Sea Monster Generator

Press New sea monster for a creature, its size beside a ship, the first sign of it and its temper.

Sea Monster Generator: 30 sea monsters

An octopus that wears a wreck as a shell. It is as large as a fishing village. It has a crest that stands up when it is curious. The first sign is weed rising in clumps. It lives in a long cold lake between two mountains. It sleeps at the surface and snores.

Padlock: keep a part. Arrows: change only that part.

Kindoctopus that wears a wreck as a shell
Sizeas large as a fishing village
Featurea crest that stands up when it is curious
First signweed rising in clumps
Livesin a long cold lake between two mountains
Tempersleeps at the surface and snores

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Sea Monster of the day

An octopus that wears a wreck as a shell. It is as large as a fishing village. It has a crest that stands up when it is curious. The first sign is weed rising in clumps. It lives in a long cold lake between two mountains. It sleeps at the surface and snores.
A sea serpent with a horse-like head. It is as long as a lifeboat. It has pupils shaped like the letter W. The first sign is a wake with no ship ahead of it. It lives in a bay the fishing fleet avoids. It keeps a sunken garden weeded.
A squid with two arms far longer than the rest. It is no longer than an oar. It has a back as smooth as a wet stone. The first sign is seabirds circling over nothing. It lives among smoking vents on the seabed. It tangles rudders in weed.
A fish plated all over like a tiled roof. It is as long as a three-masted ship. It has eyes that reflect a ship's lights back at it. The first sign is the anchor coming up polished. It lives in the shadow of an ice shelf. It spits seawater at anyone who whistles.
A long-necked seal. It is as long as a tall ship. It has a back plated like the deck of a ship. The first sign is a silence where the seabirds were. It lives in a marsh lake that is on no map. It plays with empty barrels.
A drifter with a hundred trailing threads. It is as wide as a ship is long. It has a third eye on top of its head that watches the sky. The first sign is the lookout going very quiet. It lives in the steam of a hot spring on a cold coast. It lets nobody fish above its nest.
A whale with a head a third of its length. It is as big as a small island. It has scars in the shape of a ship's keel. The first sign is one bird sitting on the water, staring down. It lives beneath a field of floating weed. It splashes anyone in a clean uniform.
A drifter with a hundred trailing threads. It is small for its kind, which is still longer than a schooner. It has ridges along its back like an upturned hull. The first sign is a barnacle the size of a plate on the hull. It lives in a trench the sounding line cannot reach. It yawns at storms.
A turtle carrying a meadow on its back. It is so large that ships anchor to it by mistake. It has no teeth at all, only bristles. The first sign is birds landing in the rigging and refusing to leave. It lives in a marsh lake that is on no map. It writes in the sand at low tide and denies it.
A sea cow as mild as it is slow. It is the size of a barge, though it thinks it is smaller. It has a garden of kelp it tends. The first sign is a knocking on the keel, three times. It lives under a ledge as wide as a town. It splashes anyone in a clean uniform.
A serpent that swims in upright loops. It is as big as the biggest ship in port. It has a ship's figurehead it carries about. The first sign is singing from under the water. It lives beside a mountain that never reaches the surface. It suns itself and ignores everything.
A whale with a single spiral tusk. It is as long as two canoes end to end. It has a beard of feelers. The first sign is the sounding line coming up tied in a bow. It lives in a long cold lake between two mountains. It holds a grudge against one ship and knows its name.
A long-necked seal. It is small enough to curl up in a coil of rope. It has a back plated like the deck of a ship. The first sign is a neat little whirlpool off the bow. It lives between two islands that almost touch. It ties knots in fishing lines.
A drifter with a gas-filled sail, like a man o' war. It is as broad as a raft built for ten. It has enormous round eyes that take up half its face. The first sign is a current where the chart shows none. It lives under a strait that has frozen right across. It lets nobody fish above its nest.
A lobster old enough to have weed growing on it. It is as long as a ship's anchor chain. It has eyes on short stalks. The first sign is the anchor coming up polished. It lives in the steam of a hot spring on a cold coast. It lets seabirds ride on it.
A chain of small bodies joined into one long swimmer. It is half the ship's length, as measured by a nervous mate. It has freckles of green light. The first sign is a tug on the fishing line that turns the boat. It lives under the edge of the pack ice. It snaps any oar that touches it.
A many-armed thing that walks on its arm tips. It is small for its kind, which is still longer than a schooner. It has lids that slide shut from the side. The first sign is a whale turning aside. It lives under a strait that has frozen right across. It lets seabirds ride on it.
A singing whale with a knobbly head. It is as wide as a ship is long. It has a garden of kelp it tends. The first sign is a patch of flat water in a rough sea. It lives in the long swells far from any coast. It patrols the same mile of coast each night.
A long-necked seal. It is small enough to curl up in a coil of rope. It has enormous round eyes that take up half its face. The first sign is weed rising in clumps. It lives round the hull of a ship that sank whole. It hides buoys.
A drifter with a hundred trailing threads. It is big enough to carry a ship on its back. It has skin that changes shade with the water. The first sign is a tug on the fishing line that turns the boat. It lives round the hull of a ship that sank whole. It rubs its back on ships' hulls to scratch.
A drifter with a gas-filled sail, like a man o' war. It is no bigger than a dinghy, with a shadow the size of a ship. It has a white underside and a slate back. The first sign is the water turning suddenly cold. It lives in a deep reservoir behind a dam. It guards a pearl bed it has no use for.
A serpent that swims in upright loops. It is long enough to circle a ship once. It has eyes that reflect a ship's lights back at it. The first sign is a spout of mist far off. It lives in a lake too deep to sound. It lets no ship into one cove without a greeting.
A pale serpent from far below. It is as long as a sailing dinghy and its mast together. It has tusks worn smooth with age. The first sign is seals hauling out in a hurry. It lives at the bottom of a hole in the seabed, round as a well. It follows ships for the galley scraps.
A drifter with a hundred trailing threads. It is as long as a ship's anchor chain. It has rings like a target on each flank. The first sign is weed rising in clumps. It lives in a canyon under the sea. It follows ships for the galley scraps.
A whale with a head a third of its length. It is a boat long when calm and a ship long when cross. It has a tongue as blue as deep water. The first sign is a single large bubble. It lives where a glacier meets the sea. It warns whales away from ships.
A ribbon-thin serpent with a tall back fin. It is as big as an anchor. It has limpets in rows like buttons. The first sign is an echo of the ship's own horn, a little late. It lives under a strait that has frozen right across. It sleeps at the surface and snores.
A serpent that swims in upright loops. It is as long as two canoes end to end. It has a wreck's mast stuck in its shell or hide, flag still on it. The first sign is a tug on the fishing line that turns the boat. It lives under the edge of the pack ice. It rings ships' bells at night.
A lobster old enough to have weed growing on it. It is as large as a fishing village. It has a mouth on its underside that nobody has seen. The first sign is a low wave from the wrong direction. It lives below cliffs white with nesting seabirds. It splashes anyone in a clean uniform.
A serpent banded in two shades from nose to tail. It is small enough to curl up in a coil of rope. It has limpets in rows like buttons. The first sign is the sound of something large breathing. It lives in an inland sea ringed with reeds. It pulls the bungs out of rowing boats.
An eel with a mouth like a pelican's pouch. It is the size of the ship's cat. It has a back as smooth as a wet stone. The first sign is one bird sitting on the water, staring down. It lives round the hull of a ship that sank whole. It lashes the sea to foam when it is woken.

