In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw an Orca or Killer Whale step-by-step.

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To draw this Orca 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.

Below you can watch a NEW step-by-step video tutorial with NARRATED steps:

The following is a video tutorial where the steps are WRITTEN out within the video:

For the first few steps, don't press down too hard with your pencil. Use light, smooth strokes to begin so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake.

Step 1: Draw a long, narrow oval as a guide for the orca's body. The shape of the oval will determine the final shape of the whale, so try not to make the oval too long or too thin. The end result should be similar to a pill. Be sure to leave enough room on either side so you can draw the rest of the orca.

Step 2: On the left side of the oval, draw a long arc as a guide for the orca's head. The length of the arc should be about one-third the size of the original oval.

Step 3: Draw two intersecting lines inside the orca's head to help you place the facial features later on.

Step 4: Draw a tall triangle above the middle section of the original oval as a guide for the orca's dorsal fin.

 

 

Step 5: Draw a U-shaped arc under the section where the head meets the original oval as a guide for the killer whale's pectoral fins.

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Step 6: Draw a small triangle on the far right side of the orca's body as a guide for the tail or flukes. Don't draw the triangle too far to the right, otherwise the orca will end up being too long.

Step 7: Draw a couple of lines that connect the main circle and triangle to complete the rest of the body and tail.

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 orca's eyes inside the head using the lines as guides for placement. The shape of the eye is similar to an oval. Shade in the eye except for a tiny circle to represent glare. Draw a few lines around the eye for extra detail.

 

 

Step 9: Use the tip of the arc and the line inside the orca's head as guides to draw the mouth. The mouth is just a wavy line that extends from the tip of the arc to the area below and to the left of the eye.

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Step 10: Use the initial arc as a guide to draw the rest of the killer whale's head. Simply darken the arc using long, smooth strokes to create the slick head.

Step 11: Now add the most recognizable feature of an orca: the white eye patch! Draw the patch above and to the right of the eye. The shape extends toward the edge of the original oval.

Step 12: Use the initial arc as a guide to draw the orca's pectoral fins. The base of the fin is thinner and should extend toward the inside of the body. Draw a smaller arc next to it to represent the killer whale's fin on the other side.

Step 13: Use the triangle on top as a guide to draw the orca's dorsal fin. The orca's dorsal fin can be over 6 feet tall, so be sure to make it big. Also curve the top point and bend it back a bit.

 

 

Step 14: Use the triangle on the right as a guide to draw the orca's fluke. Give the sides a slight bend to make them more organic as you darken the shape.

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Step 15: Use the remaining lines as guides to draw the rest of the orca's body. Darken the lines using smooth strokes to give the orca a sleek body. Whales are the biggest members of the dolphin family. Males are more than 20 feet long and weigh more than 6 tons!

Step 16: Draw a few wavy lines to indicate the separation of the black and white tones inside the body. Draw a big wave-like shape underneath the orca's body. Draw a narrow, wavy shape behind the dorsal fin called a "saddle patch." Every whale has a unique patch, so it's okay to not draw it perfectly.

Step 17 (optional): For a cleaner look, erase as much as you can of the initial guide lines. Don't worry about erasing all of them. It's okay to leave some behind. Also re-draw any final sketch lines that you may have accidentally erased.

 

 

Final Step (optional): Add some shading to your orca drawing to give it more dimension and volume. Pick the direction of the light source when shading so that the shadows are consistent with it.

You can add more value throughout your orca drawing for extra detail. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Don't leave the saddle patch blank. It's actually a grayish color, so be sure to add some value to it too. Adding the dark value to the entire orca can be very time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Try to add the dark value uniformly throughout the orca's body for smooth, sleek skin instead of a rough-textured feel. It's a good idea to use reference to be as accurate as possible. Remember to PAUSE the "How to Draw an Orca" video to draw at your own pace.

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