Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Neon Tetra" video after each step to draw at your own pace.




For the first few steps, don't press down too hard with your pencil. Use light, smooth strokes to begin.

Step 1: Draw a circle as a guide for the neon tetra's body. The circle doesn't have to be perfect. It's just a guide. Leave enough room on the sides for the tail and the head.

Step 2: Draw an arc on the right side of the circle as a guide for the neon tetra's head. The length of the arc should be almost the width of the circle.

Step 3: Draw another arc on the left side of the circle as a guide for the back portion of the body. This arc should be longer and narrower than the first one and the bottom line should come up a bit higher.

Step 4: Draw a triangle-like shape on the left side as a guide for the neon tetra's tail or caudal fin. To draw this guide, first draw a long vertical line, then connect the line to the body using diagonal lines.

Step 5: Draw a couple more triangle-like lines to form the guides for the pectoral and pelvic fins. Simply draw an angled line inside the circle on the lower right side and another outside of the body on the lower left side.