Ocean Drawing Ideas

Drawing the ocean can be a rewarding pastime. The big blue sea has a way of putting things into perspective as it sprawls endlessly before you.

Watching the ocean waves crash against the shoreline after repeating their back-and-forth motion can be oddly calming, and nothing beats the vibrant colors found at sunset.

In addition, there are thousands upon thousands of creatures with all sorts of wonderfully weird shapes, sizes, and colors within the depths of the ocean. And every one of them is a subject waiting to be drawn.

If you want to incorporate the ocean into your drawings and are looking for ideas, you’re in luck! We’ve curated some of the most inspiring drawings of the ocean for you to kickstart your next drawing project.

1. Ocean Waves and Cliffs

Nothing says “ocean” like waves crashing towards the shoreline; they’re a mesmerizing sight to behold during a trip to the beach and make for an interesting drawing in their own right.

However, when paired with a cliff face overlooking the water, you get a scene full of adventure and mystery that almost beckons to the viewer.

For a landscape drawing of the ocean that pulls you in, try your hands at drawing ocean waves.

Check out How To Paint Ocean Waves and Cliffs at samuelearp.com for ideas and a step-by-step guide.

2. A Seagull in Flight

Where there’s an ocean harbor, there are bound to be seagulls! While these loveable, scrappy seabirds are known to swipe food off passing tourists, they also make gorgeous drawing subjects when they take to the skies.

Try your hands at drawing them if you’re looking for an ocean-themed drawing idea that conveys a sense of weightless wonder and infinite freedom.

For a head start, feast your eyes on this seagull drawing by consultingartist.com.

3. A Lighthouse in Inktense Paint

Ships traveling across the ocean depend on lighthouses to guide them through dark waters; it’s how they navigate rocky sea routes and avoid crashing against jagged rocks.

At night, the light shone by the lighthouse illuminates the dark with its ghostly glow. And during the day, they stand tall, overlooking the ocean like a gentle guardian.

If the above descriptions didn’t make it clear already, you could make fascinating scenes with lighthouses, whether your drawing is set during the day or at night.

Check out Lighthouse in Inktense Paint over at derwentart.com for more inspiration.

4. A Ship

Long before airplanes were invented, ships connected the world during the age of discovery, traversing the full span of the world’s oceans and braving treacherous storms along the way.

As such, you can’t go wrong with ships, especially if you’re looking for a great way to relive the wondrous age of travel and adventure.

Check out this step-by-step guide on How to Draw a Sailing Ship at yedraw.com to get started.

5. A Sunset Over the Ocean

You could also try drawing the sunset to practice using vibrant colors in setting a melancholy mood.

Sunsets are great to draw because of the mysterious way they herald the end of a day, with the sun seeming to peek out from beneath the ocean depths.

Take a look at Sunset ii Watercolour Painting at sharonlynnwilliams.blogspot.com for an example of a gorgeous ocean sunset drawing.

6. A Whale

Whales are as majestic as they’re mighty; they’re a fantastic subject for anyone looking to draw a larger-than-life, ocean-themed sketch.

he outline of these majestic creatures of the deep blue sea offers plenty of curved lines, meaning you’ll get a lot of practice drawing the curves on the world’s largest mammal.

For a step-by-step guide on drawing whales, refer to the Sketchbook Club: How to Paint a Whale tutorial at seasaltcornwall.com.

7. A Fish, Fins and All

A drawing of the ocean isn’t complete without fish, and fish species are as plentiful as each individual drop of water that makes up the ocean!

Therefore, you’ll have loads of fun drawing all manner of fish in their natural habitat. Moreover, fish scales allow you to practice hatching and texture, which is great for aspiring artists.

Learn How to Draw a Fish: Fins and All at thefisheriesblog.com.

8. A Sea Turtle

Do you know a diver?

They’ll probably tell you how cool it is to swim with sea turtles! These cute little critters are interesting to draw, particularly because of the pattern on their shells.