Next step Invent a monster for dry land Put it in a full fantasy scene

Kind: all 60 kinds

Serpents and eels 12

eel as thick as a mast A plain tube. The interest is in how it bends round things.
eel with a mouth like a pelican's pouch A real eel is named for exactly this. The rest of it trails behind.
knot of smaller eels that moves as one Many heads, one outline. Decide which way they have agreed to go.

Show all 60 kinds (57 more)

Serpents and eels, continued

long-necked swimmer with four paddles A small head on a long neck and a body like an upturned boat.
pale serpent from far below Almost white. Tint it with the blue of the water round it.
ribbon-thin serpent with a tall back fin Draw it as one long ribbon, then add the fin as a second line above.
sea serpent with a horse-like head Old sightings may have been oarfish: very long, thin fish that swim in waves.
serpent banded in two shades from nose to tail The bands shrink toward the tail and show how it curves.
serpent that swims in upright loops Arches above the water, each hiding the next part of the body.
serpent with a frill of gills like a frilled shark's The real shark is eel-shaped, with six fringed gill slits at the throat.
serpent with a mane of weed Hang the weed in wet ropes from head and neck.
two-headed eel that argues with itself The heads face different ways. The body is tied in a loose knot.

Many-armed 12

cuttlefish with W-shaped pupils and a rippling skirt Real cuttlefish have W-shaped pupils. Give the skirt an edge that ripples.
drifter with a hundred trailing threads Let the threads go off the bottom of the page.
many-armed thing that walks on its arm tips It tiptoes along the seabed. Lift the body clear of the sand.
many-armed thing with a different hand on every arm Hooks, suckers, paddles, pincers. Design eight.
many-armed thing with a parrot beak A giant squid has a single parrot-like beak where all its arms meet.
octopus that wears a wreck as a shell Arms come out of the gun ports, or the portholes if it is a kind wreck.
squid as pale as a candle, lit from inside Glow at the middle, fading along each arm.
squid with the largest eyes in the sea No known animal has bigger eyes than the colossal squid. Let them fill the head.
squid with two arms far longer than the rest A giant squid: eight arms, two longer tentacles. Draw those two reaching.
starfish with more arms than anyone has counted Overlap them. Count is not the point.
tangle of arms round a single eye The eye is the middle of the composition. Wind everything round it.
young many-armed thing, not yet grown Short arms and a head too large for them. It will be trouble later.

