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How to Draw a Horseshoe Crab
Draw a horseshoe crab in 10 easy steps, about 8 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: horseshoe shell.
Step 1: Horseshoe shell
Near the top, draw a wide round shell with 2 points at the back and a wide notch between them.
Tip Like a horseshoe: round at the front, open at the back.
Step 2: Two big eyes
On the shell, draw 2 big egg eyes side by side. Colour a black dot in each, leaving a shine.
Step 3: A big smile
Start under the left eye. Draw a wide U smile across, stopping under the right eye.
Step 4: Two cheeks
At each end of the smile, draw a small oval cheek.
Step 5: Two ridges
On each side of the face, start on the top edge. Draw a long curve down to the notch's corner.
Tip Stay well away from the eyes.
Step 6: Back plate
In the notch, draw a smaller plate, narrower at the bottom, with 2 short soft spines on each side.
Tip Its top tucks under the shell.
Step 7: Long tail
From the middle of the plate's bottom, draw one long thin spike straight down, ending in a point.
Tip A horseshoe crab uses its stiff tail to flip itself over, never to sting.
Step 8: Pink cheeks
Colour the 2 cheeks pink.
Step 9: Sandy sea floor
Colour the sea floor sandy all around the crab, right to the edges of your paper.
Step 10: Brown crab
Colour the shell, back plate and tail brown, around the pink cheeks. Leave the eyes white.
Your finished drawing
Follow the steps above and this is where you end up: a horseshoe crab, drawn by you.
Every step in one picture
