How to draw an octopus with a pencil for children. How to draw an octopus - step by step lesson


In this article we will look at how to draw an octopus. Anyone who is interested in drawing or just starting out will find this lesson very useful.

Octopuses are not as cute as puppies and seals, but they are very interesting sea creatures. Before starting the lesson, you need to learn more about what we will depict.

What is an octopus

First, let's remember that an octopus is a mollusk. Everyone knows that the oceanic inhabitant has such a name because of the number of tentacles. Nowadays, you can occasionally hear that an inhabitant of the depths is called “octagonist.” For many, this sounds very strange, so everyone calls him an octopus, which, for your information, has three hearts and blue blood.

Humans use their mouths to sense taste, but the octopus uses its tentacles to sense taste. This is how he understands whether what he finds is edible. On average life of this creature lasts two years. There are octopuses that do not live up to 6 months. Despite such a short period, their life is very interesting and eventful.

As it became known, these mollusks do not have bones or protective shells. The only hard part of the body is the beak, which is similar to the same organ in the cockatoo parrot. The rest of the body is very soft and elastic, but at the same time strong and dense. Due to the lack of bones, octopuses are able to penetrate rather narrow cracks and holes in underwater rocks and reefs. The only thing that can limit its penetration into the gorge is its beak. That is, the minimum hole an octopus can get into is determined by the size of its beak.

Man, as a rational being, has learned to use the octopus for his own purposes. Thus, the Japanese at one time, with the help of cephalopods, retrieved expensive porcelain dishes from the seabed. They tied octopuses to long ropes and released them into the sea over the wrecks of sunken ships. The octopuses, in turn, descended to the bottom and hid in vases and amphorae or held tightly to other archaeological objects.

How to draw an octopus

Now you can start drawing our mollusk. How to draw an octopus with a pencil? We will describe this process step by step.

First you need to mark the position of the octopus on the sheet. It's better to start drawing from the head, since this is the main part of his body. In order not to spoil the drawing in the future, it is recommended to draw the lines thin and slightly noticeable. In case of an error, you can erase and correct part of it. The next step is to mark the eyes on the head, also done with gentle pressure.

After the sketches of the octopus's head are ready and there is no need to correct anything done, let's move on to the tentacles. By the name of the octopus, the number of its limbs is already clear. You need to mark the beginning of all the tentacles from the bottom of the head. Just like the head, you need to draw the eight tentacles of the octopus by lightly pressing the pencil.

Let's continue to look at the topic of how to draw an octopus. When all the errors have been corrected, let's move on to the main outline. It needs to be done soft pencil. Then it will become a more saturated black color. You can also use various markers and liners. In order for the line to be even, you need to draw it at an average pace and try not to be distracted from the process. In this way we outline the entire outline, simultaneously erasing unnecessary strokes.

The next step is to color the octopus. The color palette of this mollusk is very large. It can instantly change from the palest color to bright red. All this is due to the camouflage abilities of the creature being described. So, what color to paint the mollusk is up to you.

Note to beginners

We looked at many points on how to draw an octopus with a pencil step by step. For beginners, it’s worth knowing a few more nuances. For example, when drawing outlines with felt-tip pens, you should not press too hard on a sheet of paper. Otherwise, the width of the outline will be uneven and thick. Also, when painting over a drawing, you should not paint over and over again in the same place, as the drawing will turn out uneven and in spots.

What You'll Be Creating

The topic of this lesson is drawing an octopus; In the basis of the drawing we use the anatomy of this mollusk, in addition, we will add a little stylization to our work.

I'll show you a simple way to create pencil drawing from scratch and then we'll look at step by step process drawing using rapidographs. We will also learn how to make good use of dots and artistic techniques combinations!

What you will need

  • Sheet of drawing paper
  • Graphite pencil (I recommend using the HB type)
  • Eraser
  • Rapidograph with tip diameter 0.2
  • Rapidograph with tip diameter 0.1
  • Rapidograph with tip diameter 0.05

1. Draw an Octopus with a Graphite Pencil

Step 1

Draw a slightly curved base line; it will help us determine the position of the figure.

Step 2

According to this angle, one side of the octopus is more visible to the viewer than the other.