Strange fish and sharks 12

fish plated all over like a tiled roof Overlapping plates, largest along the back.
fish that is mostly mouth Draw the mouth first and hang a small body behind it.
fish with a light on a stalk, like an anglerfish The lure is a fin ray grown long. In some anglerfish it glows.
fish with a sword for a nose One long straight line ahead of everything else.
fish with rows of bony plates, like a sturgeon A sturgeon has five rows of bony plates along a smooth body.
flat fish with horn-shaped fins, like a manta ray Mantas were called devilfish for those two fins by the head.
hammer-headed shark Eyes at the two ends. Seen from above it is a letter T.
old-looking fish with fins like stubby legs It seems to walk. Plant the fins on the seabed.
round fish that puffs up like a pufferfish Draw it both ways: at rest, and blown up with its spines out.
shark with a long soft snout like a goblin shark's The real shark has a long snout and small soft fins. Keep both.
shark with a saw for a nose, like a sawfish A sawfish is a large ray with a long flat snout edged in teeth, like a saw.
slow shark that eats only the smallest things The basking shark, second largest of all fish, feeds on plankton.

Whales, turtles and seals 12

leathery-backed turtle with seven ridges The leatherback, largest of living turtles, has seven ridges along its shell.
long-necked seal A seal's body and whiskers on a neck like a swan's.
sea cow as mild as it is slow Manatees have been linked to old stories of mermaids. Give it a kind face.
singing whale with a knobbly head Humpbacks have knobs on the head, and the males sing.
turtle carrying a meadow on its back The bestiaries tell of a sea beast so large that sailors took it for an island.
turtle with a beak like a parrot's and a spiked tail Round shell, hooked beak, and a tail drawn like a mace.
tusked seal with a face full of whiskers A walrus is known by its tusks, its whiskers and its bulk.
whale that spouts in two jets A V of mist above the head. It shows from a long way off.
whale with a head a third of its length That is a full-grown male sperm whale's proportion. Make the head long and heavy.
whale with a single spiral tusk Male narwhals have one: a long spiralled tooth.
whale with barnacles like a second skin Cluster them on the head and along the jaw.
whale with very long front flippers A humpback's flippers are long enough to give it the name big-winged.

Shelled, clawed and drifting 12

barnacle-crusted crawler that looks like a rock Only the eyes give it away. Put them where a crack would be.
chain of small bodies joined into one long swimmer Real siphonophores are colonies: many small animals joined into one.
clam with wavy lips and a glow inside Draw it a little open. The light spills out along the wavy edge.
coiled-shell swimmer with many small arms, like a nautilus A nautilus has a chambered, coiled shell and many tentacles.
crab with legs like a spider's The Japanese spider crab has the widest leg span of any crab, and is said to be gentle.
drifter with a gas-filled sail, like a man o' war The float rides on the surface and the tentacles hang below.
helmet-shelled crawler like a horseshoe crab A domed shield of a shell and a long spike of a tail. It is not a true crab.
hermit crab that has moved into a ship's bell The clapper still rings when it walks.
jellyfish with a mane of fine tentacles The lion's mane jellyfish is among the largest jellyfish, in cold northern seas.
lobster old enough to have weed growing on it One claw much larger than the other.
pill-shaped crawler from the deep seabed Giant isopods are real: large scavengers that live on the deep seabed.
sea urchin that rolls where it likes A ball of spines. Draw the track it leaves in the sand.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Where a body borrows from a real sea animal the animal is named, and the fact in the note was checked on 2026-09-30 against its English Wikipedia article (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ followed by the name): Sea serpent (giant oarfish are thought to lie behind some sightings), Frilled shark, Pelican eel, Giant squid, Colossal squid, Cuttlefish, Sawfish, Sturgeon, Goblin shark, Basking shark, Anglerfish, Manta ray, Tetraodontidae (pufferfish), Aspidochelone (the island-sized sea beast of the medieval bestiaries), Sperm whale, Humpback whale, Leatherback sea turtle, Walrus, Narwhal, Manatee, Japanese spider crab, Nautilus, Horseshoe crab, Giant isopod, Lion's mane jellyfish, Portuguese man o' war, Siphonophore and Sea monster. No kind states a size, which has a list of its own. The drawing advice is our own. Licence: own work

Size: all 60 sizes

Smaller than a boat 12

as big as an anchor Draw it resting against one on the seabed.
as long as a boathook Someone is trying to lift it out with one.
no bigger than a sea chest Corner to corner, it would just fit inside.
no longer than an oar Lay an oar beside it in the water.

