How To Draw A Seashell Step By Step

Are you interested in learning how to draw a realistic seashell? This easy tutorial will show you how to draw a seashell step by step. The different steps are approximately an hour apart.

How To Draw A Seashell Step By Step

Most of the techniques that I discuss in this “How To Draw A Seashell Step By Step Tutorial” I also use for my pet portraits. Learning how to draw still life will condition your skill to draw anything you have a passion for.

Going to the beach during the summer is one of my favorite pastimes. The smell of the ocean air, the tranquil sounds of the waves and all of the beautiful seashells recharge me to prepare for the upcoming work week.

Drawing and painting shells is a great way to enhance your artist skills if you are learning to draw or a perfect subject for professional artists selling nautical artwork.

Draw realistic seashells using greyscale or add color with colored pencils, pastels, acrylic paints or oil paints.

This seashell pencil drawing tutorial is a great art project for kids also. Sketch the outline of the seashell and have your children draw the seashell outline you drew and color it with colored pencils or crayons.

Drawing Tools You Will Find in My Studio

Below is a list of all the materials I use for my drawings. I purchase all of my drawings supplies online at Blick Art Materials.

Drawing Paper

Related Post – Strathmore Smooth Bristol Paper Review

Blending

Pencils

Value Finder

Gray Scale and Value Finder

Erasers

Extras

You can purchase a PDF Digital Download of this tutorial for only $2.00.

Images and text are larger and you can easily access it from your computer or print for a more enjoyable drawing experience. Reference image available for download to print.

How To Draw A Seashell Step By Step BUY NOW

You can download and print the reference image below if you would like to draw along or use the techniques described to draw a reference image that you already have.

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Drawing The Contour – How To Draw A Seashell

1. Graph the reference image into one-inch blocks with a black ballpoint pen. Use eight one-inch blocks across and ten one inch blocks high.

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2. Draw the same grid on your Strathmore Bristol Smooth Paper using your 2H pencil.

Drawing TIP:

Make sure that your pencil is sharp.
Draw with very light lines for your grid. The lighter the lines are, the easier it will be to erase the grid after you have drawn the contour of the seashell.
Angle the pencil at a 45-degree angle and draw away from the tip pencil. Start from the left and draw towards the right if you are right-handed.

Note: When you draw the contour use light lines.

I darkened this image so you can see it.

The actual drawing is a lot lighter.

3. Draw the contour of the seashell with a 2H graphite pencil. Contour lines are the outlines of the subject.

Start at the bottom left. You can see that the seashell starts on the third box from the left and the second row from the bottom. Fill out the rest of the contour of the shell using the boxes to help you with the proportion of the shape.

Double-check the proportions in each box.

Drawing Tips:

Use a sharp 2H pencil
Do not press too hard on the paper.
Observe all of the curves in the box that you are drawing.
Double-check your lines with the reference photo.
Use a Proportion Divider for more accuracy.

Mapping Out The Darks – How To Draw A Seashell

I darkened this image so you can see it.

4. At this point, you can erase all of the grid lines and darken in the contour lines of the seashell and say that your drawing is finished. If you are interested in realism drawing, you will want to add the values of the subject to give your drawing depth.

Start by lightly shading in the darkest values of the shell with your 2H graphite pencil. Outline any contour lines that you see inside the shell. Start erasing any grid lines you will not use with your Factis Eraser Black eraser.

At this point, you only want to focus on the darkest areas of the shell. By using your 2H pencil, you will be able to start adding value but not making it too dark. This is just the first step. You will be adding many layers of graphite to create a smooth value change from light to dark.

Before drawing the value of the darkest areas of the seashell, use your kneaded eraser and gently tap on the contour lines. Tapping with the kneaded eraser will lighten the line by removing graphite from the drawing surface. Doing so will allow you to blend in the graphite and not have the seashell’s contour line darker than the seashell’s values.

Contour lines around a subject are used for a cartoon style drawing.

Drawing and painting shells is a great way to enhance your artistic skills if you are learning to draw or a perfect subject for professional artists selling nautical artwork.

Drawing Tips:

Use a sharp 2H pencil.
Do not press too hard on the drawing surface. If you press too hard, you will damage the drawing surface, making soft value changes impossible.
Draw darker values by drawing on top of the same line that has been drawn not by pressing hard.
If a line is too dark, tap it lightly with the kneaded eraser.

Actual image

5. Still using the 2H graphite pencil continue to draw in where the darkest values are on the seashell.

Drawing Tip: At this point, you are only mapping out where the dark values are. Do not go too dark. It is easier to add value then to remove the value.

Actual image

6. Working from right to left continue drawing where the darkest values are. Erase any grid lines that you are not using.

Drawing Tip: You should be looking at your reference image as much as you are your drawing surface. Pay close attention to the placement of your lines. If you need to adjust a line, simply erase the line that is incorrect.

7. At this point, you should be finished mapping out all of the dark values of the seashell. Now you will be using an HB and a 2H graphite pencil to add the values of the seashell.

You will be using different grades in the future for darker areas. For now, you want to use all of the value that a pencil grade has to offer before moving to the next grade.

This method takes longer to finish, but you will not have any imperfections (white spots of paper that the graphite did not reach). Graphite adheres to the tooth of the paper. If the lead is too soft, it will not reach the “valleys” of the paper, leaving little white dots. It gives it a “gritty” look.

Using the harder lead pencils and layering with the softer lead pencils will prevent the “gritty” look, making your drawing look like a photograph.

Drawing Tips:

After adding value with your HB pencil go over the section with your 2H pencil to blend in the values.
Use a Q-Tip to soften your lines.

8. Continue adding values from dark to light with your 2H and HB pencil.

9. Start using a 2B pencil now working from dark to light values.

Drawing Tips:

Always use a sharp pencil.
After sharpening your pencil wipe off the graphite dust with a paper towel.
Use the weight of the pencil to draw your values. This will take longer to add the values, but it will prevent you from drawing inconsistent lines.
Use an eraser to draw the lighter circles that are found on the shell. (bottom right)
Be cautious of the value changes.
Continue to compare your drawing with the reference image.

The Final Touch – How To Draw A Seashell

You are now at the final stage of the drawing. From this point on, the drawing should always look completed. You can continue making the seashell darker by hatching the entire drawing. To make the drawing look realistic, you will need to have the lines that you draw connect with each other. The traditional hatching method is lines drawn parallel to each other with little space creating tone or value. For realism drawing, you will not want space between the lines.

Finished drawing “Seaside Treasures”

Purchase Prints of Seaside Treasure.

I hope that you enjoyed this How To Draw A Seashell Step by Step Tutorial.

Learn how to draw a starfish or how to draw a fish after you have finished this seashell drawing.

How To Draw A Seashell Step By Step