How to Draw a Centipede (Easy Step by Step)
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A centipede is a great first bug to draw because it is just a chain of circles with a friendly face on the end. You will draw one big circle for the head, a row of smaller circles for the body, and short lines for the legs and antennae. Once you can draw circles that touch and overlap, you can make a centipede as long as you like.
- Easy
- 10 minutes
- 5 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 centipede step by step
How to Draw a Centipede · 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 round head
Draw a big circle on the right side of your paper, but leave a small gap at the top. This is the centipede's head, so leave room above it and to the left for the body.
Step 3: First body curve
To the upper left of the head, draw a small curved line shaped like the letter C. It is the left edge of the first body circle, and it does not touch the head yet.
Step 4: Body, legs and face
Draw a chain of circles that overlap, starting by the head and curving down and to the right. Add short lines for legs and two curved antennae at the top of the head. Finish the face with two dot eyes and a little smile.
Step 5: The tail tip
At the bottom of the chain, draw a small U-shaped curve to close off the last body circle. Add a short line next to it for the last leg.
All done!
Erase the guide shapes, go over your lines, then color it in.
Finished your centipede? Keep the pencils out and learn how to draw a fox or how to draw a hedgehog next.
Tips for drawing a centipede
- Draw the body circles one at a time and let each one overlap the one before it a little. Overlapping makes the chain look connected.
- The curve is the trickiest part. Lightly sketch the path of the body first, then place your circles along it.
- Draw the legs as short lines pointing out from the edge of each circle. Lines of different lengths look lively.
Free centipede coloring page
Want to go straight to coloring? Open this centipede 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 centipede drawing
Try bright greens and yellows for the body and a warm orange for the head. For a creative twist, color every body circle a different shade to make a rainbow centipede.
Centipede fun fact for kids
Centipedes never have exactly 100 legs, even though the name means "hundred feet." They always have an odd number of leg pairs, so the total is never 100. Depending on the kind, they have from about 30 legs to more than 300.
Questions about drawing a centipede
What shapes do I need to draw a centipede?
You only need circles and short lines. Use one large circle for the head, a chain of smaller circles for the body, and little lines for the legs and antennae.
How do I make my centipede look cuter?
Give it a big round head with two dot eyes and a small curved smile. Two curved antennae on top of the head help too.
How many legs should I draw?
Draw as many as you like. One or two short legs on each body circle is plenty, and a few extra will make your centipede look busy.
