A little fish in profile

Give a fish shape with a curved back, full belly, and fan tail. A few fin rays and scale arcs add interest while leaving most of the body clear.

A way into the drawing

1. Make the body

   Draw a rounded body that narrows before the tail. Mark a small mouth and place the eye near the front.

2. Attach tail and fins

   Add the fan tail, upper fin, and smaller lower and side fins. Put only a few widely spaced rays inside each shape.

3. Finish with a few marks

   Draw the curved gill cover, a short side curve, and several loose scale arcs near the shoulder. Add a narrow gray accent beneath the gill and belly.

A small thing to tryCheck the fin silhouettes before their inner lines. You can leave most of the scales out and the fish will still read clearly.