GRID STEP. You can print out the base construction lines and start drawing on tracing paper, or you can draw the grid layout yourself using the following steps.1) Draw a rectangle that will define the conditional proportions and boundaries of the chosen drawing. 2) From the middle of the rectangle, draw one vertical and one horizontal line equally dividing the shape. 3) Draw another horizontal line equally dividing the upper half of the rectangle. Similarly, draw a horizontal line equally dividing the bottom half of the rectangle. 4) Draw a vertical line equally dividing the left half of the rectangle. Similarly, draw a vertical line equally dividing the right half of the rectangle.

STEP 1. Mark off the width and height of the picture. Draw an oval for the head of the catfish and guidelines for its body parts. Draw a smooth line, which will act as the center of its body.

STEP 2. Draw an oval for the catfish’s body, peduncle and its tail fin.

STEP 3. Add guidelines for the fins and barbells of the fish.

STEP 4. Draw the catfish’s mouth and barbells. Detail its fins, head and operculum.

STEP 5. Add the eye and small barbells. Detail the fins more.

STEP 6. Work on the whole figure, paying special attention to detail.

STEP 7. Contour the catfish, trying to vary the thickness and darkness of the line. Add more detail and add bubbles. Erase all guidelines.