PDF download Download Article PDF download Download Article

Fall and cooler weather means uninvited visitors getting indoors from outside. In October, we begin to think of orange and black because Halloween is approaching. A common spider web becomes something that makes your skin crawl. At Halloween, creepy spiders grow to ugly proportions and take center stage in the eerie celebrations. Remember, this is a painting and you can change or add anything you want. Be creative!

Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

Practicing

PDF download Download Article
  1. Fill a page with various ones. The more "terrible" or terrifying, the better! Search up cartoon spiders for ideas and draw them using a thick-tip black marker.
    • Head: A black circle, filled in can be a spider's head.
    • Body: Attach an elongated oval with a marker for a simple body.
    • ' Legs: They can be curved lines, arched lines, or fine lines (using a fine-line black marker).
    • Sketch the same number of legs on each side of the spider's body.
    Advertisement
  2.  Use a pencil to lightly sketch webs, then go over the lines with the black marker.
    • Many webs begin with a center dot.
    • Draw lines coming off the center.
    • To form the web, draw out from the central dot, making larger and larger circles.
    • For a corner web, draw the center dot at the paper's edge and draw lines coming off it.
    • Cross the lines with squiggly or straight lines to form the web.
  3. Advertisement
Part 2
Part 2 of 2:

Painting

PDF download Download Article
  1. 1
    Gather and set up the required supplies. Put down paper or plastic over your workspace. Fill a container with water.
  2. With the pencil, draw a dot on your paper. Draw lines coming off the center dot. Do as many as you wish, but at least 10.
  3. 3
    Draw circles lightly in pencil surrounding the center dot.  Sketch as many as you like, but at least 6. More is even better.
  4. Press down hard as you work. Get a lot of the wax on all the lines.
  5. 5
    Draw spiders on the web. If you're hesitant, draw them in pencil first. Then, go over the lines with a black marker.
  6. If you are using tube watercolors, squeeze out dark colors such as purple, blue, and green. You can always squeeze out more pigment if you need it, as you work.
  7. In the mixing area of the palette, dilute it with water.  Use at least 3 times the amount of water as paint. Paint a practice stroke on scrap paper. It should be rich enough for the color to show up, but not heavy like poster paint.
    • This technique is called Crayon Resist . This means that the wax crayons will protect the paper and resist the paint. It's proof that oil and water do not mix. [1]
  8. 8
    Dilute a reasonably sized puddle of paint with water.  Partially paint the page with this first color.
    • Repeat the same process of diluting another color (like blue, green, or black) on your palette. Test on a scrap to be sure it isn't too thick.
    • Paint different colors on your paper.
    • Enjoy watching the paint be repelled by the white crayon.
  9. If you wish, add stripes of brown on all sides to represent the molding or trim on a window.
  10. 10
    Add more spiders if you wish to fill the space.
  11. Afterward, if it needs to be brighter, layer on more colorful paint in the appropriate places. Remember to keep the watercolor paint well mixed with water.
    • Try layering one color over another. For example, try green washed on over blue.  Use any combinations of colors you wish.
    • You can use a hairdryer to dry layers as you go.
  12. 12
    Add more webbing with a fine-tipped marker for more defined lines.
  13. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
      Advertisement

      Tips

      • Watercolor paint dries about a third lighter than it looks when wet. If you want deeper colors, do the layering technique above. Or, try some of the iridescent or glitter water-based paints.
      • If the white lines aren't as clear and bright as you would like, after the work is completely dry, go back over the lines of the web with the white crayon again. Alternatively, you can use a white marker.
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      Warnings

      • While putting one color over another, be careful to let the piece dry each time before adding more color. This will avoid muddy colors.
      Advertisement

      Things You'll Need

      • Sheet of heavy white paper (such as watercolor paper)
      • Black thick-tipped markers
      • Black fine-tipped markers
      • Watercolor paints
      • Pointed, all-purpose art brush
      • Pencil
      • Ordinary school crayons
      • Paper/Plastic
      • Container
      • Water
      • Hairdryer (optional)

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 28 times.

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement