A humpback whale can bend and turn through the water so broadly that its tail, head and pectoral fins seem to occupy different planes. When I draw one, I begin near the tail and work forward, letting the body grow from a narrow connection into the whale’s enormous mass.
This approach to drawing a humpback whale helps me follow the movement of the animal without enclosing it in a generic fish-like outline. I work directly from a photograph, comparing each new mark with what is already on the page.
The tutorial focuses on a side or three-quarter view where the tail, head and at least one pectoral fin can be understood. You can use pencil, pen or charcoal. I leave my earlier observational marks visible when I make corrections.
Recognize the humpback before drawing it
Whales do not all share the same proportions. A humpback has several features that separate it from the more streamlined appearance of a fin whale or blue whale.
Look closely at the long pectoral fins, the knobbly contours of the head and the grooves running beneath the throat. The tail flukes are broad and may have irregular trailing edges.
These features are more useful for identifying the animal than a collection of decorative markings. They influence its silhouette and the way its body appears to move.
Choose a reference in which you can understand the whale’s direction. A broad side view is useful for studying proportions. A slight turn can reveal more of the pectoral fins and give the drawing greater depth.
The photograph does not need to show every part perfectly. A distant fin may disappear behind the body, and a section of the back may merge into dark water. Those interruptions can remain part of the drawing.
If you’re deciding which image to work from, my animal drawing reference guide explains how I assess photographs for clear structure and useful lighting.
Start where the tail divides
When the tail flukes are visible, I look first at the notch between them. It is a small but distinctive feature that gives me an initial point of reference.
Place the notch with a short mark. Follow one fluke toward its outer tip, watching the changes in direction along the edge.
Return to the notch and observe the opposite fluke. Do not assume it will match the first. If the whale is rolling or turning, perspective can make one fluke appear broader, shorter or more sharply angled.
Whale tail flukes extend horizontally from the tail stock, unlike the vertical tail fin of a fish. Their apparent shape changes considerably as the whale moves. From some angles, you may see the broad undersides; from others, the flukes are almost edge-on.
If your reference does not reveal the central notch, begin with whichever edge of the tail is clearly visible. There is no reason to invent a shape hidden by perspective.
Once the visible flukes are established, look at the narrow section connecting them to the body. This is the tail stock, and its direction will help establish the movement of the whale.
Watch the body gain weight
Follow the upper edge of the tail stock forward. At first, the body may remain narrow. It then expands toward the torso, although the rate of that expansion depends on the animal’s pose.
I draw the lower contour separately. It may change direction more sharply than the back, particularly if the whale is arching or preparing to dive.
The upper and lower edges should not become matching curves. Their differences make the body feel substantial and capable of movement.
As you continue along the back, look for the dorsal fin. On a humpback, it is relatively small compared with the whole animal. Depending on the individual and angle, it may appear as a low projection or a more distinct hooked shape.
Allow the back to rise into the fin and continue beyond it. Drawing the fin as a separate attachment can interrupt the natural direction of the body.
The torso should become considerably deeper toward the front. Compare the widest visible part with the narrow tail stock. If the body remains nearly the same width along its length, the whale may begin to resemble an elongated fish.
Look for the point where the underside reaches its greatest depth before rising toward the head. This large change in volume is more important than small details on the skin.
A pectoral fin can describe the entire turn
The extraordinarily long pectoral fins are among the most recognizable features of a humpback whale. Their direction can tell you whether the animal is rolling, banking or moving across the viewer’s field of vision.
Find where the nearest fin emerges from the side of the body. Compare its angle with the direction of the torso before following it toward the tip.
A fin extended across the water may create one of the longest contours in the drawing. The same fin pointing toward the viewer can appear much shorter and wider because of foreshortening.
Follow one edge toward the tip and return along the other. Notice that the edges may curve differently and that the fin changes width as it extends away from the body.
Humpback pectoral fins often have a series of noticeable bumps along their leading edges. Include them where they are visible, but keep their spacing and apparent size consistent with the reference rather than making a repeated decorative pattern.
The farther fin may be partly hidden behind the body. If only a short section is visible, draw that section. A complete matching fin is unnecessary.
At this point, step back and look at the relationship between the tail and pectoral fins. Their different angles should help the viewer understand how the whale is turning through the water.
This use of opposing directions also appears in my guide to drawing movement.
The head continues the mass of the body
As the broad torso reaches the head, resist the urge to make the front of the whale small and rounded. A humpback has a substantial head with a long upper surface and a broad snout.
Follow the upper contour forward, noticing where it changes angle or flattens. The lower jaw may extend beneath it, forming a different curve from the top of the head.
Observe the mouth line carefully. It may be a long dark division that extends backward from the front of the snout. Its angle changes with the position of the head and should not automatically become an upward smile.
The eye is small compared with the surrounding head. Place it by comparing its position with the mouth line and the base of the pectoral fin. A single dark mark may communicate more than a large, detailed eye.
Humpback whales have distinct bumps, called tubercles, across parts of the head. In a drawing, these can interrupt the otherwise broad contours. Observe their placement and apparent size instead of covering the surface with evenly spaced dots.
The throat and belly contain pleats that allow the feeding area to expand. From a suitable angle, these appear as long grooves following the underside of the whale.
Draw the clearest pleat first and compare the others with its direction. They may curve, compress or disappear as the underside turns away.
A few selectively drawn grooves can identify the species without making the whale appear covered in rigid parallel stripes.
Let the water take part of the outline
Once the proportions are convincing, I begin to consider the largest areas of light and dark.
A humpback’s back may merge into the surrounding dark water while the underside of a fin catches a pale reflection. White markings, scars and variations in the skin can create additional changes across the body.
Start with broad tonal relationships. Individual marks on the skin can wait until the larger values give the whale volume.
In pencil or charcoal, strokes following the length of the body can reinforce its direction. With pen, I group marks more closely in the shadows and leave open areas where reflected light is strongest.
Some edges should remain clear, particularly where a fin overlaps the torso or the tail separates from the water. Others can disappear completely.
If the whale’s back blends into a dark area of water, I allow those values to meet. The silhouette does not need equal emphasis all the way around the animal.
That variation helps the whale feel immersed in its environment rather than cut out and placed against a background.
The space surrounding the whale matters
Before finishing, look at the amount of space around the animal. A massive subject can feel cramped when every fin and the entire tail are pressed against the edges of the page.
If the whale is moving forward, consider preserving some open space in front of its head. If it is diving, the water beneath it can contribute to the direction of the composition.
You do not need to add a boat, diver or other object simply to demonstrate scale. The small eye, deep torso and long pectoral fins already communicate much of the animal’s size.
Return to the tail and follow the body toward the head with your eyes. Does the animal feel like one continuous mass changing direction through the water? If a fin seems detached or the torso appears too narrow, revise the marks that establish those relationships.
I leave some of my earlier lines visible as the drawing develops. They retain the movement of the original observations and keep the sketch from becoming overly polished.
For other marine subjects, browse my sea animal drawing tutorials.