How to Draw a Cute Mermaid (Easy Video Lesson for Kids)
Draw this cute mermaid in 6 easy steps with a pencil and eraser. It takes about 15 minutes and works for ages 5 and up. Print the free step-by-step page below, or draw along with the video. The page comes from Kevin Coulston’s book How to Draw: Mermaids, Unicorns, and Other Cute Stuff.
- Step-by-step drawing
- Ages 5+
- Grades K–2
- Easy
- About 15 min
You’ll need
- Pencil and eraser
- Paper, or the printed page
- Crayons, markers or colored pencils
You’ll practice
- Breaking a drawing into simple shapes
- Following steps in order
- Adding your own details
Free Drawing Activity Page: How to Draw a Mermaid
Draw this mermaid in 6 easy-to-follow steps, a free activity page from the drawing book for kids 'How to Draw: Mermaids, Unicorns, and Other Cute Stuff'
Get 'How to Draw: Mermaids, Unicorns, and Other Cute Stuff' on Amazon
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5 Reasons Your Kids Will Love This Book
- Easy-to-follow instructions
- Funny art you won’t find in any other series
- Promotes active imaginations
- Boosts creativity, and nurtures talent.
- Hours and hours of fun!
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It's vitally important to encourage creativity in our kids. This fun activity book will guide them through drawing 50 different cute characters, but when they're done, I expect you'll see many more creatures and characters that come directly from their own imaginations. Inspire storytelling, artistic tendencies, and embrace having fun with this kid-friendly art series from children's book author and illustrator Kevin Coulston.
This book and many more in the series are available on Amazon.com, and are eligible for Prime shipping! Click here to buy.
CLICK HERE TO BUY "HOW TO DRAW: MERMAIDS, UNICORNS, AND OTHER CUTE STUFF" ON AMAZON
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Draw it 3 ways
Every FirstArtBooks theme comes in three formats. Trace it, draw it step by step, or copy it square by square: the more ways kids draw a character, the better they know it.
- How to Draw
Draw it step by stepYou’re on this pageSee all How to Draw books - Trace Then Color
Trace Then Color A Cute MermaidThe same character · Ages 3+See all Trace Then Color books - Draw by GridDraw by Grid booksCopy it square by squareNo free page of this one yet. See the Draw by Grid books (ages 7+)
Finished? Draw the scene next
- Add a background: draw a starry night sky.
- Write one line under your picture to finish this story:
It made a wish on a shooting star, and…
That’s a picture book page. Draw two more and you have a whole story.
Draw it, then write about it
Give your cute mermaid a name and a job. What makes it happy, and what makes it grumpy? Write two or three sentences.
Print a draw-and-write sheet: a box for the drawing and lines for the story. Primary lines (K–2) · Regular lines (grades 2–5)
Want to make it a whole story? Try the comic story starter or fold a mini-book in Story Studio.
Common mistakes and quick fixes
- The horn or tail is too small.
- The horn and the tail are the magic part, so make them big and bold.
- The hair or mane is one solid blob.
- Draw it in a few wavy sections, like ribbons, instead of one big shape.
- It looks plain once it’s colored.
- Add sparkles, stars or a rainbow pattern in the mane, tail or wings.
- Pressing hard from the very first step.
- Use light, sketchy lines first. You can erase them easily and go over the lines you keep at the end.
More in 10 common drawing mistakes kids make.
Talk about it
For the grown-up: ask one or two of these while your child draws. There are no wrong answers.
- What magic power does this character have?
- Where would you go if you could ride on its back for a day?
- Which part are you proudest of?
- What colors will you use, and why?
More ideas in 25 questions to ask kids about their art.
Questions about this drawing lesson
What age is this cute mermaid drawing lesson for?
Ages 5 and up (about grades K to 2). Younger kids can follow along with a grown-up, one step at a time.
How long does it take?
About 15 minutes, including time to pause the video. Kids who add their own details or a background often keep going longer.
What supplies do you need?
Pencil and eraser; paper, or the printed page; crayons, markers or colored pencils.
What size does it print?
US Letter (8.5 by 11 inches). Use Print this page or Download PDF above. On A4 paper, choose “Fit to page” in the print settings.
Can kids draw the cute mermaid without printing the page?
Yes. Draw on any paper and copy one step at a time from the screen, or pause the video after each step. Classroom mode shows one step at a time, full screen.
For teachers: grade, timing and standards
Grades K–2, about 15 minutes. Step-by-step drawing, easy level. The video does the teaching: press play and let students draw along.
National Core Arts Standards (visual arts)
- VA:Cr2 Organize and develop artistic ideas and work: students build drawing skills by following a sequence of steps.
- VA:Cr3 Refine and complete artistic work: students add their own details, expressions and color to finish the character.
See every lesson by standard, plus the math in grid drawing, on the arts standards map.
Copies: print as many as your class needs. Use classroom mode above to show one step at a time on your board. More in the teacher resources, the Unicorns & Mermaids hub and our no-prep sub plans.
Get the free Unicorns, Mermaids and Mashups Pack
12 printable unicorn, mermaid and mashup pages to draw, trace and color, sent with your welcome email. After that, Kevin’s newsletter brings new free pages and book news.
Take the idea into a book
Want more characters to draw, trace or color? Explore these related books and see which approach fits your next creative session.
More like this: all 7 free unicorn and mermaid drawing lessons and pages →
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