Show all 60 sizes (56 more)

Smaller than a boat, continued

the size of a life ring It wears the ring like a collar.
the size of the ship's bell Hang the bell above it for comparison.
the size of the ship's cat Put the cat in the picture. It is not impressed.
small enough to curl up in a coil of rope The coil is its nest. Only the back shows.
small enough to fit in a bucket on deck A bucket, a puzzled sailor and one eye over the rim.
small enough to ride unnoticed in a fishing net One shape among the catch that is looking back.
small enough to shelter behind a rudder Seen from astern: a rudder with a fin either side of it.
small enough to sleep in a lobster pot Draw the pot on the quay with something looking out through the slats.

As big as a boat 12

as broad as a raft built for ten A flat back, awash, with gulls standing on it.
as broad as a skiff is long Seen from above, the boat fits across its back.
as heavy as a loaded barge It rides low. Most of it is under the surface.
as long as a lifeboat The crew look from one to the other.
as long as a sailing dinghy and its mast together Lay the mast down in your head and measure.
as long as a tugboat Blunt and powerful. Give it the same heavy shoulders.
as long as three fishing boats Three boats in a row and one long shape under all of them.
as long as two canoes end to end Slim and low. The canoes show how narrow it is.
as tall as a fishing boat's mast when it rises Head level with the masthead, water streaming off.
the length of a fishing boat Draw them side by side at the same waterline.
the length of a rowing boat, oars and all Put the boat directly above it with two rowers who have not looked down.
the size of a pilot boat It comes out to meet ships, as the pilot does.

As big as a ship 12

as big as the biggest ship in port Every other vessel in the picture is smaller than both.
as heavy as a ship and all its cargo When it dives, the sea level in the picture drops.
as high out of the water as a ship's deck Its back is level with the rail. Someone could step across.
as long as a ship's anchor chain Lay the chain out along its back, link by link.
as long as a ship's shadow at evening Stretch both along the water toward the viewer.
as long as a tall ship Hull beside body, bow to nose and stern to tail.
as long as a tall ship and its bowsprit Just longer than the ship. The crew have measured.
as long as a three-masted ship Line up head, middle and tail with the three masts.
as wide as a ship is long The ship could turn round on its back.
long enough to circle a ship once Draw the ring first, then the ship inside it.
longer than the wake behind a schooner The wake fades before the creature ends.
the size of a paddle steamer Two great side fins where the wheels would be.

Bigger than any ship 12

as big as a small island Trees are optional. Birds are not.
as big as an iceberg, most of it below Show the waterline high on the page.
as large as a fishing village Rooftops on the shore for scale, the same size as its scales.
as long as a fleet at anchor A row of ships, and under them a single dark shape.
as long as a pier The pier gives you posts to count along its length.
as wide as a narrow strait It has to back out.
as wide as a river mouth One bank at its nose and the other at its tail.
big enough to carry a ship on its back The ship is aground on it, level, with the crew looking over the side.
the length of a breakwater A straight stone wall, and a curved living one beside it.
long enough to circle a fleet Tiny ships inside a great loop.
so large that ships anchor to it by mistake An anchor chain going down to something with an eye.
too long to see both ends from one deck Head off the left edge of the page, tail off the right.

Hard to say 12

a boat long when calm and a ship long when cross Draw it cross.
a boat's size from the front and a ship's from the side Choose the view that suits the scene.
as long as it takes a rowing boat to pass, at a nervous pace Oars mid-stroke, eyes fixed ahead.
bigger than the last ship that came to look And that ship was the big one.
exactly as long as the ship that sees it Whatever ship you draw, match it.
half the ship's length, as measured by a nervous mate A knotted line, a shaking hand.
larger with every telling Three outlines, one inside the next.
no bigger than a dinghy, with a shadow the size of a ship The shadow is what the crew see first.
the size of a barge, though it thinks it is smaller It is trying to hide behind a buoy.
the size of whatever is nearest: a buoy, a boat, a ship It matches. Draw it beside two things at once.
small for its kind, which is still longer than a schooner A larger one of its kind is on the horizon.
twice the size the charts say Draw the chart's small neat picture in a corner.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Every size is a comparison with a vessel or with something carried on one, so the drawing has a scale; no number is given, because nobody has measured a sea monster. The notes are our own drawing advice. Licence: own work

Feature: all 60 features

Lights and eyes 12

a glowing belly that lights the water green Light the sea from below. The boat becomes a dark shape.
a light on a stalk above its mouth The anglerfish's trick. Make it the brightest thing in the picture.
a pale glow where its body ends Sailors steer for it. That is the wrong end.

