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How to Draw a Giant Water Bug

12 steps · Medium · about 9 min

Draw a giant water bug in 12 easy steps, about 9 minutes. Free, with a printable worksheet.

Each picture adds one red line. Draw that line, then scroll to the next picture. Rub out any dashed helper lines at the end. First up: the head.

Step 1: The head
A little above the middle draw an egg lying on its side for the head. Leave lots of room below.
Tip A water bug's head is small: the big flat body is the star.
Step 2: 2 big eyes
Across the middle of the head draw 2 big egg eyes, one eye apart, with big black dots.
Step 3: Smile and cheeks
Start under the left eye. Draw a flat line across, then a wide U back to the start. Add cheeks.
Step 4: A wide flat body
Start on the chin, left side. Draw a WIDE flat body down to a point, back up to the right.
Tip A giant water bug is flat and wide like a leaf.
Step 5: Shell lines
Start under the chin. Draw a line down to the point, a smile line across and a triangle on top.
Tip The middle line and triangle are the folded wings meeting.
Step 6: Grabbing front arms
From each shoulder draw a fat arm up to a round elbow, then fold it back in to a hook.
Tip The front arms fold like a mantis's arms, ready to grab.
Step 7: Oar legs
Lower down on each side draw 2 long legs, each bending at a knee and ending in a flat paddle.
Tip Keep the paddles well inside the paper.
Step 8: Breathing tubes
At the tail point draw 2 short thin breathing tubes poking out, side by side.
Step 9: Water and bubbles
Across the top draw a wavy water line from edge to edge, above the head. Add 3 bubbles rising.
Tip The bug hangs UNDER the water.
Step 10: Pale blue pond
Colour the water under the wavy line pale blue, all around the bug. Leave the bubbles white.
Step 11: Wood head and legs
Colour the head, arms, legs and tubes wood brown, leaving the eyes white. Colour the cheeks pink.
Step 12: Brown body, red mouth
Colour the whole flat body brown, and colour the open mouth red. Your giant water bug is done!