw the outline of the turtle's head and front paw.

First, draw a sketch with thin and light lines. We draw a head of a turtle, a mouth, and a front paw.

Step 2. Draw the shell and the bottom part of the turtle.

Step 3. Outline the turtle's front and hind legs.

In this step, add the rest of the turtle's paws.

Step 4. Draw the sea turtle's shell. Outline eyes.

In this step, outline the eye. Then, draw a line in the middle of the shell, and, based on it, draw a pattern on the shell.

Step 5. Draw the spots on the sea turtle's paws and head.

Draw the lines on the stomach. Start adding the spots on the turtle's hind and front paws, as well as the head.

Step 6. Dense the previously drawn lines and start shading the turtle's body.

Next, make our previous contour lines denser and start painting over the spots on the head.

Step 7. Shading the sea turtle's shell.

Shade the shell of the turtle. Then, start thickening the lines on the paw.

Step 8. How to Draw a Realistic Sea Turtle with Pencil. Finalizing the sea turtle drawing.

In this last step, finish shading the turtle's paws and belly. Shade over the spots on paws, darken a tummy. As the last touch to our turtle drawing, we draw waves.

Hope you liked our drawing tutorial! Cheers!