In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw an Angelfish step-by-step.

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All of the tutorials on How2DrawAnimals.com are good drawing tutorials for beginners and experienced artists alike. The online tutorials are easy to follow; they teach you the how to draw basics while showing you how to draw animals step by step. Each animal has a video drawing tutorial option, as well as step-by-step photos and written text to follow.

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To draw this Angelfish 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 Narrated 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 top of the paper as a guide for the angelfish's body. 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 cup or a bowl. For a more detailed guide on the different ways to draw a circle check out this tutorial: Four simple ways to draw a circle.

On the right side, draw an angled line for the front part of the head. This line should be similar to a greater-than sign.

Step 2: On top of the head, draw a big triangular shape as a guide for the angelfish's top fin called the dorsal fin. This guide is made up of a vertical line on the left side and a sloping line on the right side. Pay attention to the size of this guide in relation to the circle.

Step 3: On the left side of the circle, draw the guide for the angelfish's tail. This guide consists of sloping lines on the top and bottom and a vertical line on the left side to close of the shape.

Step 4: Under the circle, on the left side, draw another big triangular shape as a guide for the angelfish's bottom or anal fin. Draw this guide the same way as the dorsal fin. Use a vertical line on the left side, below the tail and a sloping line on the right side. To the right, draw a long line that curve to the left for the pelvic 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: Inside the circle, close to the right edge, lightly sketch a small circle for the angelfish's eye. When you get the position and size of the eye right, darken the shape. Inside the eye, draw a smaller circle and shade it in for the pupil. Draw a couple of curved lines around the eye for a few creases on the skin.

Step 6: Use the angled line on the right side as a guide to draw the angelfish's mouth. Darken the top edge of the guide but angle the line inward to create the mouth. Darken the bottom edge of the guide for the bottom part of the mouth. At the tip, draw a couple of short, curved lines for the open mouth.

Step 7: Darken the top, right side of the guides to create the angelfish's head. Dip the line down before the mouth. Darken the bottom guides but curve the line in and up to create the gill cover.

Step 8: Use the big triangular shape on top of the body as a guide to draw the angelfish's dorsal fin. Darken the basic path of the guide but make the line more wavy for a more organic feel. Curve the right edge of the fin inward. Inside the shape, add a series of lines to give the fin more structure.

Step 9: Use the big triangular shape on the bottom as a guide to draw the angelfish's anal fin the same way. Follow basic path of the guide but make the shape more wavy. Extend the bottom tip more and make it pointy. Inside the shape, draw a series of sloping lines to give the fin more structure.

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Step 10: Use the shape on the left side as a guide to draw the angelfish's tail. Darken the shape but make the top and bottom tips longer and pointier. Inside the fin, add some lines for structure. Use sloping lines on the top and bottom and horizontal lines in the middle.

Step 11: Darken the line on the right for the first par of the angelfish's pelvic fin. Make the line more wavy as you darken it. Make the shape wider by drawing another line to the right. Below this fin, draw another thin, long shape that curves to the left for the pelvic fin that's on the other side of the body.

Step 12: Use the big initial circle as a guide to draw the rest of the angelfish's body. Follow the path of the circle as you darken the line but make the left side wider than the right side. Curve the lines on the left side so that they connect to the tail. To the left of the gill cover, draw the small pectoral fin. The pectoral fin is make up of a sloping line at the top and horizontal line at the bottom. Close off the shape on the sides using wavy vertical lines. Add a few lines inside the shape to give the fin structure.

Step 13: 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 angelfish drawing. Draw a series of long, vertical lines across the body to create stripes. Curve the lines inside the body to emphasize the shape of the fish. Shade the inside of the stripes using a dark value. Shade lightly at first and slowly work your way up to a darker value. For a light value, push very lightly on your pencil then gradually push harder for darker values. Use a medium value on the rest of the fish's body. Use a very light value on the outer edges of the stripes. The pectoral fin is fairly transparent, so shade the stripe behind it. Also use lighter value on a small section at the top of the body to create a highlight. Add thinner, rougher stripes inside the fins too. Break up these smaller strips so that they're almost like spots in certain sections. There are different varieties of angelfish, so you can shade yours differently if you'd like. It's a good idea to use reference as you draw for a more accurate depiction of an angelfish. If you have an aquarium with a pet angelfish, try to duplicate it's pattern on your drawing. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

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