Great White Shark Colouring

The great white shark is a powerful ocean fish with a streamlined body built for long-distance swimming. It occurs in temperate and some subtropical seas around the world, especially near productive coastlines, islands, reefs and deep drop-offs. Great whites can also cross entire ocean basins and dive far below the surface. Adults vary greatly in size. Many are around 4 to 5 metres long, while the largest reliable estimates approach 6 metres. Females usually grow bigger than males, and scientific age studies suggest that great whites may live 70 years or more. Their bodies are darker above and pale underneath. This countershading helps them blend with deep water when viewed from above and with bright surface light when viewed from below. Great whites have a strong sense of smell and special electroreceptors that detect tiny electrical signals made by living animals. They are also partly warm-bodied, keeping important muscles and organs warmer than the surrounding sea so they can remain active in cool water. Although movies often show open jaws, a travelling shark normally swims with its mouth closed, just as it does in this calm side-view scene. Colour the upper back medium grey, blue-grey or brown-grey. Follow the gently wavy dividing line along the side and leave the belly white, cream or very pale grey. Make the tall dorsal fin match the back and colour the tips of the other fins slightly darker if you wish. Keep the eye dark with a tiny white highlight. The sandy seabed can be tan, pale gold or peach, with grey-brown rocks and green seagrass. Colour the water light turquoise around the shark and deeper blue near the edges, keeping enough pale space for the strong outline to remain easy to see. Long, even strokes from nose to tail will emphasise the shark's smooth, fast shape. Short wavy strokes can add texture to the sand. You may add a few tiny distant fish or shells, but avoid crowding the page. The most important details are the pointed snout, triangular dorsal fin, crescent-shaped tail and calm closed mouth. This page is a chance to colour a misunderstood predator as an important, graceful member of the ocean ecosystem.

◫ A4 size✎ Bold outlines♡ Ages 3–8

Download JPEGHigh-resolution A4 image Download PDFPrint-ready A4 file

Make it an activity

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.