Please PAUSE the "How to Draw a Swordfish" 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 two circles as guides for the swordfish's body. The circles don't have to be perfect. They're just guides. The circle on the right should be about half the size of the first circle and should be placed a bit lower. Don't place the circles too far apart, otherwise the swordfish will be too long. Leave enough space on the sides for the head and tail.
Step 2: Draw two lines that connect the two circles to form the rest of the guide for the body.
Step 3: Draw a big, wide arc similar to a greater-than sign (>) on the right side as a guide for the swordfish's head.
Step 4: Draw a long line on the right side of the head as a guide for the swordfish's characteristic sword-like bill. The longer this line is, the longer the sword of the fish will be.
Step 5: Draw a thinner arc similar to a less-than sign (<) on the left side as a guide for the back portion of the swordfish's body.
Step 6: Draw a triangle-like shape on the left side as a guide for the swordfish'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 7: Draw three more triangle-like shapes around the swordfish's body as guides for the rest of the fins. Draw one on top for the dorsal fin and two at the bottom for the pectoral fin (on the right) and anal fin (on the left).
That's it for the initial sketch! From this point on, press harder with your pencil to get a more defined sketch.
Step 8: Draw the swordfish's eye as a circle in the middle of the head near the top. Draw another circle inside the eye for the pupil and shade it in except for a tiny circle to represent glare. Draw a small curved line on top of the eye for extra detail.
Step 9: Use the line on the right as a guide to draw the distinctive sword-like bill. Start above the swordfish's eye using the arc as a guide to complete the head at the same time. Follow the basic path of the guide as you create the shape of the sword-like bill. It should come to a point on the right. The bottom line should stretch all the way to the left and inside of the head to create the open mouth.
Step 10: Draw a similar shape, only this time a lot shorter under the sword for the bottom part of the swordfish's mouth.
Step 11: Use the triangle-like shape on top of the body as a guide to draw the dorsal fin. Follow the basic path of the guide but curve the shape more as you darken the lines. Swordfish and sailfish are very similar. To draw a sailfish, simply make the dorsal fin bigger by stretching the shape back toward the tail.
Step 12: Use the triangle-like shape on the bottom as a guide to draw the swordfish's pectoral fin on this side. Make it curve a bit more.
Step 13: Use the shape on the left as a guide to draw the anal fin. Make this fin curvier, too. Draw a couple of smaller fins near the tail and the dorsal fin on the other side of the swordfish's body.
Step 14: Draw the tail or caudal fin on the left side using the big triangle as a guide. Follow the basic path of the shape for the top and bottom edge of the fin. The line for the left side of the fin should come in more to the right toward the swordfish's body to form a sort of wide greater-than sign (>).
Step 15: Use the remaining lines and shapes to form the rest of the swordfish's body. Simply darken the lines as you follow the path of the guides to create the outer shape of the body. Add a few curved lines to the left of the eye for the gills and extra detail under the mouth.
Step 16 (optional): 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 that you may have accidentally erased.
Final Step (optional): You can add more value throughout your swordfish drawing for more detail. Add a few lines within the shape of the fins for the ridges found there. Swordfish don't have any pattern on their skin, so you can use a single value for the entire body. You can use a lighter value on a section near the top to make the skin seem sleek and shiny.
Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Try to add the value smoothly across the body for a shiny, wet look and avoid a rough, gritty texture. You can add a lighter value near the middle of the body for a shinier, sleeker texture. The bottom part of the swordfish usually tends to be lighter than the rest of the body, so add a light value here too.
Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. You can shade small sections of the swordfish at a time to break up the long process. It's also a good idea to use reference as you draw for a more accurate drawing. Don't forget to pause the "How to Draw a Swordfish" video after each step to draw at your own pace.
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