How to Draw a Frightened Crusty Goober in 6 Easy Steps
Draw this frightened Crusty Goober in 6 easy steps with a pencil and eraser. It takes about 15 minutes and works for ages 5 and up. Print the free step-by-step page below, or draw along with the video.
- Step-by-step drawing
- Ages 5+
- Grades K–2
- Easy
- About 15 min with the video
You’ll need
- Pencil and eraser
- Paper, or the printed page
- Crayons, markers or colored pencils
You’ll practice
- Breaking a drawing into simple shapes
- Following steps in order
- Adding your own details
How to Draw a Frightened Crusty Goober (Free Crusty Goobers Drawing Page)
Today’s post features a free drawing page from my book How to Draw: Crusty Goobers, and this one leans hard into the weird. The free page shows how to draw a frightened Crusty Goober, a scared-looking little creature with two eye stalks and a rotund, legless body.
This goober looks like it just realized it wandered into the wrong place at the wrong time. Big eyes, nervous posture, and that classic Crusty Goobers mix of cute and unsettling. It’s a perfect example of what this series is all about.
If you enjoy drawing oddball characters with personality, learning how to draw a frightened Crusty Goober is a great place to start.
Watch it being drawn
Watch the pencil draw it one step at a time, then grab a pencil and try it yourself.
The Crusty Goobers Book Series
The Crusty Goobers characters appear across multiple books and formats, all built around the same weird, cartoony world.
The main Crusty Goobers books focus on introducing these creatures and letting kids explore their designs and personalities. From there, the series expands into different drawing formats so kids can learn in the way that works best for them.
What Makes This Crusty Goober Fun to Draw
Crusty Goobers are designed to be simple, expressive, and slightly gross in a fun way. This frightened goober checks all those boxes.
The two eye stalks immediately give the character personality. They let you push expression without relying on complicated facial features. The round, legless body keeps the drawing approachable and beginner-friendly while still feeling unique.
When you learn how to draw a frightened Crusty Goober, you’re really learning how to exaggerate emotion through shape. The fear in this character comes from posture, eye direction, and body language rather than detail overload.
That makes this drawing especially good for kids, beginners, or anyone who wants to loosen up and have fun drawing something weird.
About the Artist
I’m the artist and creator behind the Crusty Goobers series, and I design every character by hand. My goal with these books is simple: make drawing feel fun, approachable, and a little weird.
Crusty Goobers were created as characters that don’t need to look perfect. In fact, the more uneven and strange they look, the better. That takes a lot of pressure off kids who feel like they “can’t draw.”
This frightened goober is a great example of that philosophy. It doesn’t need legs, symmetry, or realism to feel alive. It just needs expression and personality.
Available in Multiple Drawing Formats
In addition to How to Draw: Crusty Goobers, the Crusty Goobers series is also available in:
There are also Crusty Goobers 2 versions of these books, expanding the lineup with even more characters and designs.
Each format serves a different purpose. Trace Then Color is great for beginners who want to build confidence through tracing and coloring. Draw by Grid helps kids learn proportions and observation skills. How to Draw focuses on step-by-step character construction.
No matter the format, the goal is the same: make drawing fun and accessible.
Why This Frightened Goober Works So Well
This specific character is a great introduction to the Crusty Goobers style. The design is simple, but the emotion is clear. Kids immediately understand how the character feels, which makes drawing it more engaging.
Learning how to draw a frightened Crusty Goober also encourages experimentation. Kids can change the expression, add more eye stalks, give it arms, or turn it into an entirely new creature. There are no rules here, and that’s intentional.
That freedom is what keeps kids drawing.
How the Free Drawing Page Works
The free page from How to Draw: Crusty Goobers follows the same step-by-step format as the rest of the book. The drawing starts with very simple shapes and gradually builds into a finished character.
First, the basic body shape is laid out. Then the eye stalks are added, followed by facial details that sell the frightened expression. Each step adds just enough information without making the drawing feel complicated.
Free Activity Page (save and print):
By breaking the process down, kids can focus on one step at a time instead of trying to figure out the whole character at once. That’s the key to making how to draw a frightened Crusty Goober feel achievable instead of intimidating.
Try the Free Frightened Crusty Goober Page
If you’re looking for a fun, low-pressure drawing activity, this free page is a great way to learn how to draw a frightened Crusty Goober. It’s simple, expressive, and perfectly weird.
