How to Draw a Turtle
Trace the final drawing
Print a dotted version of the finished drawing and follow the dots with a pencil. Included with InnerSophist Plus.
Transparent PNG · 2400 × 2400 pixels · 300 PPI · 8 × 8 inches. SVG scales to any size.
Turtles are some of the sweetest creatures on earth, and drawing one does not have to be slow or complicated! In this beginner-friendly guide, you will learn how to turn simple shapes like circles and ovals into an adorable cartoon turtle with a smiling kawaii face. Whether you are drawing in the classroom, at home on a rainy afternoon, or practicing your sketchbook skills, follow along step by step to create your very own little shelled friend.
What you'll need
Pencil
Eraser
Drawing paper
Black fine-tip marker
Colored pencils or crayons
Pro tips
Keep your pencil strokes very light during the first few steps so overlapping guidelines erase cleanly.
Feel free to customize the shell segments with fun patterns like dots, hearts, or swirls.
Use light green, mint, or soft teal shades to give your turtle an extra gentle cartoon look.
Follow the steps
Each step matches one panel in the sheet above — draw along at your own pace.
- 1
Draw the Head
Start by sketching a smooth circle in the upper-left area of your page to form the turtle's head.
- 2
Add the Shell Oval
Draw a wide horizontal oval that overlaps the lower-right side of the head to establish the shell.
- 3
Erase Overlap Line
Erase the curved line inside the head circle where the oval passes through so the head stays in front.
- 4
Draw Belly and Rim
Add a sweeping curve beneath the head for the neck and belly, then draw a narrow curved band along the lower rim of the shell.
- 5
Add Kawaii Face
Draw two sweet dark eyes with tiny highlight dots, along with a cute w-shaped smiling mouth in the middle of the face.
- 6
Draw Shell Pattern
Add geometric facet lines across the shell to create scutes, and sketch two small curved fold lines on the neck.
- 7
Add Tail and Back Leg
Draw a tiny pointed tail at the rear right, along with a curved hind flipper underneath the back of the shell.
- 8
Sketch Remaining Flippers
Sketch the large front flipper in the foreground, plus the two background flippers peeking out from the opposite side.
- 9
Clean Up Lines
Erase the overlapping belly line that passes through the front flipper to leave a clean, finished outline ready for color.
Frequently asked questions
More to draw
Keep the pencil moving with these cute tutorials.
