Here are some quick tips for sketching butterflies that I’ve collected over time (the tips, not the butterflies).
Watch the video version with a sketching demo:
Quick tips for sketching butterflies | colored pencils | butterfly watercolor tutorial
If you can’t see the video above, watch it here: Quick tips for sketching butterflies.
Here are my tips for sketching butterflies in list form:
- I like to use watercolors and colored pencils for insects, it’s a combination that works well.
- Butterflies in books have their wings spread for scientific purposes, you won’t see a butterfly pose like this in nature.
- Start your sketch with a triangle and cut the corners to fit the wing shape inside
- Keep the sketch symmetrical
- Draw in the veins lightly
- Start painting with just a bit of pigment, let layers dry completely before you paint on them, and add more texture and detail with colored pencils.
- On the outer side of their wings butterflies often have different patterns, and sometimes male and female look different.
- Paint the antennae and feet with a very fine liner, a small brush, or colored pencil
- To bring out the white edge around a butterfly, paint a darker color around it.
If you have more tips, feel free to share them! Learn more about sketching butterflies in my class “How to paint butterflies”. The class takes a closer look at: butterfly anatomy, sketching tips, how to get colors and markings right, and it has detailed painting demos.
The class is available on Gumroad (with pay-what-you-want pricing) or through Skillshare.