Whether it’s your first Crusty Goober or one of many, this drawing is designed to build confidence while letting creativity run wild. And if you enjoy this page, there are plenty more Crusty Goobers waiting across the How to Draw, Trace Then Color, and Draw by Grid books.
Sometimes the best drawings are the ones that look a little scared, a little messy, and completely crusty.
Draw it 3 ways
Every FirstArtBooks theme comes in three formats. Trace it, draw it step by step, or copy it square by square: the more ways kids draw a character, the better they know it.
- How to Draw
Draw it step by stepYou’re on this pageSee all How to Draw books - Trace Then ColorTrace Then Color booksTrace it, then color itNo free page of this one yet. See the Trace Then Color books (ages 3+)
- Draw by Grid
A 3-Eyed 2-Horned Goober on a GridA close cousin · Ages 7+See all Draw by Grid books
Finished? Draw the scene next
- Add a background: draw a town where all the people are tiny.
- Write one line under your picture to finish this story:
It tried to tiptoe, but…
That’s a picture book page. Draw two more and you have a whole story.
Draw it, then write about it
Give your frightened crusty goober a name and a job. What makes it happy, and what makes it grumpy? Write two or three sentences.
Directed drawing and writing worksheets for this lesson: Frightened Crusty Goober Directed Drawing and Writing Worksheet, with a kindergarten, 1st grade and 2nd–3rd grade writing page.
Print a draw-and-write sheet: a box for the drawing and lines for the story. Primary lines (K–2) · Regular lines (grades 2–5)
Want to make it a whole story? Try the comic story starter or fold a mini-book in Story Studio.
Common mistakes and quick fixes
- It looks scary when you wanted silly.
- Make the eyes big and round and the teeth small and square. Big eyes make any monster friendly.
- All the parts are crowded together.
- Draw the body big first, and leave room for arms, horns and feet around it.
- The horns or arms don’t match.
- Draw one side, then the other right away while you still remember the size.
- Pressing hard from the very first step.
- Use light, sketchy lines first. You can erase them easily and go over the lines you keep at the end.
More in 10 common drawing mistakes kids make.
Talk about it
For the grown-up: ask one or two of these while your child draws. There are no wrong answers.
- Is this monster scary, silly or shy? What makes you think so?
- What does this monster like to eat for breakfast?
- Which part are you proudest of?
- What colors will you use, and why?
More ideas in 25 questions to ask kids about their art.
Questions about this drawing lesson
What age is this frightened crusty goober drawing lesson for?
Ages 5 and up (about grades K to 2). Younger kids can follow along with a grown-up, one step at a time.
How long does it take?
About 15 minutes, including time to pause the video. Kids who add their own details or a background often keep going longer.
What supplies do you need?
Pencil and eraser; paper, or the printed page; crayons, markers or colored pencils.
What size does it print?
US Letter (8.5 by 11 inches). Use Print this page or Download PDF above. On A4 paper, choose “Fit to page” in the print settings.
Can kids draw the frightened crusty goober without printing the page?
Yes. Draw on any paper and copy one step at a time from the screen, or pause the video after each step. Classroom mode shows one step at a time, full screen.
For teachers: grade, timing and standards
Grades K–2, about 15 minutes. Step-by-step drawing, easy level. The video does the teaching: press play and let students draw along.
National Core Arts Standards (visual arts)
- VA:Cr2 Organize and develop artistic ideas and work: students build drawing skills by following a sequence of steps.
- VA:Cr3 Refine and complete artistic work: students add their own details, expressions and color to finish the character.
See every lesson by standard, plus the math in grid drawing, on the arts standards map.
Copies: print as many as your class needs. Use classroom mode above to show one step at a time on your board. More in the teacher resources and our no-prep sub plans.
Get the free Christmas Drawing Pack
10 printable Christmas pages to draw, trace, color and decorate, sent with your welcome email. After that, Kevin’s newsletter brings new free pages and book news.
Take the idea into a book
Want more characters to draw, trace or color? Explore these related books and see which approach fits your next creative session.
Trace Then Color: Crusty Goobers
By Kevin Coulston
Explore this book →
Draw by Grid: Crusty Goobers
By Kevin Coulston
Explore this book →
Trace Then Color: Crusty Goobers 2
By Kevin Coulston
Explore this book →Another idea to try
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