DrawAFishHow to Draw a Fish — Step by Step
Drawing a fish is one of the easiest things to sketch: a body, a tail, an eye and a couple of fins. This guide walks you through a simple basic fish in four steps, then six fun variations. Every one is just a few lines — perfect for kids and total beginners. Follow along, then try it on the canvas and watch your fish come to life.
The basic fish in 4 steps
Master this one first — every other fish is just a twist on these four steps.
- 1
Draw the body
Sketch a sideways oval. This is the body — leave the left end as the head.
- 2
Add the tail
On the right side, draw a notched triangle for the tail fin.
- 3
Add fins and an eye
Add a fin on top, a fin underneath, and a small dot near the front for the eye.
- 4
Finish the details
Draw a little mouth and a curved gill line behind the head. Done!
Finished!
4/4
6 more fish to try
Goldfish
Round, plump and bright — the goldfish is all about a big flowing tail.
- 1
Draw a round body
Start with a fat, almost round oval for the chubby body.
- 2
Add a flowing tail
Draw a large, wavy fan on the right for the goldfish's signature tail.
- 3
Add fins and a big eye
Add a tall top fin, a belly fin, and a large round eye near the front.
- 4
Add the details
Finish with a small mouth and a gill line, then colour it orange.
Finished!
4/4
Clownfish
The famous orange-and-white reef fish — three bold stripes do all the work.
- 1
Draw the body
Draw a smooth oval body, a little longer than it is tall.
- 2
Add the tail and fins
Add a fan tail on the right and soft rounded fins on top and bottom.
- 3
Add three stripes
Draw three curved bands across the body — at the head, the middle and near the tail.
- 4
Add eye and mouth
Add an eye and a tiny mouth. Colour the body orange between the white stripes.
Finished!
4/4
Betta fish
The drama queen of the tank — huge, flowing fins are the whole point.
- 1
Draw a small body
Draw a small oval body. The fins will be the big part.
- 2
Add a big flowing tail
Draw a large, sweeping fan tail with a wavy edge.
- 3
Add the top and bottom fins
Add big flowing fins above and below the body to match the tail.
- 4
Add eye and face
Add an eye, a small mouth and a gill line. Betta come in every colour!
Finished!
4/4
Koi
The graceful pond fish — long body, trailing fins and painterly spots.
- 1
Draw a long body
Draw a long, slim oval — koi are longer than most fish.
- 2
Add the tail and side fins
Add a tail on the right and a flowing fin along the belly.
- 3
Add whiskers and a top fin
Draw two short whiskers (barbels) at the mouth and a long fin on the back.
- 4
Add spots and an eye
Add an eye and a few rounded patches — koi are famous for their red-and-white spots.
Finished!
4/4
Cartoon fish
The simplest, cutest fish — perfect for little kids and quick doodles.
- 1
Draw a rounded body
Draw a big, rounded body — almost like a fat balloon.
- 2
Add a tail and fin
Add a simple triangle tail and one little fin on top.
- 3
Add a big eye and smile
Give it one huge eye and a wide, happy smile. Adorable!
Finished!
3/3
Shark
A friendly little shark — sleek body, pointy fin and a cheeky grin.
- 1
Draw a sleek body
Draw a long body with a pointed snout on the left.
- 2
Add the fin and tail
Add the famous triangle fin on top and a forked tail on the right.
- 3
Add a side fin and gills
Add a side fin underneath and three short gill lines behind the head.
- 4
Add eye and mouth
Add a small eye and a wide, toothy grin. Watch out!
Finished!
4/4
Tips for a great fish
- 1
Start with a light, loose body shape — you can darken your lines once it looks right.
- 2
Have your fish face left so it swims naturally in the tank.
- 3
An eye and a little mouth instantly give your fish personality.
- 4
Add stripes, dots or scales to make it pop with colour.
Now draw your own fish
You've got the moves — put them to work. Draw a fish on the canvas, get it named and scored by AI, and watch it swim in the global tank.
Draw a fishFish drawing FAQ
What is the easiest fish to draw?+
The basic fish above — an oval body with a triangle tail, an eye and two fins. It takes about four strokes and always reads as a fish.
How do you draw a fish for kids?+
Keep it to simple shapes: an oval for the body, a triangle for the tail, a dot for the eye and a curve for the mouth. The cartoon fish in this guide is the most kid-friendly.
How do you draw a realistic fish?+
Start from the same basic shapes, then add gill lines, layered fins, scales and shading. The koi and clownfish steps show how patterns make a fish look more real.
What can I do with my fish drawing?+
On DrawAFish.live your drawing is named and scored by AI, then it swims in a shared tank where anyone can feed it to help it grow and climb the leaderboard.