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Intermediate

Two Crabs

by Vincent Van Gogh

$29.95 USD
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Two Crabs is an oil painting by Vincent van Gogh from 1889. It is a still life with two crabs, one on its back, the other upright, against a green background. This paint by numbers is oil on canvas, 47 cm high and 61 cm wide.

It may have been inspired by a Japanese print of a crab by Hokusai that he had seen in the magazine Le Japon Artistique, sent to him by his brother Theo van Gogh in September 1888.

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  • Two Crabs (This item)

    $29.95 USD

  • Extra Fine Detail Premium Brushes

    $16.95 USD

  • Artist Glove for Painting

    $8.95 USD

🎨 Standard Detail – A great choice for a simpler, more relaxed painting experience. With 24–32 colors, it offers nice detail and a beautiful finished piece while keeping the project easier and quicker to complete.

🖌 Premium Detail – Our most popular option for the best overall result. With 48 colors, you’ll get finer details, smoother shading, and a more realistic finished painting. It takes a bit more time, but the extra depth and richness make it well worth it.

🏆 Master Detail – Our highest level of detail. With up to 60 colors, you get the widest range of shades and the smallest areas to paint, for the most lifelike finish. It is the longest project of the three and suits painters with some experience.

ℹ️ Please Note – The image shown is the original artwork for reference. We convert this artwork into a numbered painting design, so some differences in colors, fine details, and overall appearance may occur.

How It Works

  1. Unbox

    Open your kit and set out your numbered canvas and paints.

  2. Paint

    Match each paint to its number. No experience needed.

  3. Display

    Frame or hang your finished painting.

Why Canvas by Numbers

Artist Linen Canvas

Artist Linen Canvas

Color-printed numbers that are clear and easy to read.

Vibrant Colors

Vibrant Colors

Pigment-rich acrylic paints with strong coverage.

Designed by Experts

Designed by Experts

Every pattern is prepared by our team for a detailed result.

Ready to Hang

Ready to Hang

Choose a pre-stretched canvas and skip the framing shop.

Real Results, Real Masterpieces!

With an average rating of 4.8 stars and over 200,000 satisfied artists, see why we're the top choice for paint by numbers enthusiasts everywhere.

Kit Specs

Canvas sizesRegular (16"x20"/40x50cm), Large (20"x24"/50x60cm), X-Large (24"x30"/ 60x75cm)
ColorsStandard (24-32 colors), Premium (Up to 48 colors), Master (Up to 60 colors)
FormatsNo Frame (Rolled Canvas), DIY Frame, Pre-stretched on Frame, Canvas Board
Kit levelIntermediate
Time to finishA little more than a week (a guide, everyone paints at their own pace)
PriceFrom $29.95

Frequently Asked Questions

Not at all! Our kits are designed for both beginners and experienced artists. The numbered guide makes it easy to follow along, and many users find the process meditative and relaxing. Simply match the numbers on the canvas with the numbers on the paint and start creating!

Some colors, mostly yellows, whites, light pinks and pale blues, are semi-transparent, so the printed numbers and lines can show through after one coat. That is normal. Let the first coat dry, then add a second one. Painting the light areas before the dark ones next to them also helps, and avoid adding water, which makes the paint thinner.

If the paint is still wet, wipe it off with a damp cotton swab. If it has dried, simply paint over it with the right color once it is completely dry. Covering a dark color with a light one may need two or three thin coats. Acrylic paint is very forgiving, so a small slip is easy to hide.

Close each pot tightly after use, since acrylic paint dries quickly when left open. If a color has become thick, add one or two drops of water and stir. If it has dried out completely, contact us with the color number: within 60 days of delivery we send replacement paints for free.

It depends on the kit level, the size and your own pace. As a guide, Beginner kits take about a week of relaxed painting, Intermediate kits a little more than a week, and Advanced kits two weeks or more. A larger size or Premium detail adds time. It's not a race, so enjoy the process.

A pre-stretched kit is ready to hang once the paint is dry, with a hanging kit included. A rolled canvas can go on our DIY frame or to a local framer. Our canvases are made in metric sizes (40x50 cm is slightly smaller than 16x20"), so measure the painted area before buying a frame.

Most orders ship from our California or Texas locations and arrive in 3 to 7 business days in the US. Canvas board kits and orders outside the US take 7 to 14 business days. The Shipping Information tab on this page shows the estimate for this item.

We will send tracking information to the e-mail address associated with your order once the item has shipped.

At Canvas by Numbers, we're proud of our exceptional customer service. Understanding the intricacies of art creation, we offer a 60-day guarantee where we'll send extra paints for free should you run out of any color.

Yes, safety is a top priority for us. The paints used in our kits are water-based, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly. Likewise, the materials in our diamond painting kits are non-hazardous. Always use the kits as directed and keep them out of reach of small children.

The Story Behind Van Gogh's Two Crabs

In Arles in early 1889, Van Gogh painted Two Crabs around the time he came home from the hospital after his breakdown. The two crabs, one upright and one on its back, sit against a bold green ground. The painting now belongs to the National Gallery in London, which acquired it in 2004.

A Hokusai print of a crab, published in the magazine Le Japon Artistique, is a likely source of the idea.

Why Did Van Gogh Paint Crabs?

Painting one humble creature, closely observed, was a lesson he took from Japanese art. Look at the colors too. The red orange of the shells sits against bright green, its complementary color, so each makes the other look stronger. Van Gogh wrote often to Theo about pairing complementary colors this way.

He also painted a single crab lying on its back, a smaller canvas now in the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Seen together, the two pictures show how a simple subject could hold his attention.

Two Crabs Paint by Numbers: Shells Against Green

The green background is made of long, directional strokes that become larger sections, so it moves quickly. The crabs take more care, with reds, oranges and dark shadows packed into the shells and legs. Paint the crabs first and the background around them afterward.

Let your strokes in the green follow the direction of the printed sections, and the background keeps its sense of movement. See more of his unusual subjects in our Van Gogh paint by numbers collection, or choose the Two Crabs diamond painting kit.

Two Crabs. Two Crabs is an oil painting by Vincent van Gogh from 1889. It is a still life with two crabs, one on its back, the other upright, against a green background.

Two Crabs

$29.95 USD

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