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Crab Tutorial - intermediate (Patreon)

Published:
2021-09-28 00:26:43
Imported:
2026-10
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Hi everyone,

Here is the crab tutorial.

I used a complimentary colour scheme for this little fellow. I used three colours and a little bit of Lamp Black on the eyes.

This isn't all that difficult to paint but, like all my tutorials, patience is required. Take your time and enjoy the process. I've included plenty of progress photos to help you.

All of the files you need to complete the painting are attached below.

The reference photo was taken by Felipe Portella and I downloaded it from Unsplash website. Here is the link if you'd like to download it yourself: https://unsplash.com/photos/NxxycCKR3vw  I've also put the link on the Supplies List.

I hope you enjoy the tutorial.

Louise

💜

PS: A little wren tutorial that I was going to post this month will be posted next month.

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Tutorial Index Links to bookmark:

Website index with linked images: http://www.louisedemasi.com/new-index

Clickable Word index: https://www.patreon.com/posts/34865676

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Copyright Information:

My tutorials are designed to help you on your creative journey. Any painting you create from a tutorial where I use my own reference photo is for personal use only. They can't be sold or entered into an art competition. I write on the Supplies Lists where the photos come from. Permission is not given to paint any of my earlier paintings that are not tutorials because some of them are licensed. Also, a few of my earlier paintings were painted from photographs where I sought the permission of the photographer. The photographer gave me permission to use it, not others.

If I do a tutorial where I use another photographer's photo (eg from Pixabay or Unsplash) that is available for anyone throughout the world to download (copyright free) and use I’m happy for you to sell the paintings you create from the tutorial.

If I do a tutorial and I use a photo that I have paid for and downloaded from the website Wildlife Reference Photos in order for you to sell the painting you create from the tutorial you need to purchase and download the photograph yourself. This is in accordance with the Terms and Services of the Wildlife Reference Photo website.

If you share a finished painting on social media I would really appreciate it if you could link back to my account (be it on Facebook, YouTube or Instagram) and mention that you painted it in one of my tutorials. @louisedemasi

Thank you!

Files

Crab for Patreon

Louise De Masi ©

Comments

Gwen Cox

This is one of my favorites! I just love the results. Thanks Louise.

Michelle Gibson

I absolutely LOVE this one. Your first tutorial that I have followed and I am very impressed with my results.

Gail giles

I cannot get into the patreon index. It will not accept my password. When I use the reset my password link, l never get an email to reset. Can you help. I got here by accident

Louise De Masi

I sent you an email Gail with help. I used the email you joined Patreon with.

Anne Watman

Right off the bat I got my yellow way too dark. I’m using Azo Nickel Gold from one of those Daniel Smith watercolor sticks, and I was worried I wouldn’t have enough pigment. I also had way too much water/paint on my size 8 Silver Black Velvet brush (which I love!). I was feeling way too confident! But, once again, I learned a couple of things, and I’m going to keep going, and see if it looks better when I’m finished. I can always do it again. It’s a really fun tutorial!

Anne Watman

I’m really doing well! Even though I got my colors too dark, I’m getting so much better at controlling my paint! Today I got a set of da Vinci Maestro brushes (series 35), and they made a big difference. One of the things that constantly baffled me was wetting my paper and then adding a darker color (for instance) to get shading along one side of the leg or anywhere. Mine always ended up spreading out to far. Today I finally realized that my mixture of paint was really wet! So I took most of the water out of my brush and just dipped the tip in. It wasn’t perfect because what I really need is to start with a thicker mixture, but I was able to have a lot more control! My crab doesn’t look exactly like the tutorial, but it still looks good, and I’m solving problems as I go. Thank you, Louise!

