artlooklearn.com

menu icon
go to homepage
  • All Lessons
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • All Lessons
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Beginning Drawing Lessons Online » Simple Ocean Drawing Tutorial (Easy Pencil Seascape Sketch)

    Simple Ocean Drawing Tutorial (Easy Pencil Seascape Sketch)

    Check out this simple ocean drawing tutorial (easy pencil seascape sketch) in this beginning art lesson. Drawing ocean waves can be easy with a few simple steps.

    Creating a beautiful and realistic ocean scene in pencil can be very satisfying and relaxing.  Follow along with my step-by-step video art class to learn how to draw the sea. 

    A pencil drawing of a seascape with drawing pencils, a pencil sharpener, and an eraser.
    Jump to:
    • Materials
    • Video
    • Transcript
    • Art Lesson Overview
    • Variations
    • Tips and tricks
    • Detailed Instructions
    • For More Practice
    • What to do with your sketch
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • You also might like

    Materials

    • Pencil - 8B or other soft, dark pencil 
    • Paper  - 70 pound / 115 gsm. drawing paper 6 x 9 inches (or use whatever you have on hand)
    • White vinyl eraser
    • Chip brush to brush off eraser dust
    • Blending stump (or could use a finger, rolled-up tissue or a Q-tip)

    Video

    Transcript

    Read Transcript

    Hi everyone in this art lesson we are going to learn how to create a simple ocean drawing. Let's go ahead and get started.

    Start by drawing a border around the edge of your paper. This gives you a little bit of space to work with without running off the edge and don't worry if these lines are not too straight. Although it does help to keep your wrist straight without wiggling it. Draw the bottom of the wave about halfway down the paper. Divide the top half into thirds and draw lines across so that line is the horizon line. And then this line is the top of the wave so it's going to be very active and have a lot of movement

    About a little bit more than halfway down in that bottom section this is another line where one wave is meeting the sand and then another line where the final wave is meeting the sand. So there are multiple layers of waves.

    I'm going to add in a little white cap over there and then shade in the rest of this area fairly dark. I'm using an 8B pencil so I can get some nice dark tones, it's kind of a soft pencil.

    So [I'm] going slowly enough that I can get all these little details in the top of the wave but also fast enough that it doesn't take forever to shade in this area I'm going to go back in later on and blend it together to make sure that these lines are nice and soft and well blended.

    Then the wave that's right underneath this area is mostly going to be left white. I'll go back in later on and add some more details but now I'm going to move down underneath that white part of the wave and add in some darks and lights in this area. So there's lots of shine in here.

    So this is kind of an initial shading, shady line to define that area. Now think about the ebb and flow of water and the way that light is shining against that water.

    Keep my lines nice and loose.

    Also, just so you know I am basing this drawing off of several different pictures of the ocean that I took. So it wasn't one specific drawing but after you kind of learn the initial structure of a wave it's easy to improvise and kind of add your own touches and add your own details where you want them.

    However, it can be challenging to draw the ocean, so don't get frustrated. Just keep practicing

    Our drawing skills are always a journey. Not so much worrying about the final product. So [I'm] shading this area where that last wave meets the sand and shading it out to get kind of a nice easy transition.

    And again on this final wave where it's meeting the sand and I'm making sure to not just make a solid line all the way across, I try to make it a little bit irregular.

    Now I'm going to add in some more details in the top of this wave.

    Just some nice loose lines to indicate the direction that the water is going and some lights and darks.

    Again, the top of the wave right here, again making it a little bit irregular I wouldn't want to just make one solid line across the top.

    And a little bit of light scumbling or scribble hatching you can call it on the top of the wave to indicate some texture.

    And add in a few more details and a little bit more scribble hatching into that middle part.

    Now I'm going to use my blending stump to blend this area. Blending stumps are really nice because you can blend while getting a lot more detail, however you could also use your finger or you could use a bit of rolled-up tissue or even a q-tip to blend.

    I'm just working on these areas making sure that my lines are blending together so it's nice and smooth.

    Now I am going to use my finger and pick up some of that shading out of that area and just add it into the sky to add a little bit of tone in the sky. Focusing on adding the tone towards the top of the paper because the light at the horizon line is always lighter.

    And just a little bit of simple blending down in this middle area.

    Making my dark lines nice and soft but still leaving my white areas. If I needed to go back later I could always go back and add in a few highlights using my eraser.

    But I want to make sure not to over-blend. Just kind of touch it to make those lines soft. And in this area blending that shading to get a nice smooth transition between the dark area and the light area.

    And again in this front area, now in this front area towards the bottom make sure you have some dark tones right at that edge where the wave is meeting the sand. Because those dark lines will help make that area pop out at the viewer.

    Right, add a little bit more highlighting using my eraser.

    Making sure that everything is not totally regular all the way across. I like to have some irregular shading. I have some areas darker and some areas lighter. And then go back in and clean up these edges with my eraser as well. Being careful not to touch my drawing with my hands so I don't smear. And then one of my favorite tools I like to use a chip eraser or a chip brush to brush away my eraser dust. But I could also blow on it or lift my drawing up and shake off the dust. And just a few little details in the sand maybe these are footprints or rocks. Just a little indication of what is in the sand in front of us.

