Easy How to Draw an Octopus Tutorial and Octopus Coloring Page

Below you’ll find an easy step-by-step tutorial for how to draw an Octopus and an Octopus Coloring Page. It will help you draw the legs with a curly look to them, just like in real life.

Octopus Drawing

This octopus drawing tutorial was designed to help students draw one with a more active pose than most tutorials do online. By starting with the two outside legs first, then one in the middle, then filling in the rest, students are much more likely to get legs that are all spread out. This is so much closer to what they look like in real life, and not that difficult if you take it one step at a time.

Classroom experience taught me that curves are some of the hardest shapes for new artists to draw, in the sense that it is initially tricky to see just how curvy something needs to be. For instance, a gentle slope is very different from say, a very curly head of hair, and it takes practice to see all those variations.

To learn more about these amazing creatures, there’s a great documentary on Netflix called “My Octopus Teacher”. It’s beautiful and fascinating, just be forewarned that there are some “circle of life” lessons, so preview it first to see if it’s right for your students. I almost reached for a tissue box while watching it myself!

Use the Button below to download a PDF Tutorial

Octopus Coloring Page

Materials for Octopus Drawing

• Drawing Paper. This is the good stuff you can buy in bulk for a good price.
• Pencils. I like how this brand always makes nice dark lines.
• Black Marker. A permanent marker will give you a dark black color.
• Crayons. The larger packs are nice for more color choices.
• Note: All of the above are Amazon affiliate links.

Step by Step Directions for Octopus Drawing

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