In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Megalodon Shark step-by-step.

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To draw this Megalodon Shark step by step, follow along with the video tutorial below and pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace. You may find it easier to follow the step-by-step drawings below the video. The new lines in each step are shown in red, so you'll know exactly what to draw next. You may want to open the video in a new tab and use both drawing methods. Take your time and draw at your own pace.

The Written step-by-step video tutorial:

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

Step 1: Start by drawing a circle near the right side of the paper as a guide for the megalodon shark's head. To draw the circle, first make four marks to determine the height and width. Then connect the marks using curved lines. Sketch lightly at first so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake. If you're struggling to draw the circle, just trace the outer rim of a circular object like a coin or a bottle cap. Draw a curved, horizontal line across the circle. This is a guide to help you place the shark's facial features later on. For a more detailed guide on the different ways to draw a circle check out this tutorial: Four simple ways to draw a circle.

Step 2: Starting at the top of the circle, draw a long line that curves to the left as a guide for the top part of the megalodon's body. The line should slope downward. Pay attention to the length of the line in relation to the circle. At the bottom, draw a long line that slopes upward to finish the guide for this extinct shark's body.

Step 3: On top of the body, draw a vertical line that tilts slightly as a guide for the megalodon's dorsal fin. Under the body, near the middle, draw a long line that slopes to the left as a guide for the first pectoral fin. On the lower, right side of the circle, draw a line that slopes to the right as a guide for the other pectoral fin.

Step 4: On the left tip of the body, draw a short line for the first part of the tail or caudal fin. On top of the line, draw a tall, angled line that's similar in shape to an upside-down letter V for the top part of the tail. At the bottom, draw a shorter V-shaped line as a guide for the bottom half of the megalodon shark's caudal fin.

That's it for the guides! From this point on, press harder with your pencil for a more defined drawing.

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Step 5: Use the circle as a guide to draw the shape of the megalodon's head. On the top, right side of the circle, draw a small arc for the pointy tip of the snout. The arc should be a little bit pointy, and it should tilt to the right slightly. Follow the right edge of the circle as you draw the side of the shark's open jaw. As you darken the shape, curve the line inward near the horizontal guide to indicate the jaw. Draw the bottom jaw along the lower edge of the circle. Add a short line at the top to emphasize the snout.

Step 6: Near the top of the head, lightly sketch a small oval for the eye. When you get the size and position right, darken the eye. Shade the inside of it. To the right of the eye, draw a tiny shape that's similar to an apostrophe for the megalodon's first nostril. On the far right side of the snout, close to the edge, draw another tiny shape for the other nostril. Between the nostrils, draw a series of short, horizontal lines for the wrinkles above the mouth.

Step 7: Inside the circle, below the eyes, draw a big, wide shape for the megalodon's open mouth. Lightly sketch the top part of the open mouth as a wide arc above the horizontal guide line. Don't draw the top of the mouth too high up. When you get the shape right, darken the lines. Add a similar curved shape at the bottom for the lower half of the open mouth. Use the bottom of the jaw as a guide. Sketch the bottom of the open mouth lightly at first and only darken the line when you have the shape right. Inside the mouth, near the top edge, draw a line for the gums. Keep the line close to the edge of the mouth of this extinct shark species. Draw another curved line close to the bottom edge for the lower gums.

Step 8: Draw a series of small, V-shaped lines along the top gums for the row of sharp, pointy teeth. Don't make the megalodon shark's teeth too big. They also don't have to all be the same size. Because of the angle of the head, the teeth on the right should be smaller, and they should overlap each other. Draw a series of small, triangular shapes along the bottom gums for more teeth. Don't make the triangles too big. It's okay if the teeth overlap the line for the gums. Behind the first row of teeth, draw more triangles for the more rows of teeth. Don't overlap the lines for the teeth. Add flatter, triangular shapes along the front of the gums for more teeth. Add a few curved lines inside the big shape for more detail inside the shark's mouth.

Step 9: Darken the line on top of the body for the first part of the dorsal fin. Darken the section between the dorsal line and the head for the top of the megalodon's body. To the left of the first line, draw a second curved line to finish the shape of the dorsal fin. Add a broken line inside the dorsal fin, near the right edge, to make the shape thicker.

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Step 10: Darken the line under the body for the first part of the megalodon's pectoral fin. To the left, draw another sloping line to finish the shape of the pectoral fin. The top of the fin should be wide and the bottom narrow. Don't make the tip too pointy. Inside the fin, near the bottom edge, draw a line to make the shape thicker.

Step 11: Darken the bottom edges of the initial guide to create the underside of this extinct shark species' body. Darken the line on the far right and add another line next to it to create the other pectoral fin. This pectoral fin should be smaller than the first one. Add a line inside, near the top, to make the shape thicker.

Step 12: Darken the long, sloping guide at the top for the first part of the megalodon shark's body. Near the middle of the line, draw a small, triangular shape for the second dorsal fin. Darken the bottom guide line to finish the shape of the shark's body. Along the bottom, draw two more small triangles for the pelvic and anal fins.

Step 13: Use the shapes on the left side as guides to draw the megalodon's tail or caudal fin. Darken the outer edges of the guides to create the shape of the caudal fin. Near the top of the tail, add a curved shape for the terminal margin.

Step 14: 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: Draw a squiggly line across the head and along the underside of the megalodon's body to separate the light and dark sides. Shade your drawing. Nobody is exactly sure what the extinct megalodon looked like, so you can shade your drawing however you'd like. For this look that's similar to a great white shark, use a medium value on the section above the squiggly line. Shade lightly at first, and then gradually build up to darker values. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Shark skin should appear smooth, so avoid a rough, gritty texture. Use smooth, even strokes as you shade. Leave the edges of the megalodon's dorsal and pectoral fins blank to emphasize their thickness. Shading can be time-consuming so be patient and take breaks. Use a dark value for the inside of the mouth but don't overlap the teeth as you shade. Use a light value to create shadows and give the figure more dimension and volume. Pick the direction of the light source when shading so that the shadows are consistent with it. Don't forget to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

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