Step 5: Darken the bottom arc to create the leopard seal's lower jaw. Inside the arc, draw a sloping shape for the open mouth. Draw a few short lines along the bottom part of the mouth for the fur.

Step 6: Inside the mouth, along the sides, draw a series of small, jagged shapes for the seal's molars. In the front of the mouth, draw a couple of small, triangular shapes for the canines. Along the back of the mouth, draw a short, curved line for the tongue. Darken the top part of the initial guides to create the top part of the head.

Step 7: Darken the curved, longer shape under front part of the body to create the seal's front flipper. Draw a series of small, pointy shapes along the right edge of the shape for the claws on the flipper. Add a few lines at the top of the shape for the base of the flipper. Use the rectangular shape that's on the far right side of the body as a guide to draw the first hind flipper. Darken the shape but make the sides wavier. On the right side, draw a series of curved lines for the tip of the flipper. Add a few short lines inside the shape for the grooves on the flipper.

Step 8: Darken the outer edges of the initial lines and shapes in the middle to create the leopard seal's body. The top and bottom edges of the body should be made up of two long continuous lines. Darken the shape under the front part of the body to create the other front flipper. Draw a series of small, pointy shapes along the right edge of the flipper for the claws. Use the angled line on the top, right side as a guide to draw the other hind flipper. Darken the line and draw a series of short, curved lines along the right edge for the tip of the flipper.

Step 9: For a cleaner look, erase as much as you can of the initial guide lines. Don't worry about erasing all of the guides. It's okay to leave some behind. Re-draw any final sketch lines you may have accidentally erased.

Final Step: Shade your drawing for extra detail. Shade lightly at first and gradually build up to darker values. For light values, push down very lightly on your pencil and push down harder for darker values. Leopard seals have coats that are counter-shaded for camouflage. That means that they are dark at the top and light at the bottom. Use a medium value for the top part of the body and leave the bottom part blank for the white fur. Use a slightly lighter value along the top edge of the body for a highlight. Use a dark value for the inside of the mouth and leave the area around the eye blank for white fur. Draw a series of spots using a dark value all over the body for the distinctive leopard pattern. Don't overthink adding the spots; just add dark markings of different sizes randomly all over the body. Add a shadow to the white underside of the body using a light value. Shadows will help give the figure more dimension and volume. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. It's a good idea to use reference as you shade for a more accurate depiction of a leopard seal. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

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