Dolphin Rainbow Colouring Page

Two friendly bottlenose dolphins leap from the ocean beneath a giant rainbow in this warm summer scene. Their curved bodies, beak-like snouts, dorsal fins and powerful tails are easy to see above the waves. Bottlenose dolphins live in temperate and tropical seas around much of the world. Adults vary by population but are often about 2 to 4 metres long. They breathe air through a blowhole on top of the head, so they must return to the surface regularly. Dolphins are social mammals that communicate with whistles and clicks. They can also use returning echoes, called echolocation, to explore their surroundings and locate objects or prey underwater. The happy faces in the picture are playful, but real dolphins should be given plenty of space and never chased or fed. A coastal shower can leave raindrops in the air while sunlight breaks through behind the viewer. Light bends as it enters each drop, reflects and spreads into coloured bands when it leaves. This creates the rainbow above the sea. The coloured arc does not rise from the little island and cannot be sailed toward; its apparent position changes when the viewer moves. Sea spray may even make a small rainbow close to a waterfall or breaking wave when sunlight strikes it at the right angle. Summer clouds, warm water and bright light give the page a lively holiday feeling. Colour the rainbow in the familiar order of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet, or build a seven-colour ocean fantasy. Bottlenose dolphins are commonly grey, often darker on the back and lighter underneath. Use pale grey-blue on the bellies and medium grey or blue-grey along the backs, leaving white highlights near the curved tops. The ocean can combine turquoise, sky blue and deep blue, with white left in the foamy splash shapes. Make the tiny island sandy gold, its bush green and the palm trunk warm brown. Keep clouds mostly white with light blue edges. Use long curved strokes along each dolphin and rainbow band, wavy horizontal strokes across the sea, and short outward strokes in the splashes. Colour gently around eyes and fins so the outlines remain clear, then add a bright summer sky without making it darker than the dolphins.

◫ A4 size✎ Bold outlines♡ Ages 3–8

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Choose a favourite colour palette
Add a simple background
Display the finished artwork

Grown-up note: Please supervise printing and choose age-appropriate art materials.