Patty L. Bingaman

I just did the crab today and had a wonderful time creating it. I had ordered the same brushes that you use, and they came today just as I was sitting down to work on it., Oh my goodness I could not believe the difference those brushes made and promptly threw a slew of old one away, and then others I am going to sell. I am sticking with the daVinci

Louise De Masi

That's wonderful to hear Anne! It sounds like you're making great progress in your painting journey. It's fantastic that you're able to solve problems along the way and adapt the process to your own style.

Louise De Masi

Fabulous Patty! You aren't the first person to tell me that. Somebody else said, after she tried them, 'No wonder you make it look so easy Louise!' 😂

Patty L. Bingaman

Oh these brushes are wonderful. I wish I had not waited so long to get them

Anne Watman

I’m so glad you like them, Patty!!! Yay!

Kate

This little crabby tested me! While I agree that it isn't at all difficult to paint, I found it difficult to create a painting, that comes together and doesn't stay separated in pieces. It does take a while and requires patience. I simply adore the colours Louise chose and how she sinplified the crab. It looks fantastic, once you braved the storm. Thanks a lot, Louise! I will forever be in awe about your process!

Janet

Do you think you get similar results with the synthetic DaVinci brushes Louise?

Janet

This was a lot harder than I thought it would be. I really enjoyed it and learned so much, like I always do when I follow your tutorials. But I struggle with how to simplify, what details to leave out, and how to take “artistic license” when straying away from the reference photo. I suppose this takes a lifetime to learn though.😊. I would appreciate any advice relating to that, but will continue to learn and practice through your tutorials.

Louise De Masi

I'm glad you learned a lot Janet- that's great. It does take time and a lot of practice. Be patient with yourself.

Louise De Masi

I'm trying out the Da Vinci Colineo brushes at the moment Janet. They are synthetic. I'm trying to move away from sable brushes. It's not easy to switch from sable to synthetic but I'll persevere and yes, I get similar results when I use them.

Janet

Good to know about the Colineo brushes. I will order one to try. And thanks for the encouragement to have patience. How did you know I needed more? 🤣

Bobba

Thank you for this tutorial Louise. I found it challenging but like your other tutorials I alway learn a great deal. I especially appreciate your stream of concious narrative as you work through the steps.

Bobba

And thanks to Dom for his help getting my access problem sorted so promptly. Much appreciated.

msullivan

Hi Louise. I am struggling with these violet bleeds. I think i don't have the right consistency of the violet and maybe the yellow is too wet. But it seems like it looks ok (spreading with the spider arms) but when I look again after a couple minutes it's lost that and just bled out to a blotchy wash. What is the secret to getting these softly defined blooms?

Louise De Masi

Hi M, This is almost always about timing and moisture balance, not doing anything wrong. Working wet on wet is unpredictable by nature. Even if I painted the crab again, I’d get different bleeds. Part of it is learning when to stop and accepting what the water gives you rather than trying to control it completely. If it looks right for a moment and then softens, that’s often exactly what watercolour does and it usually looks better once everything else is built up around it. Do some practice wet on wet bleeds on scrap paper or in your journal and try waiting a minute or two after you have wet the paper before applying the paint. If the paint spreads into a blotch then the paper may be too wet. If the paint doesn't travel much then the paper may not be wet enough and the paint is probably too thick. Experiment.

Elizabeth Wolfram

what can I sub for the yellow? would lemon yellow or cadmium yellow hue work? (Winsor and Newton)

Louise De Masi

Hi Elizabeth, Cadmium Yellow Hue would be the closest of those two options because it’s a warm yellow like Indian Yellow. Lemon Yellow is a much cooler yellow with a slight green bias. Thanks!

Cereal Puff

This is absolutely cute, very refreshing color choices!

Sharon Rose

I was eagerly waiting for this one 😍

Nat Ford

I’m curious, why don’t the yellow mixture and violet mixture make brown or grey when they blend on the paper?

Nat Ford

Actually it does look brown at 46:30. Perhaps because it is the transparent yellow blended with the purple mix.

