Easy Steps to Draw and Paint a Butterfly
Have you ever wondered how to create a beautiful butterfly painting that’s suitable for beginners? Look no further! This step-by-step tutorial will guide you through the process.
This tutorial is perfect for individuals of all ages, including kids, teens, and adults. Whether you’re a complete beginner or have some experience in drawing and painting, you’ll find this tutorial accessible and enjoyable. You can also find the full tutorial on YouTube by following the link below.
If you’re loving painting butterflies and seeking more inspiration, check out this abstract butterfly painting.
How to Draw a Butterfly
Before you start painting, it’s helpful to know how to draw a butterfly. For a more detailed guide on drawing, refer to this tutorial.
Choosing the Best Paint Colors for a Monarch Butterfly
Monarch butterflies have a unique wing pattern with vibrant orange sections bordered by black lines. Additionally, white spots adorn the wing borders.
When selecting paint colors for your butterfly, any black, white, and orange acrylic paint will work. If you desire a particularly vibrant shade of orange, consider the following tips for mixing paint:
For the most intense orange hue, use cadmium orange. It is known for its warmth and saturation. Alternatively, you can mix a similar tone using cadmium red and cadmium yellow. Avoid reds and yellows with blue undertones, such as alizarin crimson and lemon yellow, as they may result in a dull orange.
I recommend mixing 4 parts cadmium red with 1 part cadmium yellow, adjusting the proportions to achieve your desired vibrancy.
Painting a Monarch Butterfly – An Overview
Once you have sketched your butterfly and filled in the pink background (refer to the full tutorial for detailed instructions), follow these steps to paint your monarch butterfly:
Begin by painting the orange and yellow sections of the butterfly’s wings using a medium round brush (size 8). Apply two coats to achieve opacity and vibrancy.
TIP: Yellow and orange paints can be somewhat transparent, so multiple coats may be required for a vibrant and opaque appearance.
Next, fill in the border with black paint, covering the areas previously outlined in pencil. Use a smaller round brush (size 6) if necessary to create thinner lines.
Paint the body of the butterfly using black, gray, and white highlights. Refer to the full tutorial for detailed instructions.
Finally, add detailed white spots along the border of the butterfly’s wings using a size 6 brush and titanium white paint.
I hope you enjoyed learning how to draw and paint a butterfly! For a complete step-by-step painting tutorial, please refer to the end of this post.
Finished Butterfly Painting Pictures
Butterfly Painting Ideas
This step-by-step process for drawing and painting butterflies can be applied to various beginner projects and surfaces, including:
- Canvas
- Paper
- Face painting (using face paints)
- Rocks
- Wood
- Walls
- Mirrors and glass
- Water bottles
Feel free to customize the wing colors by painting them in a color of your choice instead of orange. For instance, you can create blue morpho butterflies by using blue paint for the sections.
This summer, my goal is to paint a monarch butterfly on a large rock. I’ll update this post with pictures once it’s finished! If you’re interested in rock painting, check out this tutorial on painting butterflies on rocks.
Last summer, I painted blue morpho butterflies on my hydroflask water bottle because I’m a bit obsessed with butterflies! You can find the entire post on painting your hydroflask on my website.
One tip when painting on rocks, water bottles, or other small surfaces is to use smaller round brushes for better precision and detail.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Paint a Butterfly
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