This article was co-authored by Kelly Medford. Kelly Medford is an American painter based in Rome, Italy. She studied classical painting, drawing and printmaking both in the U.S. and in Italy. She works primarily en plein air on the streets of Rome, and also travels for private international collectors on commission. She founded Sketching Rome Tours in 2012 where she teaches sketchbook journaling to visitors of Rome. Kelly is a graduate of the Florence Academy of Art.
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Starfish - also known as sea stars - are cool creatures that live underwater. They not only come in mesmerizing colors but also have interesting bodies. If you're interested in drawing these fabulous animals, this guide will provide easy steps for you to follow. Soon, you'll be hanging your masterpiece on your wall for everyone to admire.
Steps
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1Start with lines (straight or curved) shaped like a star. This will make sure that your star is nice and star-shaped. This represents the skeleton of your starfish, allowing you to add details to its basic form. Be sure that your lines are a realistic length.
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2Sketch the form of the starfish. Using the lines as a guide, draw the outline of the creature's body. Decide whether you want a thin or fat starfish. For a realistic drawing, search pictures of live starfish and use them as references.Advertisement
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3Draw the details. Add in dots or curved lines to create your starfish's unique appearance. Be sure that you are as original in your ideas as possible so that your drawing catches people's eye.
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4Ink your drawing. Following the outline of your starfish, trace your drawing with ink for a professional look. Erase guidelines and unnecessary details If you are afraid of making mistakes, make a copy of your drawing so that you can freely experiment.
- Alternatively, scan your drawing into your computer. Use art software to trace your starfish.
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5Add shadows and shading. For a realistic starfish, bring out the natural shadows in its body. Be sure that you add the correct amounts of shading so that it looks like your creature pops out of the drawing. Place emphasis upon the important features of the starfish, such as the legs. However, beware of overdoing the shading, as this can lead to a strange-looking drawing.
- You can create hatching or cross hatch marks with a soft pencil, like a 4B or 6B.
- You could also use water-soluble pencils and roughly shade over an area and then go back over the pencil with a wet brush to fill in the area.
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6Color your starfish. Choose your favorite shades, and fill in the details. Color pencils or special drawing markers are the best choices for those who wish to color traditionally. Another option is to color the starfish digitally with art software. If you have trouble deciding on the best colors, use pictures of real starfish as references.
- If you're mixing colors, experiment with different hues and ratios until you get the desired tone.
Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do I draw a turtle?
Community AnswerThe shell should be a nice oval shape. The legs should be a triangle with curvy edges. The head should be long and round at the top. Get creative. -
QuestionHow do I draw fish?
Community AnswerDraw an oval. At the end of the oval, make a triangle. Draw a dot at the other end of the oval. -
QuestionHow do I draw a starfish without curved lines?
CanisChiropteraCommunity AnswerRealistically, you don't, as real life animals are made up of complex curves and structures. However, if you're looking to stylize, then that's really up to you on how you'd like to approach it.
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