How to Draw a Stag Beetle (Easy Step by Step)
A stag beetle looks fierce, but it is built from friendly shapes: a rounded bump for the head, a big oval for the body, and two curved horns like crescent moons. Once you have those, the skinny legs and tiny claws are just a few straight lines each. It is a great drawing for kids who love bugs.
- Medium
- 15 minutes
- 9 steps
You need: paper, a pencil, an eraser, and crayons or markers for coloring.
Start drawing
In this article (7 sections)
How to draw a stag beetle step by step
How to Draw a Stag Beetle · tinyhandscreate.com
Step 1: Guide shapes
Lightly sketch this oval. It only shows where the big parts go, so press softly. You will erase it at the end.
Step 2: The head
Draw a rounded arch like a little hill or mushroom cap. Its two sides curve down and stop, and the bottom is left open.
Step 3: The round body
Below the head, draw a big oval that is a little taller than it is wide. Start with a gently wavy line across the top, where the head's open sides end, then curve the sides down to a round bottom.
Step 4: The big horns
On each side of the head, draw a curved horn like a crescent moon. Start each one at the head and sweep it up and out to a pointy tip. Make the two horns match.
Step 5: The eyes
Draw two small eyes on the head, one on each side of the middle. Make one a tiny circle and the other a solid round dot.
Step 6: The wing line
Just under the head, draw a small upside-down triangle. From its point, draw a straight line down the middle of the body, stopping near the bottom.
Step 7: Front arms
From each side of the head, draw a bent leg that goes out and up, like a beetle waving hello. Draw two lines for each leg, with a bend in the middle, and add a little forked claw at the tip.
Step 8: Middle legs
On each side of the body, draw a short leg that slants down and out, made from two lines that join at a bend. Finish each with a little forked foot.
Step 9: Back legs
Near the bottom of the body, draw a long leg on each side that points down, made of two straight lines. Add a small forked foot at the end of each one.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your stag beetle? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a fox or how to draw a hedgehog next.
Tips for drawing a stag beetle
- Keep the two horns matching: start both at the head and curve them outward and up, like the letter C and its mirror image.
- The wavy line between the head and body is the trickiest part. Draw the head first, then let the body line start where the sides of the head end.
- Each leg is two lines that meet at a bend. Add a tiny fork at the end for the foot and you are done.
Free stag beetle coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this stag beetle coloring page at full size and print it. It is the same drawing you just learned, with clean lines ready for crayons or markers.
How to color your stag beetle drawing
Try deep browns and reddish chestnut for the body and horns, with a shiny black head. For a creative twist, make your beetle glow like it is shining in a moonlit forest.
Stag beetle fun fact for kids
Stag beetles get their name from the big jaws on the males, which look like the antlers of a stag (a male deer). Young stag beetles, called larvae, live in rotting wood and can take several years to grow up.
Questions about drawing a stag beetle
What shapes do I need to draw a stag beetle?
You need a rounded bump for the head, a big oval for the body, and two crescent shapes for the horns. The legs are bent lines with little forked feet.
How do I make my stag beetle look cuter?
Make the eyes a little bigger. Making the horns a little shorter and rounder also makes it look friendlier.
How do I draw the legs so they look the same on both sides?
Draw one leg on the left, then copy its angle and length on the right. It helps to compare where each foot ends, so they line up like a mirror.