Step 3

Add base lines for the limbs. The octopus has eight tentacles, which can be divided into four pairs.

Now I will select only those tentacles that are visible on foreground, just to keep the process as simple as possible. We'll add hidden tentacles later.

Step 4

Draw the eyes. They are large, enclosed in a capsule and have a slit-like pupil.

Step 5

Draw a fold over the hole in the side of the head.

Step 6

Add a siphon that resembles a tunnel. The octopus uses the siphon to breathe and move around.

2. Draw Tentacles

Step 1

It's worth mentioning that, according to Wikipedia, the correct name for an octopus's limbs is “leg,” not “tentacles.” But since it is a common name, I will use the term “tentacles” from time to time throughout the tutorial.

Draw the first pair of legs, keeping the lines smooth and soft.

Step 2

To draw correctly inner part tentacles, we need to take into account the principle of perspective.

The angle determines how much of the inner surface we see; The image below illustrates this concept.

We'll go into detail about drawing the suckers (the round elements that cover the inner surfaces of the legs) only in the next step.

Draw the inner parts of the first pair of legs.

Step 3

The stylized shape of the suction cup resembles a bowl with a depression in the central cavity.

The principle of perspective also applies here: the point of view determines how we see an object. For example, if we have a top view of a suction cup, we will only see the top plane with a cavity and no sides.

Each leg has two rows of suckers. Depending on the variety, the suckers can be placed in a parallel or checkerboard pattern.

Add suction cups to the first pair of legs. The suckers get smaller in size as you go further along the limb, so just highlight the smallest suckers without adding too much detail.

Step 4

Draw the second pair of legs and then add the inner parts to them.

Step 5

Add suction cups to the second pair of legs.

Step 6

Draw the remaining tentacle as the third pair. Next, add the inner part and suction cups, just like we did in the previous examples.

Step 7

Draw the second leg from the third pair; it is hidden behind one of the tentacles, which are located in the foreground.

Step 8

Add a fourth pair of legs. Use your imagination and artistic talent to find a suitable placement for these legs; It is very important to maintain the balance of the figure.

I used a light pencil to shade the inside of the limbs, this is just for clarity.

Step 9

As a final addition to your sketch, draw the suction cups.

Our sketch is ready to work with the rapidograph!

3. We use Rapidographs

Step 1

Before we start tracing our octopus drawing with rapidographs, let's do a few warm-up exercises and practice the technique of drawing dots on paper.

The dot technique (also known as stippling technique) is an excellent art technique; it is an ideal choice for creating beautiful textures.

Practice the dotting technique to create a two-part example. On the left, use the rapidograph 0,2 , and on the right is a rapidograph 0,1 .

Step 2

Draw a line using only points. Drawing speed affects the accuracy of individual points within a line.

Rapidograph 0.2 is a great tool for this exercise.

Step 3

The purpose of the next exercise is to determine the degree of gradation. Using a rapidograph 0,2 , experiment with increasing the density of the ink dots.

4. Draw an Octopus using a Rapidograph

Step 1

Using a rapidograph 0.2 , create the main outlines.

To make the drawing more interesting, I use a dotted line in addition to the traditional solid outline.

Step 2

Add dots to both sides of the octopus using a liner 0.2 . I also darkened the pupils and highlighted the dark areas of the figure.

Step 3

Using a rapidograph 0.1 , add a layer of dots to the drawing.

Step 4

Add dots to the farthest tentacles of the octopus using a liner 0.1 . To create basic shadows on the tentacles, you can place the dots close together.

Step 5

Outline the suction cup using a liner 0.05 , and also add dots to the eyes to make them more three-dimensional.

Step 6

Using a rapidograph 0.2 , add another layer of dots to both sides of the octopus, giving the drawing more contrast and a more three-dimensional look.

Create a pattern on the skin by adding small groups of dots on the head and legs. Approximately five points per group will do.

Step 7

Trace the contour lines of the drawing, making them a little thicker using a rapidograph 0.2 .

Step 8

We have completed the drawing!

As a finishing touch, add pencil shading to both sides of the octopus, creating a soft transition from shadow to light. This combination of artistic techniques makes the drawing more unique and interesting.