    That's all there is to creating a simple ocean seascape. Thanks for watching. Bye bye.

    Art Lesson Overview

    Begining pencil line sketch of horizon lines and waves
    Sketch the horizon line and waves
    Hand drawing in reflective shading for water in the wave.
    Shade water below the crest of the wave
    A hand erasing highlights in an ocean scape drawing.
    Erase highlight areas
    Hand shading in water in the distance.
    Shade the water below the horizon line
    A hand using a blending stump to blend pencil shading in an oceans cape.
    Use a blending stump to blend the shading
    Final seascape sketch on table top.
    Add any final details
    1. Draw a border around the edge of the paper. Don’t worry if the lines are not very straight. It can help to keep your wrist straight and use your whole arm when drawing.
    2. Draw the tops and bottoms of the different layers of waves.
    3. Shade in the area between the horizon line and the top of the wave.
    4. Leave the large wave white for now. Below the wave, add some areas of shading. Draw in irregular strips of shading, wrapping some of them around in wave or circular patterns. Leave some areas white where light is reflecting off the water.
    5. Draw broken and irregular lines along the edges where the waves meet land. Out with a gradual transition, leaving some white area before the last wave.
    6. Shade in the sand.
    7. Add some nice loose lines in the wave to indicate the direction that the water is going and some lights and darks. Use scumbling or “scribble hatching” on the top of the wave to indicate texture.
    8. Use a blending stump (or tissue, q-tip, or finger) to blend the dark area at the top just below the horizon.
    9. Drag a finger through that shading then drag it in the sky towards the top of the paper. The sky is always lighter at the horizon line.
    10. Blend the lines in the middle area under the wave to soften the darks. Also, blend the two waves that touch the shore to create a smooth transition between the darks and lights.
    11. Use an eraser to brighten up any areas that you want highlighted and clean up the edges of the drawing. Use a chip brush, if you like, to brush away the eraser dust.

    Variations

    • Draw the oceanscape with colored pencils.
    • Sketch a boat or a people swimming within the seascape.
    • Brush some watercolor paint into the drawing to add some color to your sketch.
    • Try adding some color to the waves with soft pastels.
    Watercolor painting of a seascape with watercolor paints, paintbrushes, and drawing pencils.

    Tips and tricks

    • Use a blending stick for more detailed blending (but you could also use a finger, rolled-up tissue, or a Q-tip).
    • Follow this tutorial or refer to photos of the ocean until you have solidly learned the structure of waves and how to draw them.
    • Make sure to leave some white areas where the top of the wave is and where light is reflecting off the water.
    • When adding shading to the sky, remember that the sky is darker higher up and lighter at the horizon.

    Detailed Instructions

    Drawing and paintings of seascapes with pencils, pencil sharpener, and eraser.

    Simple Ocean Drawing Tutorial (Easy Pencil Seascape Sketch)

    Check out this simple ocean drawing tutorial (easy pencil seascape sketch) in this beginning art lesson. Drawing ocean waves can be easy with a few simple steps.
    Facebook Pinterest Email Print

    Equipment

    • 8B or other soft Pencil
    • Paper  - 70 pound / 115 gsm. drawing paper 6 x 9 inches (or use whatever you have on hand)
    • White Vinyl Eraser
    • Chip brush to brush off eraser dust
    • Blending stump (or could use a finger, rolled-up tissue or a Q-tip)

    Instructions

    • Draw a border around the edge of the paper. Don’t worry if the lines are not very straight. It can help to keep your wrist straight and use your whole arm when drawing.
    • Draw the bottom of the large wave about halfway down the paper.
    • Divide the top half into thirds and draw lines across. The top line is the horizon line.
    • Draw the second line down from the top with a lot of movement and waves because it is the top of the wave.
    • In the bottom section, a little bit more than a third of the way down that section draw in a slightly wavy and down-angled line where one small wave meets the sand. Draw in a final line, slightly diagonally where the final wave meets the shore.
    • There are multiple layers of waves.
    • Shade in the area between the horizon line and the top of the wave.
    • Leave the large wave white for now. Below the wave, add some areas of shading. Draw in irregular strips of shading, wrapping some of them around in wave or circular patterns. Make sure to leave some areas white where light is reflecting off the water.
    • Draw a solid but irregular line along the edge where the first wave meets land and shade it. Out with a gradual transition, leaving some white area before the last wave.
    • Draw an irregular and broken line across the last wave and then shade in the sand.
    • Add some nice loose lines in the wave to indicate the direction that the water is going and some lights and darks. Use scumbling or “scribble hatching” on the top of the wave to indicate some texture.
    • Add in a few more details and a little bit more scribble hatching below the top of the wave in the reflective area.
    • Use a blending stump (or tissue, q-tip, or finger) to blend the dark area at the top just below the horizon.
    • Drag a finger through that shading then drag it in the sky towards the top of the paper to add just a little bit of soft tone. Remember that the sky is always lighter at the horizon line.
    • Blend the lines in the middle area under the wave to soften the darks. Also, blend the two waves that touch the shore to create a smooth transition between the darks and lights.
    • Use an eraser to brighten up any areas that you want highlighted and clean up the edges of the drawing. Use a chip brush if you like, to brush away the eraser dust.

