How to Draw a Shark
Every fin on this shark hangs off the body outline, so sketch step 1 lightly: a long rounded body with a line along the belly. The crescent tail in step 2 looks best with uneven points. Make the top one taller than the bottom.
Fins, teeth and gills
The tall triangle fin goes on the back in step 3. Step 4 adds a side fin and a small belly fin. One big round eye goes on in step 5. Step 6 is the grin: draw the mouth as one curve first, then add the pointy teeth as small zigzags along it. Three curved gill lines finish the shark in step 7. Once the pencil drawing is done, ink it with a felt pen and erase the pencil when the ink is dry.
Practice and ages
Box eight shows the finished shark and box nine is a dashed frame left empty for your child. The second page has the finished shark and the seven written steps above one large box. The sheet is aimed at ages 6 to 8. A younger child can manage this shark with a grown-up drawing alongside, because every part is a curve or a triangle. Older children may try it without the grid once they know the order. Each step in the 3 by 3 grid has a short caption under it, and scaling to fit makes those captions harder to read, so print the A4 or US Letter file at 100 percent.
Draw a shark in 7 steps
New lines in each step are orange. Where a new part covers an earlier line, that bit turns dashed gray: rub it out.
Draw a long, rounded body.
Add a crescent tail like a big moon shape.
Draw a big triangle fin on the back.
Add a side fin and a small belly fin.
Draw one big round eye with a dark pupil.
Add a smiling mouth with pointy teeth.
Finish with three curved gill lines.
Tips to make your shark drawing easy
- Sketch the body lightly, because the tail and every fin attach to its outline.
- Make the tail points uneven, with the top point taller than the bottom one.
- Keep the back fin leaning toward the tail so the shark looks like it is moving.
- Draw the mouth as one curve first, then add the teeth as small zigzags.
- Ink the final lines with a felt pen and erase the pencil once it is dry.
Shark outline to print and trace
Print the finished outline on its own: trace over it with a pencil to learn the shapes, or use the dashed tracing sheet for younger kids who are still building pencil control. Both fit A4 and US Letter.
Color your shark
Finished drawing? Print one of our 2 shark coloring pages to color the same character in 2 difficulty levels, or color your own drawing with the step sheet beside you.
More shark activities
Frequently asked questions
Which way should the back fin lean?
Back toward the tail. Leaning the tall triangle that way, in step 3, is what makes the shark look like it is moving.
Why are some lines orange?
Orange marks the lines that are new in that box. Everything drawn in earlier steps turns black, so a child can see exactly what to add next.
Why does the shark have only three gill lines?
The drawing keeps step 7 to three curved lines. Most real sharks have five to seven gill slits on each side, so a child who knows that can add more.
Is there help for a child who finds drawing hard?
Yes. A dashed outline of the whole shark is provided for tracing, and an animation of about 14 seconds draws the shark line by line before your child starts.
About this printable
- Made with AI assistance (vector drawing authored by a language model) and checked by automated tests and an AI reviewer.
- Checked by automated tests and an AI reviewer on 22 Oct 2026.
- Free for personal and single-classroom use. See the license. Read the license · How these are made · Report a problem.
- Vector PDF, 2 pages, 186×254 mm art box — prints edge-safe on A4 and US Letter.
New printables, twice a month
Our newsletter starts soon, with new sheets twice a month and a free 10-page starter pack for every new reader.