Octopus Drawing: Step-by-Step Tutorial & Easy Ideas

Want to draw an octopus that actually looks right? Start with a circle for the head and an oval for the body and build from there. This page covers the full process — nine steps from first line to finished drawing — followed by octopus drawing ideas in every style: easy, cute, realistic, and a few you probably haven't tried.

Difficulty Easy
Time ~15 min
Tools Pencil, eraser, paper
Starts with a circle for the head and an oval for the body

Octopus drawing — hand-drawn octopus illustration with ink lines and soft colors

How to Draw an Octopus Step by Step

Step 1 of 9

Mantle guide

Draw a light wide oval in the upper middle of the page for the octopus mantle.

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Mantle guide
Draw a light wide oval in the upper middle of the page for the octopus mantle.
Mantle and eyes
Trace the mantle outline on the oval with a soft point at the bottom, then add two big round eyes near the top.
Center tentacles
Draw two tentacles hanging straight down from the middle of the mantle, one just left and one just right of center.
Middle tentacles
Add two more tentacles just outside the first pair, sweeping slightly outward as they fall.
Outer tentacles
Add two more tentacles further out on each side, curving further from the body.
Outermost tentacles
Add the final two tentacles at the far left and right edges, splayed the widest of all eight.
Mouth and spots
Add a small curved smile below the eyes and a scatter of small round spots across the top of the mantle.
Ink the lines
Go over every kept line with dark ink, then erase the light mantle guide oval.
Color the octopus
Fill the mantle and tentacles pinkish purple, the eyes white with black pupils, and the spots a darker shade.

Octopus Drawing Ideas to Try Next

Once the basic octopus clicks, run it through these variations — each one practices a different skill while staying on a subject you already know.

A octopus in its natural habitat
Add two or three environment elements behind your octopus — the scene sells the story without needing a full background.
A cartoon octopus with a tiny accessory
Round everything, shrink the body, add one hat/bow/scarf. Accessories add personality for nearly zero extra difficulty.
A sleeping octopus curled up
Sleeping poses tuck away the legs and face details — draw one restful curve and let the pose forgive the anatomy.
Octopus face close-up portrait
Crop to just the face and make the eyes the star. Big expressive eyes carry the whole piece.
A octopus peeking around a corner
Half the animal hides behind an edge — you draw the easy half and the composition feels playful.
Continuous one-line octopus
Draw the whole octopus without lifting your pen. Great warm-up, and the wobbles are the style.
A baby octopus next to its parent
Same drawing twice at two sizes with bigger eyes on the little one — instant "aww" with skills you already have.
A geometric low-poly octopus
Build the octopus from straight-edged triangles only — a modern design look that secretly teaches structure.

Octopus Drawing Styles: Easy, Cute & More

Easy Octopus Drawing

Try a simplified version built from basic shapes — perfect for beginners and kids. Same nine steps as above — simply simplify or stylize the final pass.

Browse more easy ideas →

Tips for Better Octopus Drawings

Draw the gesture line first — one curve through the spine from nose to tail. Animals drawn from the spine out always feel alive; animals drawn from the outline in always feel stuffed.
Eyes make or break animal drawings: place them carefully, keep them symmetrical, and always leave a white highlight dot. A perfect body with dead eyes still fails; a wobbly body with living eyes still charms.

Not feeling the octopus today?

Let the generator pick your next subject — filtered by mood and difficulty.

🎲 Random Drawing Generator

Octopus Drawing FAQ

How do you draw an octopus easily?

Start with a circle for the head and an oval for the body, keeping your lines light. Refine the outline, add the defining details, then erase the construction shapes. The nine-step method above breaks this down — most people get a recognizable octopus on their very first try with it.

How long does an octopus drawing take?

A simple octopus drawing takes about 15 minutes following this tutorial. A quick doodle version can be done in two or three minutes, while a detailed, fully-shaded study might take an hour. Speed comes with repetition — the second attempt is always faster than the first.

What do I need to draw an octopus?

Just a pencil, an eraser, and any paper. An HB pencil for construction lines and a 2B for final outlines is a nice upgrade, and colored pencils or markers finish it off — but nothing on this page requires special supplies.

Is an octopus easy to draw for beginners?

Yes — the octopus is one of the friendlier subjects for beginners, and this method was written for first-timers. Kids can follow the same steps; just expect wobblier lines and more charm.