How to Draw a Dusky Shark

In this quick tutorial you'll learn how to draw a Dusky Shark in 6 easy steps - great for kids and novice artists.

The images above represent how your finished drawing is going to look and the steps involved.

Below are the individual steps - you can click on each one for a High Resolution printable PDF version.

At the bottom you can read some interesting facts about the Dusky Shark.

Make sure you also check out any of the hundreds of drawing tutorials grouped by category.

How to Draw a Dusky Shark - Step-by-Step Tutorial

Step 1: First, draw half of an oval for the head of your shark. Curve the bottom slightly for the mouth.

Step 2: Next, draw the face. Place a small black circle above the slight curve you made. From that curve draw a short line that bends downwards into a frown. Draw three slightly curved lines for the gills of your shark.

Step 3: Then, draw the body by making two lines that mirror each other. Leave an empty space on the back and chest of your shark for the upper and lower fins to go later.

Step 4: Draw the two upper fins in a triangular shape. In the top space you left, draw the bigger fin and bring it to a rounded point. The smaller fin at the back should come to a fine point.

Step 5: In the empty space you left at the bottom of your shark, draw a long fin that points down. Draw two more fins at the back of the shark like you see in this picture.

Step 6: The last step is to draw a large boomerang-shape for the tail. Add a notch with a point at the tip of your shark's tail.

Interesting Facts about the Dusky Shark

Dusky sharks (Carcharhinus obscurus) live in warm and tropical waters around the world. They migrate towards the poles in the summer and the equator in the winter, often covering hundreds of miles.

Did you know?

  • Although not usually dangerous to humans, dusky sharks have the most powerful bite of all sharks.
  • Dusky sharks travel long ways, but they usually return to the same continental waters of their own birth to reproduce.
  • Due to the fact that they tend to live in the same places, they have been victims of overfishing which has threatened their population.
  • While fishing for dusky sharks is now illegal, they are still often caught in the nets and lines of commercial and recreational fishers.
  • They can live up to fifty years, but do not breed until they are about twenty. Female sharks take 22 months to give birth, and often only breed every three years, which makes the population slow to grow.
  • Over the last half of century, some dusky shark populations have dropped over 80%.

Lesson plan note: Discuss how commercial and overfishing can have such a negative impact on dusky shark populations.

">