    For More Practice

    • Practice drawing a single wave.
    • Try drawing several waves together to create an entire seascape.
    • Try sketching waves that are at different angles to the shore.
    • Draw the ocean in different types of weather conditions, still calm weather, stormy, rainy, sunny etc.

    What to do with your sketch

    A framed painting of a seascape in a living room above a blue couch next to a plant.

    Frame your drawing and decorate your home with your seascape drawing. A hand-made drawing is a beautiful addition to any room.

    You could also leave it in your sketchbook to create a portfolio of your completed drawings, sketches, and art projects.

    Your sketch would also make a wonderful homemade gift for a special occasion such as Christmas, Hanukkah, or a birthday. Hand-drawn art makes a wonderful and thoughtful present.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How do you draw an easy ocean step by step?

    It helps to look at a photo of the ocean or follow this tutorial. Start by drawing in the tops and bottoms of the waves. Shade in the dark areas while leaving the highlighted areas white. Blend the shading for a smooth texture.

    How do you sketch realistic ocean waves?

    The trick to drawing realistic waves is to be patient and take your time with the drawing. Make sure to leave the tops of the waves and the reflective areas of the water white. Blend the shading a bit to get a smooth transition between lights and darks.

    How do you draw a wave for beginners?

    Start by drawing in the tops and bottoms of the waves. Shade in the dark areas while leaving the highlighted areas white. Blend the shading for a smooth texture. It can help to look at a photo of the ocean while you are drawing. Take your time while practicing, it will probably take many attempts to learn how to draw an ocean or seascape well.

    Drawing and paintings of seascapes with pencils, pencil sharpener, and eraser.

    You also might like

    • Paint a simple watercolor pumpkin
    • Learn about scribble hatching and other drawn lines
    • Draw a simple mountain landscape
    • Sketch an easy oak tree with pencil
    • Draw a simple Thanksgiving turkey

    Please leave your questions, comments, and ratings below!

    More Beginning Drawing Lessons Online

    • Drawing of a skull in pencil next to drawing pencils and an eraser.
      How to Draw a Skull Step by Step
    • A pencil drawing of an eye on a sketchbook with drawing pencils next to colored pencil drawing of eyes.
      How to Sketch a Simple Eye Step-by-step Drawing Tutorial
    • Pencil drawing of a realistic turkey with several watercolor paintings of turkeys with drawing pencils, an eraser, and a pencil sharpener.
      How to Draw a Real Thanksgiving Turkey Easy Step-by-step
    • Pencil drawing of fall leaves on a sketch pad next to watercolored paintings of fall leaves with drawing pencils and eraser.
      Draw Easy Fall Leaves Step-by-step (Realistic Autumn Leaf Sketch)

    Comments

    1. Jennifer says

      October 26, 2023 at 10:13 pm

      Perfect way to draw the ocean. Great drawing practice.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Mail
    • YouTube
    • Pinterest

    Most Popular Online Art Classes

    • Drawing paper, sketchpads, drawing pencils and eraser
      Best Types of Paper for Drawing, Sketching and Other Art
    • Pencil drawing of fall leaves on a sketch pad next to watercolored paintings of fall leaves with drawing pencils and eraser.
      Draw Easy Fall Leaves Step-by-step (Realistic Autumn Leaf Sketch)
    • spheres created in pencil, watercolor paint and soft pastels with paints, paint brushes and drawing pencils
      How to Draw a Sphere in 3d
    • Drawing of a coffee mug in pencil with colored pencil drawings in the background.
      How to Draw a Coffee Mug (Cup Sketch) Beginning Drawings

    Best Spring Art Projects

    • Painting of a watercolor lake scene with trees, a hill and reflections on the water next to paint brushes and a watercolor palette.
      Paint an Easy Watercolor Lake Scene Step-by-step
    • A pencil drawing of an eye on a sketchbook with drawing pencils next to colored pencil drawing of eyes.
      How to Sketch a Simple Eye Step-by-step Drawing Tutorial
    • Drawing and watercolor painting of oak trees with drawing pencils and paint set.
      Sketch an Easy Oak Tree Pencil Drawing
    • Watercolor painting of pansies that show examples of watercolor painting techniques for beginners next to a palette and paintbrush.
      Easy Watercolor Techniques for Beginners 
    Sam - Art Instructor

    Hi, I'm Sam! Creating is a journey. While learning basic skills is important, the process of making is much more important than the finished project. Experiencing hands on drawing, painting and other art activities is fulfilling and enlightening.

    More about me →

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Copyright © 2025 ARTLOOKLEARN.COM