Show all 60 features (57 more)

Lights and eyes, continued

a third eye on top of its head that watches the sky It shows above the water when nothing else does.
a watching eye for ships and a lesser one for fish The first is large and round. The second is a slit.
enormous round eyes that take up half its face Big eyes make a monster look curious before it looks fierce.
eyes lit from within like cabin windows Two warm circles in dark water.
eyes on short stalks They break the surface like two posts.
eyes that reflect a ship's lights back at it Two small copies of the ship's lamps, low on the water.
lids that slide shut from the side Draw it mid-blink.
pupils shaped like the letter W Cuttlefish have them. They never look quite awake.
rows of small lights along its sides Some deep-sea fish carry light organs in rows. Dot them like portholes.

Backs, frills and crests 12

a back as smooth as a wet stone One long highlight. Water runs straight off it.
a back grown over with barnacles Rough white clusters, thickest along the spine.
a back plated like the deck of a ship Planks, seams and something like a hatch.
a body it coils like rope on a deck Neat flat loops, one on top of another.
a collar of loose skin that fills like a sail It can run before the wind.
a crest that stands up when it is curious Flat when calm. Draw both.
a frill like torn sailcloth Ragged and pale. It streams behind when it swims.
a hump that stays dry in any sea Birds rest there.
a row of spines like a fence Evenly spaced posts above the water.
a sail-like crest it raises in fair weather From a distance it is a boat with one sail.
a tattered fringe that ripples along its length It ripples in a wave from head to tail.
ridges along its back like an upturned hull Draw the keel line first.

Mouths and feelers 12

a beard of feelers They hang like wet rope and taste the water.
a hooked bill that clicks Hooked and smooth. It clicks.
a mouth on its underside that nobody has seen Leave it out. Draw the chin.
a mouth wide enough to row into Draw the rowing boat at the lip, backing water.
a nose it can sound like a trumpet It can sound it. Add the note.
a smile that is only the shape of its jaw It cannot help looking pleased.
a spout that whistles A thin jet with a small sound mark above.
a tongue as blue as deep water Seen only when it yawns.
lips that close with a sound like a door Draw the mouth shut, firmly.
no teeth at all, only bristles A comb for a mouth. It eats soup, more or less.
tusks worn smooth with age Blunt and pale. They are used for leaning on.
whiskers as long as oars They rest on the surface like a boat's oars shipped.

Things growing or caught on it 12

a crown of coral Branching, pale and slightly crooked.
a garden of kelp it tends It trims the fronds. Draw the tidy edge.
a ship's bell tangled in its mane or weed It rings when it turns its head.
a ship's figurehead it carries about Held, worn or balanced on the nose.
a small wood of weed on its back Tall fronds that lie flat when it surfaces and stand when it dives.
a wreck's mast stuck in its shell or hide, flag still on it The flag tells you how long ago.
an anchor chain it wears like a necklace The anchor hangs at the front like a pendant.
an old net it has worn so long it is part of it Draped like a shawl, with floats for beads.
an old rowing boat riding on its back Upright, dry and empty.
limpets in rows like buttons Small cones in a line down the front.
sea anemones along its lips Soft flowers round a very large mouth.
seabirds nesting on its head It keeps its head above water for their sake.

Markings 12

a belly as pale as the inside of a shell Pearly, with a pink flush.
a hide as wrinkled as an old sail Deep folds that hold water and small crabs.
a hide mottled like a wet rock When it is still, it is a reef.
a white blaze round its left eye It gives the face a lopsided, friendly look.
a white underside and a slate back Seen from a boat it is dark. Seen by a fish it is sky.
flat scales laid like slate on a roof Large, flat and overlapping. One or two are missing.
freckles of green light Scatter them unevenly. They pulse.
rings like a target on each flank False eyes. Draw them bigger than the real ones.
scars in the shape of a ship's keel One long straight line. It remembers the ship.
skin that changes shade with the water Blue in the open sea, green inshore, black at night.
spots like a leopard's Open rings, crowded on the back and thinning below.
stripes that run from nose to tail They show which way it is heading.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. No feature needs a particular limb or states a size, so each fits any kind and any size on the page. Three notes lean on real animals, checked on 2026-09-30: the anglerfish's lure is a fin ray that glows in some kinds (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglerfish), viperfish carry rows of light organs (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viperfish) and cuttlefish have W-shaped pupils (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuttlefish). The drawing advice is our own. Licence: own work

First sign: all 60 first signs

On the surface 12

a fin where no fin should be One small triangle. Leave the rest to the viewer.
a neat little whirlpool off the bow A neat spiral, as if a plug had been pulled.
a patch of flat water in a rough sea Chop all round and one smooth oval.

Show all 60 first signs (57 more)

On the surface, continued

a ring of ripples spreading from nothing Concentric circles with the boat at the edge.
a row of humps spaced too evenly Waves are never this regular. Draw four, the same size.
a shadow passing under the keel Darker water in a long shape, crossing the hull's own shadow.
a single large bubble It rises, sits a moment and bursts.
a spout of mist far off A thin plume on the horizon and a pointing arm on deck.
a swell that runs against the wind Flags one way, waves the other.
a wake with no ship ahead of it A V on the water, pointing at nothing.
foam in a straight line Nature does not rule lines. Something did.
something that looks like a rock, moving Draw the rock. Then give it a wake.

