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There's no one way to draw a turtle. If you draw something, and you say it's a turtle, it's a turtle! If you want to copy any of the turtle, tortoises or terrapin drawings in this article, feel free to follow the steps.

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

A Cartoon Turtle

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Draw a Turtle
    Add a small circle on the left side of the drawing for the head and sketch the neck using curved lines that connect to the body.
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  2. Watermark wikiHow to Draw a Turtle
    Add a curved line for the mouth.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Draw a Turtle
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

A Sea Turtle

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  1. Add a small circle for the head.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Draw a Turtle
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Draw a Turtle
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Draw a Turtle
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Draw a Turtle
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Draw a Turtle
    For the eyes, draw a small circle. Inside it, add two curved lines and a smaller circle for the pupils.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

A Green Turtle

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Draw a Turtle
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

A Snapping Turtle

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Draw a Turtle
    Add small claws.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Draw a Turtle
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Draw a Turtle
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Draw a Turtle
    Add the eyes and mouth; add some wrinkles in completing the body of the turtle.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Why do you put mistakes on the picture and erase them?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    They are not mistakes. Those are just guide lines for the drawing.
  • Question
    Are there any other animals I could draw?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    Yes, you can draw any other animal you can think of! wikiHow has tons of articles that can help you. I would suggest starting out by drawing a fox or an elephant.
  • Question
    Why is the green turtle less green than the other turtles?
    Community Answer
    Community Answer
    It is just how they are colored. You should draw and color yours whatever shade of green or color you want it to be.
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Things You'll Need

  • Paper
  • Pencil
  • Pencil sharpener
  • Eraser gum
  • Colored pencils, crayons, markers or watercolors


About This Article

Jeanine Hattas Wilson
Reviewed by:
Artist
This article was reviewed by Jeanine Hattas Wilson. Jeanine Hattas Wilson is a Professional Painter and the President of Hattas Public Murals, Inc. With nearly 20 years of experience, Jeanine specializes in creating, overseeing, designing, and painting murals. Jeanine holds a BA in Advertising from Marquette University and a Studio Painting Minor from The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. She has studied at The Atelier Artien in Paris, France, Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, and under renowned artists such as Robert Liberace, Michael Siegel, and William Cochran. To date, Hattas Public Murals has painted nearly 5,000 commissioned works of art in homes and commercial and public spaces. This article has been viewed 414,229 times.
32 votes - 76%
Co-authors: 45
Updated: March 10, 2025
Views: 414,229
Categories: Drawing Sea Creatures
Article SummaryX

To draw a cartoon turtle, draw an oval, with a flatter oval slightly underneath of it. To the left of the oval, draw a circle, and used curved lines to connect the circle to the oval for the neck. Them draw the feet from the bottom oval using rectangles, and add eyes and a mouth to the face. Sketch the top oval into a shell shape with curved edges, and darken the outline of the body. You can add a pattern to the shell before erasing the extra lines and coloring the turtle! For more tips, like how to draw a sea turtle, scroll down!

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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 414,229 times.

Reader Success Stories

  • Anonymous

    Anonymous

    Oct 14, 2016

    "The "scary" turtle was not that scary, and the other turtle that was second was very cute. They were both..." more
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