Our Drawing is Complete!

Congratulations! We have finished creating our drawing! I hope you liked both the lesson and the result.

I wish you great success in drawing with pencils and inks. I wish you a pleasant time capturing the unique charm beautiful world animals and nature!



The octopus is one of the most amazing animals on the planet. It refers to cephalopods, since it does not have a torso as such: the tentacles actually grow directly from the head. And the most interesting thing is that octopuses have blue blood, because... it contains copper. So let's learn how to draw an octopus.

Draw with a pencil

First, let's figure out how to draw an octopus with a simple pencil. The drawing will turn out to be quite realistic, so you need to perform each action very carefully. First, let's outline an oval head with a pointed end, as well as blanks for the eyes and a special tube - a siphon.

Now we add the curved tentacles. The octopus has exactly eight of them - in fact, this is where its name comes from. The tentacles are evenly spaced: two in front, two in back, two on the left and two on the right.

Let's depict suction cups - with their help, this mollusk can move on various surfaces, including vertical ones.

And now let’s work with the eyes, and also outline small pimples and tubercles on the animal’s body.

And the finishing touch is the shadow of the tentacles. It must be applied very carefully, without overdoing it anywhere.

That's it, our drawing is completely ready. Those who like video tutorials will be interested in watching this video:

Step by step


For those who are still learning fine arts, it will be easiest to learn by step by step instructions. This way you can gradually complete each stage, correcting minor flaws if necessary. And don’t be afraid - anyone can learn how to draw an octopus step by step with the help of examples.

Let's start with the eyes - oval, large, with two dots-pupils.

Therefore, you need to draw a large oval head, somewhat reminiscent of an egg.

Now let's add tentacles - elongated, wavy. Again, don’t forget - there should be exactly eight of them.

Between the tentacles we will draw some kind of membranes - in these mollusks they are called the mantle.

Now let's add some suckers:

Voila - the octopus is ready. As you can see, everything is very, very easy. This video will also help a novice artist:

A simple example for children


Children love to draw different animals. And the octopus is no exception, because it is a very funny, unusual sea creature. Let's figure out together how to draw an octopus for a child.

Our octopus must smile, so let’s start the drawing with a cheerful smile.

And now - big funny eyes:

And a head that looks like an upside-down egg. We don’t finish drawing the head from below - tentacles will immediately come from it.

And now - tentacles with suction cups, those famous eight legs. You can make them curled at the ends.

That's it, the drawing is finished. Nothing complicated, so even a very young child can cope with this. Especially with the help of parents. If you want to find more detailed description- watch this video.


The octopus is a unique marine animal that has eight tentacles and numerous suckers instead of fins and a tail. The octopus moves by pushing water out of its hollow body. Surprisingly, the octopus has a beak and a supply of ink with which it colors the water in case of danger. Drawing an octopus is not difficult, just draw long tentacles and an elongated head shape and it will be clear that this is a drawing of an octopus. An octopus is very similar to a squid, but much larger. Therefore, in order to draw an octopus correctly, you need to draw two more eyes in addition to the suction cups on the tentacles. To emphasize its size you can draw an octopus against the backdrop of other sea inhabitants.

1. Initial contours of the drawing


To accurately draw the primary outline of the octopus, first draw an elongated oval, sloping to the left. The lower part of the oval is slightly “flattened”, pay attention to this. Now all that remains is to draw the outline of the “skirt” to the bottom of the oval and in the next step we will draw the tentacles.

2. Outlines of octopus tentacles


The contour lines of the tentacles are very easy to draw. The main thing is not to forget that the octopus has eight of them.

3. Octopus Tentacle Shape


Using the preliminary contour lines, you now need to draw the shape of the octopus' tentacles. Start drawing them from the base of the body, gradually narrowing the shape towards the bottom. The tentacles need to be drawn equal in thickness.

4. The octopus drawing is almost finished


Once you remove the extra contour lines, the octopus drawing will be almost complete. Draw the eyes and all that remains is to draw the suction cups on the tentacles.

5. The final stage of drawing an octopus


You won't have to draw anything complicated at this step. All you need to do is draw numerous free-form suction cups on the octopus.