In the water 12

a current where the chart shows none The boat is side-on and the crew are checking the map.
a green glow far down Light from below. Faces at the rail are lit from under the chin.
a low wave from the wrong direction It crosses the others at an angle.
a path of light beneath the hull A glowing track, going the same way as the ship.
a warm patch in a cold sea Steam lifting off one circle of water.
the anchor line going slack A loose curve of rope where there should be a straight one.
bubbles rising in a neat line Evenly spaced, coming closer.
the sea changing from blue to milk A clear edge between two tones of water.
the tide turning early Boats at a quay, all swinging the wrong way.
the water going as still as glass A perfect reflection of the ship, with one flaw in it.
the water turning suddenly cold Show it by breath clouds and turned-up collars.
weed rising in clumps Torn fronds coming up all round the hull.

Birds, fish and the ship's cat 12

a shoal parting round something A gap in the fish the shape of the thing.
a silence where the seabirds were An empty sky. Draw the rocks white with their absence.
a whale turning aside Even the whale goes round.
birds landing in the rigging and refusing to leave Every rope has a row of them, all facing the same way.
crabs climbing the anchor chain A line of them, going up.
dolphins changing course A line of arcs that bends sharply.
every fish leaving at once Silver streaks, all pointing away from one spot.
fish leaping toward the boat Not away from it. That is the worrying part.
one bird sitting on the water, staring down Head tilted, perfectly still.
seabirds circling over nothing A wheel of birds above empty water.
seals hauling out in a hurry A crowded rock, every head turned to sea.
the ship's cat staring over the side Tail fat, ears forward. The crew have not noticed yet.

Sounds and smells 12

a bell ringing with no hand on it The rope swings by itself.
a hiss like rain that is not rain Dry deck, clear sky, and the lookout with a hand out.
a knocking on the keel, three times Three small bang marks under the waterline.
a low note felt through the hull Draw the cups on the table trembling.
a sigh across the water The sails fill for a moment and fall slack.
a smell of old rope and salt, stronger than the ship's own The mate is checking the stores, puzzled.
a sound like a slow door A long creak. Everyone on deck has stopped.
a splash too far off to matter, and then closer Two splash marks, the second much larger.
an echo of the ship's own horn, a little late And a little lower.
singing from under the water Notes rising with the bubbles.
the smell of a beach at low water, miles out Wrinkled noses and no land in sight.
the sound of something large breathing A long slow line of mist, low on the water.

On board 12

a barnacle the size of a plate on the hull It was not there this morning.
a scratch on the rudder that was not there before One long curved mark.
a second wake beside the ship's own Two white lines astern where there should be one.
a tug on the fishing line that turns the boat The line is straight down and the bow is coming round.
a wet print on the deck that no boot made Old maps drew sea beasts all over the northern seas. This is how they come aboard.
the anchor coming up polished Bright as new, and warm.
the boat slowing for no reason Full sails, taut ropes and no bow wave.
the compass turning slowly The needle follows something that is moving.
the lookout going very quiet Arm half raised, mouth open.
the nets coming up empty and neatly folded The crew stare at the tidy bundle.
the oars meeting something soft A rower looking down, oar bent.
the sounding line coming up tied in a bow Neatly. Somebody down there has manners.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each sign is something to draw at the surface or on deck while the monster stays hidden below the waterline. One note cites old maps, checked on 2026-09-30: the Carta marina of 1539 filled the northern seas with drawn animals and monsters (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carta_marina, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kraken). The drawing advice is our own. Licence: own work

Lives: all 60 home waters

Shores and shallows 12

among kelp stalks as tall as masts Vertical lines of weed, with one that is not weed.
among the wrecks on a long sandbar Ribs of old hulls standing out of the sand.
below cliffs white with nesting seabirds Tall rock, small boat and a great deal of noise.

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Shores and shallows, continued

between two islands that almost touch A narrow gap with fast water.
in a bay the fishing fleet avoids Empty water, and boats crowded just outside it.
in a sea cave big enough to sail into A black arch in a cliff with a boat for scale.
in the mouth of a wide muddy river Brown water meeting blue in a clear line.
in the warm green water of a lagoon Pale sand shows through. So does a shadow.
off a beach where nobody swims A row of bathing huts, all shut.
off a headland where three tides meet Broken water in a triangle.
round a rock with a warning bell on it The bell tilts with the swell. Draw it mid-ring.
under the longest pier on the coast Rows of posts going back into green dark.

