How to Draw a Harp Seal

In this quick tutorial you'll learn how to draw a Harp Seal in 6 easy steps - great for kids and novice artists.



At the bottom you can read some interesting facts about the Harp Seal.


How to Draw a Harp Seal - Step-by-Step Tutorial

Step 1: Harp seals are cute mammals that live in cold waters, swimming and catching fish. Start drawing yours with a big domed curve for the head. On the left side of the dome, draw a line that goes down, then curves down and to the right to make the chest.

Step 2: To draw the face, put in two ovals for the eyes, and a triangle for the nose. From the bottom of the nose, draw two lines that curve down, and to the left and right to make the lips. Draw a small line between those two lines to make the lower lip. Now draw lines to make the whiskers on either side of the seal's cheeks.

Step 3: Draw the first front arm by making two lines that slant down and to the left. The top should curve down, then back to make the foot, meeting the other line along the way. Put in curved lines to make the individual 'fingers' at the end of the arm.

Step 4: Next we draw the body. Start with a down and right slanting line that starts at the back of the head. It should have one bump in it. A right upward curving line should be drawn to make the belly just right of the arm you've drawn. These lines should not meet, leaving room for the tail.

Step 5: For the tail, draw two lines that start at either side of the gap you've left. The individual 'toes' can be drawn with curved lines that loop inward, that also connect the shape you're drawing.

Step 6: Lastly we make the other front arm. This will be obscured, so simply draw a small curve at the bottom of the chest, and you're done!

Interesting Facts about Harp Seals

Harp seals live in the Arctic Ocean and the northern region of the Atlantic Ocean. They are also known as saddleback seals because they have a dark marking on their back and sides that look like a saddle. They have white or grey fur.

Did You Know?

  • Harp seals can swim underwater for up to 15 minutes at a time.
  • The average lifespan of a harp seal is 20 years.
  • Harp seals weigh on average 400 pounds.
  • Females give birth to their young in large groups. The baby harp seals, called pups, are born on ice. Mothers can identify which babies are theirs by their smell. Female harp seals usually give birth to one pup at a time.
  • Harp seals are carnivores that eat fish and crustaceans.
  • Harp seals migrate south for the winter.
  • Harp seals got their names because their dorsal fin is shaped like the musical instrument.
  • Harps are very social and live in large groups called colonies.

Hundreds of thousands of harp seals are hunted every year. Pups were especially desirable because they have fluffy white fur three days after they are born (before that, their coats are yellowish white). Now, however, there are rules against hunting pups.