how to draw a tarantula

Learn how to draw a tarantula that feels creepy and cute using this fun step-by-step drawing lesson. I will show you how to use basic shapes to draw this cool creature and how to add fun digital effects quickly and easily. Indeed, just by adding some gradient fills and a few textures, you can end up with a lovely 2D illustration filled with depth and volume. Our goal is not to create a 3D image using 2D tools, but simply to make this cartoon animal a little more realistic (and therefore convincing). Ready? Let's proceed with the first step of this drawing tutorial now ...

drawing a simple template

First, we need to sketch a few basic shapes and lines to position the character in our workspace. In this step, it's also a good idea to make sure all proportions are accurate. For this cartoon tarantula, all we need to do is draw a nice circle and an oval shape to form the body. All legs are done using basic lines.

adding short lines to form the creature

Now that we have a few shapes to help us, all we need to do is draw the body using long curved lines. All eight legs are made from short pointed lines. Both arms in front (called pedipalps) are also made from short lines, Two small triangles are used to form the short jaws. Great! You can now erase all basic lines and shapes created earlier. We don't need them anymore.

adding details and textures

In this step, you can draw short hair on all legs displayed below. Small patterns are also added inside each leg (this pattern consists of a small line for now). Finally, a larger patch is created on the upper part of the body. Good work! Now that the cartoon tarantula is drawn, it's time to add some colors and digital effects to complete this lesson.

Adding plain colors

Inside the tarantula, you can add basic colors like brown and orange. Patterns on the legs are colored in orange while the rest of the legs are brown. The current version of this creature is pretty cool, but we can improve this illustration even more. Let's see how.

adding gradient colors

The first thing we can do to improve this image is to add gradient fills. Basically, the goal is to add a second color inside each shape to create more depth, more volume. It's pretty simple to realize using a vector software, but it can also be done using pencils or paint.

For instances, notice how the patch inside the character seems brighter on top and darker on the bottom. It's the same technique used for all parts of the body. This cartoon tarantula already feels visually more exciting.

creating simple highlights for a more realistic result

Learning how to draw a tarantula that looks appealing also means working with shadows and highlights. In this case, you can draw a few basic shapes on the body to form reflections (or areas that are brighter). All these new shapes are colored in white and are partially transparent.

adding two simple shadows

The final step of this lesson consists of adding two large shadows on the body of the cartoon creature. Once again, these new shapes must be partially transparent. However, instead of being white, they must be colored in black.

now you know how to draw a tarantula that looks nice

Below you can see the final result once all digital effects are added. I hope you had fun learning how to draw a tarantula like this one and don't hesitate to try other tutorials from this site featuring cute spiders. You can try a cute side version, one made from oval shapes, one featuring a simple video to help you out or one last version that is more detailed and filled with useful tips.

You can also look at all steps below and try to draw this cartoon creature again using different patterns and colors. As long as you are drawing and having fun, then learning how to draw should become easier and more efficient. Have fun drawing and feel free to try more tutorials from the same series here. :)