Summer is the perfect time to break out the watercolor paints and learn a new skill. Have a few friends over for a watercolor party or take your paints outside and soak in the sun while painting crabs that remind you of hanging out at the beach. I love this watercolor crab because it's constructed of simple shapes, and if you can paint inside the lines then your crab will look amazing. Keep reading for the tutorial.
Step 1. Start by measuring out the exact center of the page. Have one centered vertical line and one centered horizontal line that meet in the middle of the page. Outline the basic shape of the crab and add the claws, using the lines you drew to space out the crab and make it symmetrical.
Step 2. Start drawing the legs of the crab on the left side. I drew a single line showing the general shape of the legs, and then I added the oval like sections of the legs. To ensure that my sketch was symmetrical, I measured key points to see the distance from the point to the center line. Then i added dots in the same location just on the other side, then connected the dots to get the motion of the leg.
Step 3. Since you already have the line showing the general shape of the legs, just add the oval sections to finish the legs on the right side. Erase the cross lines, and make sure all your pencil marks are light enough that they will be covered with the paint.
Step 4. Add watercolor paint to the body of the crab. I started with a light wash of red-orange over the entire surface. Then I added red along the outline and towards the bottom. Next came a brighter orange in the top middle, and a purple-red along the bottom corner. When applying the paint make sure to blend the colors together, and don't use too much water so that the color is more pigmented and saturated. I added several layers of paint to ensure I got the colors I wanted.
Step 5. Next, paint the legs of the crab. I used the same colors and technique that I painted the body with. Wash of orange, outline of red, center of light orange, shadows with purple.
Step 6. If you notice any spots where the color is a little pale, go over it again with another layer of paint. When the entire painting has dried, add white highlights and spots in the lighter spots and a few black spots around the shadows.
While you have your paints out, be sure to check out my watercolor geode and autumn leaf tutorials!
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