The open ocean 12

along the old trade route, a day behind the ships A line of sails ahead and one ripple following.
beneath a drifting island of logs Timber packed tight, with gulls walking on it.
beneath a field of floating weed A golden mat on the surface and darkness under it.
beside a lone rock far from anywhere One rock, one bird, one eye.
in the calm middle of a great current Flat water with a ring of rougher sea far off.
in the long swells far from any coast Rolling hills of water and one small ship.
in the wake of the fishing fleet It follows the scraps.
in warm blue water where flying fish jump Silver fish in the air and something large below them.
in water with no depth marked The sounding line runs out and keeps going.
under the blank part of the chart Draw the chart's empty corner, and a small drawn monster in it.
where two currents cross A seam on the water, one side dark and one light.
wherever the great seabirds gather Wide wings overhead mark the spot.

The deep 12

among smoking vents on the seabed Dark chimneys with cloudy water rising.
at the bottom of a hole in the seabed, round as a well A ring of pale sand and a blue so dark it is black.
beside a mountain that never reaches the surface A peak in the dark with fish round it like birds.
in a canyon under the sea Walls on both sides, going down.
in a garden of pale deep-sea coral White branches like winter trees.
in a trench the sounding line cannot reach Show the line going down and down off the page.
in the dark below where whales turn back A whale's tail heading up, and something staying down.
in water so deep it has never seen a net Nothing above but blue.
on a plain of pale mud at the bottom Flat, empty, and one long track across it.
round the hull of a ship that sank whole Masts still standing, far below.
under a ledge as wide as a town A dark slot with one light in it.
where the sunlight ends and the cold begins A band of blue above, black beneath.

Among ice 12

among the broken ice of spring Small floes turning, each with a bird on it.
below the breathing holes the seals keep A row of small holes and a large shadow passing beneath.
beneath an iceberg's blue underside Most of the berg is under the surface. So is the monster.
beneath the northern lights, near the surface Green light above and a green back below.
in a bay that thaws one month a year Draw the thaw: cracked ice and black water.
in a lane of open water between floes A dark road through the white.
in a pool the ice never closes, however hard the winter A round black eye in a white sea.
in the shadow of an ice shelf A cliff of white, and dark blue water at its foot.
in the steam of a hot spring on a cold coast Mist, snow and warm black water.
under a strait that has frozen right across Sledges cross overhead, unaware.
under the edge of the pack ice White above, green below, and a shape between.
where a glacier meets the sea A wall of ice with pieces falling off it.

Lakes and great rivers 12

above the rooftops of a drowned valley A spire just breaks the surface.
in a deep reservoir behind a dam A straight wall, still water, and a wake.
in a lake so long it has tides of its own Shore to one side, horizon to the other.
in a lake too deep to sound Steep wooded shores and water like black glass.
in a long cold lake between two mountains Steep slopes on both sides and one line of ripples down the middle.
in a marsh lake that is on no map Mist, dead trees and open water in the middle.
in a mountain lake with no bottom on any chart Snow peaks mirrored, and one ring of ripples.
in a river delta of a hundred channels Reeds, mud and too many ways to go.
in an inland sea ringed with reeds Flat, pale and wide.
in the widest reach of a slow brown river Low banks far apart, and a ripple in the middle.
under a waterfall at the head of a fjord White water falling into dark.
where a great river meets the sea Fresh and salt side by side. It likes both.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Every place is water wide and deep enough for a creature of any size on the page. No real sea, coast or lake is named. The notes are our own advice on setting the scene. Licence: own work

Temper: all 60 tempers

Harmless 15

collects moonlight on its back and does nothing else A pale shape under a full moon, perfectly still.
eats only weed A mouthful of green trailing from both sides.
follows ships for the galley scraps The cook at the rail with a bucket, and an open mouth below.

Show all 60 tempers (57 more)

Harmless, continued

follows the same ship for years, like a dog The ship has a bowl for it on the stern.
hides from every ship and is terrible at it A very large shape behind a very small rock.
keeps pace with swimmers out of curiosity One swimmer, one eye, side by side.
lets seabirds ride on it A row of gulls on its back, all facing forward.
nudges lost boats toward the shore A dinghy moving steadily with nobody rowing.
plays with empty barrels One barrel in the air and two bobbing.
rubs its back on ships' hulls to scratch The ship is tilted and the crew are holding on, resigned.
sings to passing ships and expects an answer The crew are leaning over the rail, trying a chorus.
sleeps at the surface and snores A low island that rises and falls, with a small spout at each breath.
suns itself and ignores everything Sprawled on a sandbar like a cat on a windowsill.
waves at lookouts Something raised out of the water, held politely.
yawns at storms Lightning, huge waves, and one enormous bored mouth.