Louise De Masi

If you mix equal or almost equal quantities together you will get a neutral grey or brown colour. If you mix more of one into the other you get all those beautiful semi neutral colours. A little bit of yellow into violet still makes a violet but it's not as intense it was. A little bit of violet into yellow still makes a yellow but not as intense as it was.

Vee

Thank you Louise, this is a cute and fun little fellow. Just love the colours you used. I will enjoy painting him - or it might be a 'her'! 😁

Julie Davies

I’m so pleased to have joined your Patreon site Louise, this one is going to be a challenge that I hope to meet at a later date.

Louise De Masi

Thank you Julie. I hope you enjoy it when you paint it. I've just finished a fairly simple seahorse that I'll make a tutorial of for beginners.

Nancy Guenther

This took a lot longer than I thought it would but it was so much fun and I learned a lot. Thank you, Louise, as always, for a wonderful tutorial. I love my little crab and wish I were at the ocean watching them skittering about.

Lynda Decker

Louise. I am totally enjoying the Patreon Site and your your tutorials. I am about to start working on the crab but am having a hard time finding transparent Yellow. This is the second tutorial that you used it in so I am wondering if you can make a recommendation for a substitute yellow that will work just as well. Thank you.

Louise De Masi

Hi Lynda, Transparent Yellow pigment code is PY150 - New Gamboge pigment code is PY150 and PR209. You could try that or use a yellow that you do have. Mix a little Violet into the yellows you do have and see if you like the colours you can make. Experiment with the yellows you have.

Lynda Decker

Thank you so much Louise. I will play around. I am sure I have something that will work. I wish I had access to more colors and good quality brushes and paper locally. Im addicted to watercolors now and want them all LOL. I am having so much fun. Thank you for all the time you put into teaching us beginners. I appreciate you.

Sophia Neumeister

Hi Louise! I have a question regarding the drawing of shadows over the back legs. In your Goose Tutorial I remember you saying that painting a shadow over the back leg will make in receeed and move into the background. Here you‘re saying it‘s the other way around and I‘m just a bit irritated as to what the best way of bringing something forward/making it receded is? Thanks, Sophia

Louise De Masi

Hi Sophia, I try to make objects recede in two different ways. 1. by making them cooler like I did with the goose leg or 2. by making them paler like I did here on the crab. Cool colours tend to recede and warm colours tend to advance. The goose has orange legs (warm). He also has a large cool shadow beneath him. The back leg was in the shadow so I washed a cool colour over it to push it further back. I could have instead made the shadow beneath him much lighter and smaller and I could have painted the back leg quite pale instead. Fading the legs away on the crab also pushes those legs away further - the same way you would paint distant mountains on a landscape. Fading the colour away also tells the eye to look at the darker parts of the painting. The darker parts are the important parts. Every painting is different.

Barb Couilliard

Hi Louise, how come the progress photos are on a dark grey background? I like to print them off so I can reference them during painting, but printing them on the printer they aren't as clear because of the gray background. Plus it takes alot of extra ink!

Louise De Masi

Hi Barb, they are photos not scans which is why they have the darker background. The final painting is always a scan that I do of my painting once I take it off my board. Once I scan it I clean the background in Photoshop. I can't scan the painting while I'm painting it because it doesn't fit on my scanner. I have to take photos instead which is what I give you.

rakhi saha

Hi Louise Do you trace these drawings or draw them ? what Method you are using for transferring your drawings on paper ? I am spending lot of time in copying, and when I transfer on Big size Paper more challenges.

Diana Musso

As Nancy stated , this did take me a long time to finish. I always want to give up in the middle of a tutorial because my painting looks like it needs lots of help LOL , but then I tell myself ' come on Louise will get you through it' LOL! and of course she does. Patience !! and of course as it comes together I really start to enjoy the process. I am so so happy with the way it came out . I am going to hang it with the two seashells.

Louise De Masi

I'm glad it worked out for you Diana. I have wanted to abandon a heap of paintings but it's usually worth pushing through.