You’ll have fun using crisscrossing lines to mimic said patterns, providing an enjoyable drawing session.

Better yet, your friends and family will gush at how cute your drawing is, thanks to the loveable looks of these wonderful sea creatures.

The Sea Turtle Drawing Tutorial at drawingandcrafts.com offers a great step-by-step guide for your turtle painting.

9. A Coral Reef

Coral reefs are beautiful. They also happen to be under threat of extinction due to plastic pollution and the warming effects of climate change.

So, it makes sense if you’d like to capture the wondrous beauty of coral reefs if only to immortalize this fragile ecosystem for future generations.

If you’re an environmentally-inclined ocean lover, check out How to Draw a Coral Reef over at easydrawingguides.com to get started.

10. A Dolphin

Dolphins are some of the friendliest and most intelligent creatures you’ll find in the ocean. So, based on that introduction alone, they deserve to be drawn!

The image of this magnificent orca leaping out of the ocean makes for an iconic drawing that screams “ocean art!”

And if you’re feeling more ambitious, why not try drawing a school of dolphins using the How to Draw a Dolphin at letsdrawthat.com as a guide?

11. A Seahorse

Seahorses are among the most funny-looking creatures you’ll find in the ocean. Upon seeing them, you can almost imagine nature thinking how funny it’d be to combine a horse and a fish!

If you’re up for a good laugh while putting pencil to paper, then try drawing seahorses.

You can learn How to Draw a Seahorse over at how2drawanimals.com.

12. A Submarine

Isn’t it crazy that humans know more about outer space than they know about the depths of the ocean floor?

Well, submarines have really helped in gathering information about this mysterious world.

Why not take the time to draw a work of human ingenuity that allows us to plumb the depths of the ocean?

You can get started with this How to Draw a Submarine That Looks Solid and Real tutorial over at how-to-draw-funny-cartoons.com.

13. A Lobster

Lobsters don’t have to be confined to the dinner menus of ritzy restaurants; they also make interesting drawing subjects.

Essentially, they’re a cross between a crab and a scorpion, and this interesting combination will provide a fun ocean-themed drawing session.

If you decide to get the pencils out, you’ll get a kick out of shading the lobster’s armor. Check out How to Draw a Lobster at yedraw.com.

14. A Jellyfish

Jellyfish are among the most other-worldly creatures you’ll ever find in the ocean. Their ghostly appearance is the stuff of dreams (not nightmares) for any burgeoning artist with a passion for ocean drawing.

Practice drawing flowing lines by emulating these creatures’ long, flowing tentacles and learn How to Draw a Jellyfish at supercoloring.com.

15. A Sea Otter

Sea otters are such adorable fur balls that you’ll be hard-pressed not to coo at them. You’ll be using a lot of circles to draw these cute mammals, which is great training for drawing two-dimensional shapes.

Rendering the otter’s fur will also sharpen your skills with light and shadow, as a lot of shading will be involved.

Get started drawing sea otters with this How to Draw an Otter tutorial by how2drawanimals.com.

16. A Mermaid

If you’re looking for something a little more fantastical to draw, mermaids are your best bet. These sea sirens have long been rumored to lead sailors astray, or so it goes in myths anyway.

They’re also a great way to try your hands at drawing humans if you’re interested in figure drawing.

Learn How to Draw a Mermaid Step by Step at feelingnifty.com.

17. A Beach

Going to the beach is awesome, and drawings of the beach are awesome too. You have many options for depicting beach scenery. For example, you can draw it with or without humans, with or without palm trees, and so on.

So the next time you feel the urge for some sun and surf during the winter season, whip out a paper and start drawing, and the room will feel warmer in no time.

Check out these selections of Beach Scenes at drawize.com.

The ocean is a great muse for anyone who enjoys nautical-themed drawing. The diverse range of sea creatures, both on land and underwater, provide an endless supply of subjects, and the ocean vistas make great landscape art.

So pick one of these ideas and enjoy your drawing session!