Step 20: Use the line on the rightmost side as guides to draw the third and final pair of legs. Draw these legs the same way as the first. Use segments to make up the shape of the leg and use the path of the initial lines as guides. A big part of the last leg is hiding behind the abdomen, so only draw the small visible portion of it.

Step 21: Use the initial shapes and lines as guides to draw the wasp's thorax. Darken the lines to create the shape and add the small segment on the right that connects the thorax to the abdomen called the petiole.

Step 22: Follow the basic path of the guides on the right and darken the lines to create the abdomen. Draw a pointed spike at the tip of the abdomen for the sting. You can also make the sting longer if you'd like.

Step 23 (optional): For a cleaner look, erase as much as you can of the initial guide lines. Don't worry about erasing all of the guides. It's okay to leave some behind. Continue erasing as much as you can of the initial guides, and re-draw any final sketch lines that you may have accidentally erased.

Final Step (optional): Wasps have bright colors, so instead of the usual pencil shading, try coloring your drawing. Using gray, add some shadows to give the drawing more dimension and volume. Shadows are generally at the cool end of the color spectrum, so add some blue or purple in the shaded area too. Start coloring the black sections of the body. Color in the shape of the eye first. Apply the color lightly at first and build up to the level of darkness that you want. Leave a thin section unshaded to represent shine. Now add the black section on the head. Most of the head is yellow, so the black portion is small. The black areas are mainly located on the outer sides of the head. The coloring also greatly depends on the type of wasp you're drawing.

Add the black to the thorax portion of the body as well. Some sections in the thorax are yellow. Outline these sections first before you start coloring so that you don't accidentally color them black. The yellow sections in the thorax differ between wasp species, so it's a good idea to use reference as you draw to get the coloring right. Add the black to the most of the thorax but be careful not to color over the outlines you created or over the wings. Now add the black portion and stripes to the abdomen. Make sure the black doesn't spill over to the legs as you color. Try to stay within the lines. The stripes aren't perfect bands on the abdomen. They're pretty irregular, so make them a bit splotchy as you add them. It's a good idea to first outline the interlocking sections of the exoskeleton in the abdomen. Pause the video to help you get the lines and the wasp's sting in its sheath correctly.

Add the blotchy stripes at the bottom of the abdomen too. A small section at the top of each stripe should be lighter to represent shine. Add black to the legs as well. Only the top portion of the legs is black, so don't color all the way down. Be careful to not add the black to the other sections. This process can be quite time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Finally add the yellow to the wasp's body! Start with a darker shade like yellow-orange or even brown at the bottom of the abdomen. Add on lighter shades of yellow as you go up higher on the abdomen. Leave a thin section blank at the very top to indicate the abdomen's shiny surface.

Add the yellow coloring to the legs and antennae the same way as with the abdomen. Start with a dark shade of yellow at the bottom and gradually move to a lighter shade the higher up you go. Continue to gradually add the different shades of yellow slowly until you get the result you're happy with. Add the yellow to the remaining parts of the body using the same technique. Remember to make the top portion very light or even leave it blank to represent the shiny texture. Add a bit of coloring to the wings. The wings are mostly see-through, so don't color them too much. Add some light brown to the outlines and for the many vein structures inside. The veins don't have to be perfect. Just add some random lines inside. Color the wings very lightly too. You can also draw a cast shadow underneath using gray and blue. The shadow helps ground the wasp so it doesn't appear to be floating. Don't forget to pause the "How to Draw a Wasp" video after each step to draw at your own pace.

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