6. Shadows and surrounding seascape


It is not necessary to color the drawing with paints. Shadows from a simple pencil are quite suitable for coloring an octopus. To emphasize the size of the octopus, some of them have tentacles up to 2 meters long, you need to draw other sea inhabitants against the background of the picture. Besides, it will do octopus drawing more effective and realistic.


Drawing the sea is not easy, and it is even more difficult to draw the sea with a simple pencil. The most important thing is to be able to convey excitement sea ​​water, waves. With a pencil this can only be done using the pencil stroke technique.


It is not necessary to draw the crayfish completely with a pencil; in the last step, you can color the drawing with colored pencils, coloring the crayfish dark green.


Shark is the most dangerous sea animal more precisely fish and even appearance she has the appropriate one. A large mouth with many razor-sharp teeth and a predatory gaze. It is these features that need to be drawn correctly first of all.


Having learned to draw a small fish, you can begin a more complex task, for example, drawing an octopus.


Drawing a dolphin is not difficult at all, just like drawing an octopus. The body of a dolphin has a similar structure to a fish, the main thing is to learn how to draw the head and maintain all proportions.


The turtle has a very unusual shape, compared to other inhabitants of the seas, such as the octopus. Drawing a turtle is a lot of fun, but it's not the easiest task. The difficulty is that the turtle has a very unusual shape and the relief pattern of the shell.


The initial contours of the whale resemble the frame of an ordinary boat, only the rear edge is strongly raised up.

Hello again everyone!
Call your children to the monitors, because today we will learn how to easily draw a minion step by step. For those who don’t know, minions are such cute and funny characters from the animated trilogy “Despicable Me”. All of them yellow color, look like a chocolate egg toy package, speak their own language and always find themselves in interesting situations under the leadership of their owner, a gangly man with a big nose named Gru. Although I think that every adult, and even more so a child, can imagine what these restless pets look like.
I will draw with a felt-tip pen, you can follow my example or use a simple pencil to correct the drawing if necessary. Take a sheet of paper, preferably a landscape one.
If you want to draw a large minion, then it is better to place the sheet vertically; if you plan to draw several pieces next to each other, then you can horizontally. All minions are very similar to each other, but there is one significant difference - some are luckier and have two eyes, while others are content with only one. I will draw a more developed yellow belly, which sees twice as well.

I'll start drawing from the eyes. First, we draw two identical circles, around which we make an edging. The edging will serve as glasses in the future. The result is an eight.

To make the eyes real, add pupils to them. I draw two pieces, whoever decides to draw a one-eyed Cyclops can do it twice as fast!

At the next stage, we will draw a body for our minion. Here you can dream up. Depending on the size of the body, it will be tall, short or normal, like mine.

Are there bald minions? Certainly! But I decided to make mine handsome and gave him these rare curls. You can depict the hair on your head in a different way, for example, draw a thick bunch from one point, similar to how a palm tree grows. And at this stage, don’t forget to draw the glasses strap. It turned out like this.

The yellow men are mostly dressed in the same denim overalls, in other words just pants with straps. My friend is no exception. Now I’ll draw the very straps that hold the pants on. The dots on the straps are buttons or buttons.

Almost left our yellow hero without the opportunity to discuss last news with brothers. Let's go back and draw his mouth. I love to smile, so of course I decorated my face with a smiling grin.

What's next, you ask? Next we will draw the hands, one raised up, the other down. Yours may be different, both up, both down, you can even depict one-armed bandit. In fact, these are just blanks; a little later we will turn them into real hands.

Let's return to the torso and clothes, let's complete the overalls with the obligatory pocket in the middle.

In the next step, let's finish the arms and draw the hands, in my drawing it turned out like this.

There is a head, there are hands. What's missing? Correctly draw the minion's legs. This is also easy and simple to do. That's it, the drawing is ready!

Of course, children love colorful and bright drawings. Therefore, to ensure that the impressions from today’s lesson remain in your memory for a long time, take pencils or markers and color the picture, as I did. Our minion itself is yellow, the clothes are blue, the eyes are brown, and the glasses can be shaded with a silver felt-tip pen or a simple pencil. I think it turned out great, write your opinion in the comments.