How to Draw a Catfish: Easy 10-Step Guide for Kids

Ready to explore underwater life? This tutorial is perfect for young artists ages 5+ to practice basic shapes and line work. All you need is a pencil, an eraser, and your favorite markers to bring this whiskered fish to life.

10 Steps

🎯 Final Result

A colorful, finished drawing of a catfish swimming, used as the featured tutorial image.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sketching the Expressive Eyes

Close-up pencil sketch of two large oval catfish eyes with pupils and curved brow lines.

Start by drawing two large ovals for the eyes. Tip: Keep your pencil pressure light so you can easily adjust the shape. Add small shaded pupils and a soft curved line above each eye to give your catfish a friendly personality.

Step 2: Defining the Mouth and Barbel

Drawing the catfish mouth area with a single pointed whisker extending from the lip.

Draw the mouth using gentle, curved lines. Catfish are famous for their whiskers, called barbels! Tip: Make sure the lines for the barbel meet at a sharp point to make it look realistic.

Step 3: Outlining the Body

Sketching the upper back of the catfish using a long, smooth S-curve.

Add a second barbel on the opposite side of the mouth. Now, use a long, flowing 'S' shaped line to start the top of the fish's body. Tip: Imagine the fish is swimming through the water as you draw this curve.

Step 4: Forming the Lower Jaw

Adding the lower jaw structure with parallel curved lines.

Create the lower jaw using overlapping curved lines. Draw a second, longer line parallel to the first to give the mouth depth. Tip: Keep your hand relaxed to get those smooth, organic curves.

Step 5: Adding More Whiskers

Detailed view of the catfish face with multiple pointed whiskers added around the mouth.

Catfish have several sets of barbels! Draw four additional whiskers around the mouth using pairs of short, curved lines that meet at points. Tip: Vary the length of each whisker to make your fish look more natural.

Step 6: Drawing the Pectoral Fin

Drawing the side pectoral fin with a scalloped edge and continuing the body outline.

Use a long curved line to draw the pectoral fin, creating a scalloped edge before doubling the line back. Then, continue the curve to outline the rest of the body. Tip: The scalloped edge adds a nice texture that makes the fin look like it's moving.

Step 7: Sketching the Dorsal Fin

Adding the dorsal fin on the top of the catfish back using a V-shape and wavy line.

Draw the dorsal fin on the back using a 'V' shape, then connect the tips with a wavy line. Use curved lines to finish the body shape and start the tail. Tip: A wavy line makes the fin look flexible and soft.

Step 8: Adding Tail and Anal Fins

Completing the tail fin and adding the anal fin to the bottom of the catfish.

Draw the tail fin by extending two curved lines from the body and connecting them. Add the anal fin underneath the body. Tip: Keep the lines smooth to ensure the fish looks like it is gliding through the water.

Step 9: Adding Fin Texture

Adding fine ray lines to the fins and tail for realistic texture.

Add detail to your drawing by sketching light, curved lines running down the length of the fins and tail. Tip: These lines represent the fin rays, which gives your drawing a professional, realistic touch.

Step 10: Bringing Your Catfish to Life with Color

The finished catfish drawing, fully outlined and ready for coloring.

Now for the fun part! Use dark browns, grays, or greens to help your catfish blend into its environment. Tip: If you want to be creative, look up the 'Glass Catfish'—it's transparent! What color will you choose for your masterpiece?