How to Draw the Sea
Learn how to draw the sea like a pro! Dive into this beginner-friendly tutorial and have fun drawing your own seascape.
You only need a pencil and paper to start. Eventually you'll be adding a splash of color too. For this I recommend either colored pencils, markers or crayons. But any drawing tools that give you colors will work just fine. It's all good.
Below you'll find step-by-step instructions for drawing the sea. This includes shading too so this drawing will take about one hour.
Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Level: Intermediate
Materials
- Pencil
- Drawing Paper
- Crayons or Colored Pencils
- Black Marker (optional)
Lesson: How to Draw the Sea
Today we'll learn how to draw the sea in 18 easy steps. Think waves, a rocky shoreline and a beautiful lighthouse in the distance! Let's make this sea come alive on paper!
Form the Foreground Rocks
Begin by forming the jagged outline of the rocks in the foreground.
Add the Island in the Background
Now, outline the island in the background.
Outline the Lighthouse Tower
Outline a tall, tapering lighthouse tower on the island.
Add the Striped Pattern of the Lighthouse
Add the striped pattern of the lighthouse by drawing evenly spaced diagonal lines.
Draw the Gallery
Draw the gallery on top of the lighthouse tower.
Form the Lantern Room
Add a small square above the gallery for the lantern room. Then, attach the roof of the lighthouse.
Draw the Horizon Line
Draw a straight horizontal line behind the island to outline the horizon.
Outline the Sea Waves
Outline the sea waves by creating short, wavy lines. Then, add curved lines around the rocks and island.
Draw a Boat
On the opposite side of the lighthouse, draw a small, curved shape to outline the boat's hull.
Attach the Boat’s Mast
Attach the thin, vertical mast of the boat.
Outline the Sail
Form the triangular outline of the sail.
Draw the Burgee
Draw the tiny flag on top of the mast called the burgee.
Add Mountains in the Background
Form the outline of mountains in the background.
Draw Clouds
Draw elongated bumpy shapes to form the fluffy clouds.
Color the Boat
Color the boat’s hull and mast brown. Next, shade the sail white. Then, color the burgee red.
Shade the Lighthouse
Use white and red to color the lighthouse. Then, shade the island with dark green.
Color the Sea
Use a vibrant shade of blue to color the sea. Now, color the rocks with dark brown.
Fill in the Background
Color the sky with light shades of blue, and the clouds white. Then, use a dark and muted shade of blue to fill in the mountains.
Artist & Educator