How to Draw a Butterfly Step by Step

Alexia Young 04/09/2023

3 3 minutes read

Learning the art of drawing a butterfly can bring immense joy as you unleash your creativity, adding colors and patterns that bring your artwork to life. Each butterfly you create will be unique, allowing your imagination to take flight. Join us on this step-by-step journey to discover how to draw a butterfly effortlessly.

Table of Contents

Supplies Needed for Your Butterfly Drawing Adventure

Before we begin, gather a few simple supplies to embark on this artistic endeavor:

Ruler
Paper
Pencils
Colored pencils (optional)
Markers (optional)

Master the Art of Drawing a Butterfly with Ease

In this comprehensive guide, even beginners can grasp the art of drawing a simple butterfly using just pencils and paper. No specialized equipment is required. The intricate details of the butterfly wings make this tutorial particularly captivating.

Let’s start by outlining the butterfly, following these simple steps:

Use a ruler to draw a vertical slanted or diagonal line. This will be the body of the butterfly.
About two-thirds down from the top of the vertical line, draw a curved line from the left and another from the right to form the top part of the upper wings.
Roughly halfway down from the top, draw two additional curved lines to complete the top edge of the wings. Refer to the image for guidance.
At the end of each top wing, draw a short curved vertical line.
Add a short curved vertical line on each side at the end of the bottom wings.
Approximately one-fourth up from the bottom of the diagonal line, draw a curved line toward the left and another toward the right to create the bottom wings.
Now, draw the body of the butterfly. Sketch two oval shapes for the body, adding a circle for the head. Extend two lines from the bottom of the body and add two antennae atop the head.
To complete the wings, draw the sides and bottom of the butterfly’s wings.
Once the wings are outlined, add captivating patterns to make your butterfly truly mesmerizing. Utilize lines, small circles, and oval shapes to create a symmetrical design.
Enhance the head of the butterfly by adding two small circles as eyes.
Finally, it’s time to infuse color into your creation. You can use colored pencils, crayons, or markers for this step. For a monarch butterfly’s look, color the wings orange and the designs black. Admire your finished drawing!

Watch and Learn: A Step-by-Step Guide to Drawing a Butterfly

If you prefer visual guidance, we have included a printable step-by-step guide for drawing a butterfly. Simply refer to the image below to bring your butterfly to life.
Step-by-Step Guide for Butterfly Drawing

Recommended Drawing Supplies

If you’re invested in improving your drawing skills, we recommend considering these top-quality tools:

Sketching Pencils
Kneaded Rubber Eraser
Sketch Pad
Erasable Colored Pencils
Fine Markers
Sketch and Drawing Art Pencil Set
Artist Drawing Set (a perfect gift for both new and experienced artists)

Fascinating Butterfly Facts

Expand your knowledge about these enchanting creatures with these intriguing facts:

Some butterflies defend themselves by folding up their wings, revealing the undersides that blend seamlessly with their surroundings. This clever camouflage, known as crypsis, makes them almost invisible to predators.
The fastest recorded flight speed for a butterfly is 12 miles per hour.
Butterflies possess forewings, located closest to their head, and hindwings, located at the rear. Strong muscles in their thorax enable all four wings to move in a figure-eight pattern during flight.