This National Marine Week, local artist Hannah Horn has created this step-by-step guide to drawing one of the UK's most intelligent and intriguing sea creatures: the octopus! Why not have a go at drawing your own? All you'll need is a pencil and sheet of A4 paper.

Get started

Step #1 Draw a circle on the lefthand side of the page. You can use a compass or the the base of something round, like an ink pot, to help you.

Step # 2 Draw a curve on the back of the circle for the head and a curve on the top of the circle for the eye sockets.

Step #3 Extend the circle down creating a triangle shape, this will form the outline for tentacles.

Step #4 Mark out eight tentacles. 

Step #5 Draw on the suction pads on the bottom part of the tentacles and add definition to them.

Step #6 Lightly sketch in the eye and mark out a line to show the top and bottom of the tentacles. 

Step #8 Sketch on wiggly lines to show texture for the octopus skin. leaving the bottom of the tentacles bare as these will be a different texture to the top. 

Step #9 Add detail to the suction pads.

Step #10 Rub out the guide lines you used to create the shape of the head.

Step #11 Start adding shading to build tone and definition.

Step #12 Mark in the eye.

Step #13 Add any additional shading and texture until you're happy with the appearance. 

Et voilà! 

Are you pleased with your creation? Share it with us on social media using the hashtag #SecretsOfTheSolent!

Mapping the Solent

Hannah is collaborating with us on an element of our marine project Secrets of the Solent. Together, we're working with local communities to six gigantic murals that, when pieced together, form one huge map of the Solent.