How to Draw a Cartoon Spider

Some researchers have said that no matter where you are on planet earth, you are never more than three feet away from a spider. These prolific arthropods live in buildings, in the forest, in the desert – some even hunt under water.

Spiders are distinguished from other invertebrates by several unique characteristics. Their bodies have two segments, the head and abdomen. All spiders have eight legs and digest their food using poison injected by their fangs. Most spiders are harmless to humans, but a few can cause injury or even death.

Spiders come in a wide range of colors. A variety of orb weaver spiders called writing spiders have yellow and black zebra stripes on their back. Lynx spiders are bright green, and Hawaiian happy face spiders are yellow with black, red, and white spots that make them look like living emoticons. Other spiders are brown, black, white, yellow, red, or a combination of colors.

Scroll down for a downloadable PDF of this tutorial.

Cartoon spiders are a part of our popular culture. They often play a minor role, such as the “Spi’ider” in Megamind (2010) or the singing spiders in Sing (2016). At times, however, spiders are cast in a starring role, such as in Charlotte’s Web (1973, 2006).

If you would like to draw your very own cartoon spider, all you will need is a pencil, a piece of paper, and this easy, step-by-step drawing tutorial.

If you liked this tutorial, see also the following drawing guides: Spiderman Logo, Spiderman, and Spider Web wih Spider.

Watch 'How to Draw a Cartoon Spider' Video Tutorial

Step-by-Step Instructions for Drawing a Spider

Begin by drawing an oval to form the spider’s head.

Draw a curved line above the oval, from one side to the other. This circular shape behind the oval will form the spider’s body.

Draw a set of long, parallel, curved lines extending from the point where the head and the body meet. Then, extend another set of parallel lines downward from the ends of the first lines. Connect the lines using a short, curved line. This forms the first leg.

Next, draw a second leg extending from behind the first. Draw two long, parallel lines, with another shorter set of parallel lines extending from the first at a downward angle. Connect the lines using a short, curved line.

Draw a third leg in a similar manner to the first two. This leg will pass behind the previous two legs.

Draw a fourth leg, again using the pattern of parallel lines. This leg will pass behind the previous legs.

Begin drawing legs on the opposite side. From the body, draw two sets of parallel lines, connected at an angle. Finish the leg by connecting the ends of the lines with a short, curved line.

Draw a second leg extending from the bend of the first, using parallel lines.

Draw a third leg passing behind the first two legs.

Draw a fourth leg passing behind the previous legs. Your spider now has eight legs. This is how you know it is a spider – all spiders have eight legs, while insects have only six.

Many spiders are hairy. Draw hairs on the body of the spider using short, curved lines of various lengths.

Draw a circle on one side of the spider’s face to form the first eye.

Draw a circle on the other side to form the second eye.

Draw an eyebrow above each eye using two short, curved lines, connected on each end in a sharp point.

Draw a smaller circle within the eye; draw an even smaller circle within the previous circle, and finally a tiny circle in the center. Shade between the middle circle and the tiny circle to form the pupil of the eye.

Repeat this process of drawing circles and shading within the other eye to form a mirror image.

Give the spider a mouth. Draw two curved lines, connected on each end, to form a smile. Draw and shade a tiny oval at each corner of the mouth. Draw a curved line across the mouth and shade above it to form the tongue.

Draw tiny hairs on the legs using short, curved lines.

Repeat this process of drawing hairs on the opposite side, forming a mirror image.

Color your spider. Will he be brown or black, yellow or green, with stripes or spots? Be creative, for how you color your spider is up to you.