How to Draw a Crab Step by Step - 12 Easy Steps!

In this fun and easy crab drawing tutorial, you’ll learn how to draw a crab step by step.

This crab drawing easy tutorial is great for beginner artists (both kids and adults) who want to improve their drawing skills.

Drawing crabs can be a great way to express creativity in your artwork. With a few curved lines and a bit of imagination, you can create a realistic-looking crab.

And who does not love crabs? I am a huge fan of sea creature drawings, and the crab is one of my favorites.

Fun Facts: Did you know that crabs belong to the crustacean family, which includes lobsters, shrimp, and crayfish?

What You’ll Need

You’ll need the following materials to create your crab drawing:

• A piece of paper
• A pencil
• An eraser

How to Draw a Crab Step by Step

Follow our step-by-step tutorial covering how to draw crab.

We’ve included all the steps in detail so that the process is easier to follow.

So, let’s get started!

The collage above shows each step of the process so you know what your crab drawing should look like at each stage. 

Instructions on How to Draw a Crab Easy Way

Tip: Make sure you don’t press too hard on the paper when you draw your pencil lines so that you can correct your mistakes with an eraser as you go through the tutorial.

How to Create a Crab Sketch

Step 1: Create the Shape of Crab’s Body

Start drawing a medium oval shape using a light pencil stroke.

Step 2: Outline the Body

Outline the crab’s body with your darker pencil stroke to add more definition and detail.

Step 3: Draw the First Back Swimming Leg

Draw two short curved lines at the bottom of the oval. Ensure they are bent in the middle and pointed at both ends.

Step 4: Draw the Second Back Swimming Leg

Repeat the process on the opposite side.

Step 5: Draw the Front Swimming Legs

Draw two long curved lines on either side of the top of the oval.

Step 6: Add Two Claws to the Front Swimming Legs

A. Draw two large oval shapes on top of the lines you drew in Step 5.

B. Add two small lines in the middle of each oval to form the claws.

Step 7: Draw Three Walking Legs on the Right Side

Draw six curved lines on the right side to create the walking legs of the crab.

Step 8: Draw Three Walking Legs on the Left Side

Repeat Step 7 on the opposite side.

Go over each leg with your darker pencil stroke and create segments by adding three horizontal small lines inside each leg. Next, draw an extra small line at the end of the walking legs and back swimming legs in each line segment to indicate the joints where the legs meet.

Step 10: Draw the Eyes

Draw four small lines outside the head and add a small circle on top of each two lines to form the eyes.

Step 11: Draw the Antennas

Draw two short curved lines coming out of the head next to each eye to create the antennas.

Step 12: Add Shading

Next, using a criss-cross hatching technique, shade the crab. Then use your fingers to smudge those lines and bring your crab drawing to life. Finally, add several dots and lines to finish the look.

Congratulations!

You have just finished a crab easy drawing.

Don’t worry if your crab drawing isn’t perfect the first time, the more you practice the better you will get!

Bonus Tips on How to Improve Your Crab Drawing Skills Even Better:

• Use reference photos and royalty-free images for inspiration when you draw.
• Consider adding details such as bumps, spots, and stripes for a more realistic-looking crab drawing.
• Experiment with different colors such as dark blue, black, and even bright red color for the body and legs. Add a sandy background or bubbles to give your crab drawing more depth.
• Drawing crabs can be an enjoyable activity that can help you develop your creative skills and have fun in the process.

We hope you had fun and that our tutorial helped you learn something new today.

Try out your newly learned skills on different sea creatures like a seahorse or an octopus and have fun practicing until you master the art of drawing!

Looking for more similar drawing tutorials? Search our list of 101+ Drawing Ideas!

Happy drawing!