How to Draw an Octopus

Sea creatures and other such monsters are fascinating subjects for drawing, for children and adults alike. Often we let the unknown make it difficult for us to begin an art project. If we think in general terms, we find that we can draw things in very simple--yet satisfying--ways.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Practice drawing lightly with a pencil before you commit yourself to drawing on the paper you are going to use for the final drawing. Draw big circles and little circles, as most of the parts of the octopus are circular in nature.
2. Take the paper you want to use and draw a big, oblong circle-like shape. Leave space at the bottom for the legs. Keep in mind how long you want them to be so that you reserve enough space on the page.
3. Make the final body shape according to your desire: bulbous at top or perfectly circular if you like. Add eyes and mouth in any style and a nose if you want to humanize the drawing a bit.
4. Draw eight long, wavy lines coming from the bottom and lower sides of the body shape. Keep them light and sketchy at first to make sure that the length and style is what you want. Once you have them where you want them, double-up on the lines to make them with volume as thick as you want them to be.
5. Add any number of little circles of varying sizes along the legs for the suction cups. Be open and free with your drawing of these circles changing the sizes and modifying the shapes as your eye dictates.
6. Color your octopus any color you want, but keep in mind that different colors for different parts help make them stand out from each other. For example, you may want the body and legs of your octopus to be a dark purple. If so, make the suction cups a lighter violet.

Tips & Warnings

• Draw the wavy lines for the legs on scrap paper first if you feel nervous about committing lines to the final paper. Once you put them on the final paper, watch the edge of your paper and make sure that your drawing fits well into the space that you have.

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