Draw an underwater animal

I don’t have colored pencils, an eraser, or printed reference images; what can I use instead so I can still follow the activity?

Gather crayons, washable markers, or cut colored paper for the "choose the colours" step, use a soft bread-crumb-free kneaded eraser or simply redraw on a fresh sheet instead of "erase extra guide lines", and view reference images on a phone or tablet while you "look through the reference images".

My animal looks distorted when I try to turn the basic shapes into an outline or my shading smudges—how can I fix that?

Keep your initial lines very light during the "lightly sketch basic shapes" step so proportions are easy to adjust before you "turn the basic shapes into a clearer outline", and prevent smudging during the "add shading and small highlights" step by letting layers dry, resting a clean paper under your hand, or using short confident strokes instead of heavy rubbing.

How can I adapt this drawing activity for different ages so it’s not too easy or too hard?

For toddlers or preschoolers simplify the "basic shapes" step with large stickers or stencils and let them use crayons to "colour the animal", for elementary kids follow all steps adding simple "habitat elements", and for older kids challenge them to research real fin and gill placement, practise realistic "shading and small highlights", or create a detailed species series to "share on DIY.org".

What are some creative ways to extend or personalize the finished underwater animal beyond the basic instructions?

Enhance your piece by adding textured materials like glued sand for the "sand" habitat, sequins or glossy gel for shiny scales when you "choose the colours and decide where patterns" go, build a cardboard diorama around the picture to show the full "habitat elements", and then "write your name and the date" and upload a short story about the animal to "share on DIY.org".