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Art Thief: Draw a praying mantis

The first time you get a close look at a praying mantis, it may come as a surprise when it turns its head to look at you! This is the only insect in the world that can turn its head 180 degrees. Are you adventurous enough to draw this interesting insect?

Amy Raudenbush

See those big forearms that look like they are folded in prayer? The mantis can pose perfectly still like this until an unsuspecting insect walks or flies within reach. When this happens — zap —those arms quickly snatch it and the mantis is fed. Are you ready to draw this hungry mantis?

1. Look at the shapes that make up the praying mantis’ head, thorax and wing. Make sure you leave room for the legs and antennae.

2.  The big, round eyes are on the top corners of the head. At this time, we will draw the legs that are closest to us. Add the abdomen beneath the wing. Keep your pencil lines light.

3.  Now we thicken the legs and add the little spikes on the forearms. Divide the abdomen into segments.

4.  Sketch in the legs and arm that are on the other side of the insect. Don’t worry about detail, because we’re going to make them dark when we begin to ink in the sketch, This will make it clear that they are behind the other legs. Give your mantis something to stand on. This can be a branch, a leaf, or even your hand.

5.  Gently erase extra pencil lines before you ink in your drawing with a black felt-tip marker.

6.  Add color with markers, colored pencils, or watercolors.

Art Thieves are invited to send or email copies of their work to Amy Raudenbush, our professional artist. Phone pictures are fine. One drawing weekly will be selected for publication on Sept. 3, and the selected artists will receive a prize.  Be sure to include your name, age, mailing address and email or phone number.

Email to:
art@phillynews.com

Or mail to:
Amy Raudenbush
Philadelphia Daily News
801 Market St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107

Next week’s heist: We draw a mermaid.

Shoutouts to: Piper Riley, Linney May and the Usher children.

    Amy Raudenbush
    Dr. Timaree Schmit has a Ph.D. in Human Sexuality from Widener University, where she now trains future sexologists and clinicians. Her passion is bringing rational, empirically-based sex-positive information to the world, empowering others to celebrate their bodies, build intimacy and experience pleasure.