Here’s how to draw and paint a caterpillar with a guaranteed squishy look. Start with the spine, add lines for sections, and have fun connecting them.

Painting of a Caterpillar

I saw this idea for drawing a caterpillar in a book years ago, and wish I could credit the genius who thought it up. It’s a great way to make a pretty realistic looking insect.

Just be sure to draw lightly so that the spine line can easily be erased. Everyone will wonder how you made those cool shapes!

Materials

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you click and take action, I will be compensated a small amount at no expense to you.

Watercolor Paper.
Real watercolor paper always makes the watercolor paint much more vibrant.

Pencil.
The Ticonderoga brand are the most reliable, make nice dark lines when you need them, and are the easiest to erase.

Eraser.
Large erasers you can hold in your hand do a much better job than just the pencil tip erasers, especially when erasing leftover pencil lines after tracing.

Crayola Crayons.
This classic brand always works well.

Rounded Watercolor Brush.
A good paint brush can make all the difference in the world. Who can paint small details with one of those big floppy brushes? This style with a sturdy rounded tip were my hands down favorite.

Liquid Watercolor Paint.
These paints are so easy to work with, leave such bright colors and last for a long, long time. Well worth the investment.

Non-Spill Paint Cup.
Train your students to leave the matching brush in each cup after they use it, and you have an easy system with very little cleanup.