How to Draw Mermaids Easily: A Beginner's Guide

Written by Daisie Team

Published on 10 July 2023 6 min read

If you've always dreamt of creating beautiful beginner mermaid drawings easily, then you're in the right place. Drawing mermaids can seem complex, especially for beginners, but with a step-by-step approach, you'll find it surprisingly simple. This guide will walk you through the process, from gathering your tools to adding the final touches to your mermaid masterpiece.

1. Get Your Tools Ready

First things first: having the right tools is key to ensuring your mermaid sketch comes to life. Without the proper equipment, even the most skilled artist would struggle. Here's what you'll need:

Choosing the Right Pencil

Not all pencils are created equal. For beginner mermaid drawings, it's easy to start with an HB or 2B pencil. These are versatile and perfect for sketching your initial outline without leaving heavy marks. As you gain confidence, you can explore with softer pencils like 4B or 6B for darker lines and shading.

Finding the Perfect Sketchbook

Your sketchbook is like your personal art studio—it's where your mermaid will come to life. Look for a sketchbook with medium-weight paper that can handle erasures and shading. Brands like Moleskine and Strathmore have sketchbooks that are tried and tested by many artists.

Selecting Erasers and Sharpeners

Finally, don't forget about erasers and sharpeners. A good eraser is your best friend when it comes to correcting mistakes. A kneaded eraser is great for lightening lines without completely erasing them. For sharpeners, a standard one will do the job, but you might consider a long point sharpener for more precise lines.

Now that you have your tools ready, the real fun can begin. In the next section, we'll start with basic shapes to create the foundation of your mermaid drawing.

2. Start with Basic Shapes

When it comes to beginner mermaid drawings, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by intricate details. But every complex drawing starts with simple shapes. Breaking your mermaid down into basic shapes lets you focus on proportion and structure before you dive into the details.

Drawing the Head

Begin by sketching a circle for the head. Don't worry about it being perfect—this is just your guide. Once you have the circle, you can add a cross inside it. The horizontal line represents where the eyes will go, and the vertical line helps align the nose and mouth.

Sketching the Body

Moving on to the body, imagine it as a combination of rectangles and triangles. Draw a small rectangle under the head for the neck. For the torso, think of an elongated triangle with the top cut off. Remember, mermaids are known for their graceful, flowing figures, so feel free to add curves to your shapes.

Outlining the Tail

The tail might seem tricky, but it's just a big, elongated 'S' shape. The top of the 'S' starts at the waist and the bottom ends in a classic mermaid fin, which you can shape like a spread-out fan or a wide 'W'. This part is all about creativity—feel free to make your tail as long, short, wide, or narrow as you like.

Now that you have your basic shapes, you're ready to start adding details to bring your mermaid to life. Let's start with the face, then move on to the tail and hair.

3. Add Details to Your Mermaid

Now that we've laid the foundation with basic shapes, it's time to breathe life into your mermaid drawing. Details are what transform your collection of shapes into a stunning mermaid. So, let's start sculpting our mermaid's face, tail, and hair with fascinating details.

Designing the Face

Start by adding oval shapes inside the head for the eyes along the horizontal line. For the nose, a simple line or dot in the middle of the vertical line will do. As for the mouth, a curved line beneath the nose creates a serene expression. Remember, when it comes to beginner mermaid drawings, easy does it. You don't need to go into extreme detail—just enough to express your mermaid's personality.

Adding Scales to the Tail

The tail is where your mermaid drawing truly shines. Begin by drawing curved lines down the length of the tail, creating the illusion of segments. Then, fill each segment with small 'U' or 'V' shapes to represent scales. Remember, the scales don't have to be perfectly uniform. In fact, a little variation makes your mermaid seem more lifelike.

Creating Flowing Hair

Mermaid hair is all about movement. Start by deciding which direction the hair will flow. Then, draw long, wavy lines from the head to show the hair's path. Fill in the path with more lines to create thickness and volume. Again, don't strive for perfection. The aim is to capture the wild, free spirit of the sea.

Adding details to your mermaid is a thrilling step. It's where your creation truly starts to sparkle with life. Once you're satisfied with the details, we'll move on to shading and highlighting to add depth and realism to your masterpiece.

4. Shade and Highlight Your Drawing

Shading and highlighting might seem intimidating at first, but they are actually simple techniques that make a big impact on your mermaid drawing. By understanding light and shadow, you can create a three-dimensional illusion that brings your mermaid to life.

Learning about Light and Shadow

Let's start with a basic lesson about light and shadow. Light areas of your mermaid indicate where light is hitting directly, while shadows are areas blocked from the light. For example, the top of the mermaid's tail, where light might hit first, should be lighter than the underside. It's not rocket science, but it's a game-changer for beginner mermaid drawings.

Shading the Mermaid's Body

With your understanding of light and shadow, start shading your mermaid's body. Use your pencil to apply light pressure for areas in light, and heavier pressure for shadowed areas. Pay special attention to the curves of the body — the chest, waist and tail — these areas will have a mix of light and shadow that gives your mermaid a three-dimensional appearance.

Highlighting for Realism

Highlighting is the opposite of shading. Instead of adding darkness, you're adding light spots to help features pop out. Use your eraser to gently lift off some pencil in areas you want to highlight, like the top of the tail, the forehead, or the tops of the scales. It's a subtle step, but it adds a striking touch of realism to your easy mermaid drawing.

With your mermaid beautifully shaded and highlighted, she's starting to look rather impressive, isn't she? Next, we'll move on to the final touches that will polish up your artwork and make it display-worthy.

5. Finalize and Touch Up Your Artwork

Once you've got your mermaid shaded and highlighted, you're nearly there. Now it's time for the final touches, which can make a big difference in your beginner mermaid drawings. It's all about polishing up your work, checking proportions, and adding your own unique signature.

Adding the Final Touches

Think of the final touches as the icing on the cake. It's a chance to add some personality and depth to your mermaid. Maybe she has a starfish hair clip, a necklace made from sea pearls, or unique patterns on her tail. It's often the little details that make a drawing stand out. So, let your imagination run wild here.

Checking for Proportion Errors

Now, take a step back and look at your mermaid from a distance. Do the proportions look right? Is her head too big compared to her body or is her tail too short? Don't worry if you spot some errors — it's a part of the process. Simply use your eraser to make corrections. Remember, practice makes perfect, especially with easy mermaid drawings for beginners.

Signing and Dating Your Work

Last but not least, sign and date your work. Your signature is a stamp of pride on your creation. It doesn't have to be fancy or elaborate — it just has to be you. Dating your work is also a good idea. It's fun to look back and see how much you've improved over time.

And with that, you've completed your mermaid drawing. Well done! Remember, the key to becoming better is to keep practicing. So, why not draw another mermaid? Or maybe a school of them? The ocean is the limit when it comes to your imagination.

If you're excited about drawing mermaids and want to dive deeper into this magical world, check out the workshop 'Making a Mermaid' by Hope Christofferson. This workshop will provide you with additional tips and techniques to create stunning mermaid illustrations, perfect for beginners and experienced artists alike.