Mischievous 15

blows bubbles under rowing boats The boat is rocking and the rower is not amused.
collects anchors A heap on the seabed, sorted by size.
follows ships making a noise like their own horn The crew keep checking the horn.
hides buoys A marker held under by something patient.
knocks on hulls and swims away Three bang marks and a quick ripple leaving.
rearranges marker buoys into patterns A star, a spiral or a face, seen from the masthead.
rings ships' bells at night A wet trail across the deck to the bell rope.
splashes anyone in a clean uniform One dry sailor, laughing, and one soaked officer.
steals hats that blow overboard and wears them A cap on something far too big for it.
steals oars, one at a time A boat going in circles.
swaps the catch between two boats' nets Two crews, each looking at the other's fish.
swims under small boats to lift them an inch Level in the water, no splash, and a puzzled crew.
ties knots in fishing lines A crew hauling up one very tidy bow.
untangles nets and tangles them again, better A net tied into the shape of a fish.
writes in the sand at low tide and denies it Huge looping marks on a beach and an innocent eye offshore.

Guarding 15

circles a single small island A ring of wake round a rock with one tree.
escorts ships out of its bay, firmly Alongside, a little too close, until open water.
guards a pearl bed it has no use for Open shells in rows, like a shop.
guards one wreck and ignores everything else Wrapped round a hull on the seabed, eyes on the door.
keeps a lost bell safe on the seabed It polishes it. The bell shines in the dark.
keeps a sunken garden weeded Rows of sea plants and a pile of pulled weed.
keeps other monsters out of the shipping lane Facing outward. Ships pass behind it.
lets no ship into one cove without a greeting A crew calling good morning from the bow.
lets nobody fish above its nest A circle of calm water with boats all round the outside.
looks after a colony of seals Seals asleep on its back.
patrols the same mile of coast each night A regular wake along the shore under the moon.
sits on a treasure and has forgotten why A heap of something bright, and a puzzled face on top.
turns ships back from a dangerous shoal Head up, blocking the way, rocks just behind it.
warns whales away from ships Between the two, facing the whales.
watches over a reef Coiled or settled among the coral, one eye up.

Trouble for ships 15

bites holes in nets and takes the catch A net with one perfectly round hole.
bites through anchor ropes A frayed rope end and a ship drifting gently off.
bumps hulls in the fog A thud mark, a tilted deck, white all round.
chases every ship out of its water A ship under full sail, looking back.
follows a ship until the crew can bear it no longer Day after day, the same shape astern.
holds a grudge against one ship and knows its name It lets every other vessel pass.
lashes the sea to foam when it is woken White water everywhere and a small boat backing away.
leads ships onto sandbars and watches A ship aground and upright, and a head just offshore.
makes whirlpools when it is cross A spiral in the sea and a boat rowing hard along its edge.
pulls the bungs out of rowing boats A rower baling with a hat.
roars loud enough to crack lamp glass Sound rings spreading, and one startled lamp.
snaps any oar that touches it Two halves of an oar and an apologetic rower.
spits seawater at anyone who whistles A jet, an arc and a very wet whistler.
tangles rudders in weed A great green knot at the stern.
throws back whatever is dropped overboard, hard An old boot coming over the rail at speed.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Storybook-mild: nobody is hurt in any entry, and each can be done by a monster of any size on the page. The notes are our own advice on the scene. Licence: own work

How it works

This sea monster generator writes one creature of the sea to draw. Press New sea monster for its kind, its size beside a boat or ship, one feature, the first sign a crew sees, where it lives and how it behaves.

Read the full guide

Scale and the waterline

Two parts do the work. The size is always a comparison with a vessel, so put that boat or ship in the picture. The first sign is what shows before the creature does: a row of humps, a patch of flat water, seabirds circling over nothing. Draw the surface and let most of the monster stay under it.

Real animals underneath

Many kinds borrow from a real animal, named in the entry: an anglerfish's light, a sawfish's nose, a leatherback turtle's ridged shell. For a deep sea monster generator, press until the home water is a trench or the dark below the whales, then light the scene from the creature itself.

Draw the waterline first, a third of the way down the page, and decide what crosses it.
Keep the ship simple and exact. A believable boat makes an unbelievable creature feel large.
The temper sets the mood: gulls riding on its back need calm water, a cross one needs spray.

Questions and answers

Can it make a kraken?

It can make a cousin of one. Several kinds are many-armed, and one has a parrot beak, as the giant squid does. No monster is named, and none from a film, game or modern book appears. Old sea lore is told only in the notes.

Are the animal facts true?

Yes. Where a note states a fact, it was checked in that animal's Wikipedia article: the colossal squid does have the largest eyes of any known animal, and a leatherback turtle does have seven ridges along its shell.

Is it too scary for children?

It is storybook-mild. The worst a monster does is bite through an anchor rope, spit seawater at whistlers or steal a hat. Nobody is hurt in any entry, and many of the creatures are shy or helpful.

Why is the size never a number?

Nobody has measured a sea monster, so a number would be invented. A size such as as long as three fishing boats tells you what to draw beside it, which a number cannot do.