How To Draw a Butterfly: 7 Beautiful Butterfly Drawings

I remember how amazed I was by the butterfly exhibit on my very first trip to the zoo as a child. The bright colors and delicate movements of these lovely insects will stay with me forever. Ever since that day, those butterflies have been a vivid memory for me, and I’ve often wished I could capture that magical moment on paper. So, I was looking for ideas recently and found a lot of beautiful butterfly drawings on Instagram. This made me want to draw butterflies again. Today, I’ll show you some beautiful drawing ideas and walk you through the steps of making your own butterfly art. So, are you now ready to start this artistic journey? Then let’s begin.

Get ready to capture the magic of butterflies on paper

Understanding Butterflies: The Subject of Your Art

According to The Smithsonian Institution, butterflies are insects that belong to the order Lepidoptera, which also includes moths! There are around 17,500 kinds of butterflies in our world, and they come in a huge range of colors, patterns, and sizes. Their bright colors and complex wing patterns are not only beautiful to look at, but they also help them hide and attract mates. These wonderful insects can be found all over the world, from tropical jungles to mild meadows. Their delicate and symmetrical wing designs make them interesting subjects for drawing, which gives artists, like you and me, a bunch of possibilities for creativity and to challenge your skills. Because they are both beautiful and interesting from a biological point of view, butterflies make great subjects for artists.

Discover why butterflies are nature’s masterpieces

Beautiful Butterfly Drawing Ideas

Butterflies’ vivid colors, complex patterns, and elegant forms make them excellent subjects for artists. Their delicate wings give you a lot of room to be creative, whether you want to make something realistic or more abstract. If you’re looking for some ideas, try drawing a Monarch butterfly or a Blue Morpho, both of which have beautiful, iridescent blue wings. You can also try using different art supplies, such as watercolor for a soft, airy look or colored pencils for fine details. You can add movement to your art by taking pictures of butterflies in different stages of flying or resting on flowers. If you need some inspo, check out these wonderful butterfly drawings.

Let these stunning butterfly drawing ideas inspire you

Abstract art

This brilliant piece features an abstract butterfly made of different colored leaves and flowers. The butterfly’s body is cleverly decorated with flower patterns, making the design both fun and harmonious. This piece of art has a fun, cartoonish style with bright colors and clean lines.

Unleash your creativity with this playful, abstract butterfly design

Enchanting Heraclides Anchiades butterfly

This beautiful drawing shows the Heraclides Anchiades butterfly, which has dark, mysterious wings with tiny pink and white dots on them. The art style is a mix of reality and fantasy. The heart and star patterns add a touch of whimsy to the butterfly’s beauty. With its hypnotic atmosphere, this artwork transports you to a fantastical realm of exquisite beauty.

Step into a world of enchantment with this mesmerizing butterfly

Whimsical butterfly collection

This collection of stunning butterflies has many different kinds of butterflies in fun, bright colors. Patterns on each butterfly vary from polka dots to stripes. The style of art is light and fun, making it great for kids’ books or fun, relaxing art projects.

Have fun with these whimsical, brightly colored butterfly drawings

Radiant Prepona Deiphile Xenagoras

The Prepona deiphile xenagoras butterfly is famous for its bright blue and orange colors, and this beautiful piece of art perfectly shows them. The purple flowers in the background make the butterfly’s bright colors stand out even more. The art style is realistic and full of small details, like the butterfly’s wings’ complex designs and textures.

Marvel at the vibrant hues of the Prepona deiphile xenagoras butterfly

Botanical butterfly harmony

This beautiful drawing shows a butterfly with parts of its wings that are an assortment of flowers. The fine lines in the drawing bring out the soft textures of both the butterfly and the flowers. This type of art is very detailed and complex, making it great for black-and-white illustrations that show small details.

Blend the beauty of flowers and butterflies in this harmonious artwork

Delicate butterfly

This lovely artwork depicts a butterfly in soft pink tones, created using colored pencils. The butterfly rests gently on a pink flower, making the art feel soft and delicate. Both the butterfly and the flower are shown in a realistic but soft style is what brings out their delicate beauty.

Capture the gentle elegance of this delicate pink butterfly

Sketches of butterflies

This set of red sketches shows different kinds of butterflies in a range of poses and shapes. The solid color scheme makes the sketches look more artistic and unified. The style of art is expressive and sketch-like, using few lines and coloring to show what each butterfly is really like.

Express your creativity with these dynamic red butterfly sketches

How To Draw a Butterfly: A Simple Tutorial

Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist, drawing a butterfly can be super fun. Drawing animals in general, like snails or butterflies, is a great way to practice drawing. Due to their delicate wings and vivid patterns, butterflies are an ideal subject for artists This easy tutorial from @MisterBrushArt will help you get started!

Step 1: Draw the body

First, draw the butterfly’s body. Start with a small circle for the head. Then, make the thorax into an oval that is longer than it is wide. Finally, make the abdomen longer and thinner. Put two curvy lines coming out of the head to make the antennae. End each line with a small dot.

Step 2: Draw the wings

Next, make the wings’ shapes. To start the top wings, draw two big, curved lines that go out from the chest. Then, draw the bottom wings below the top wings. They should be a little smaller and rounder. Make sure that each side’s wings are the same size and shape.

Step 3: Add details

Finish the wings by adding some detailing. Construct segments and patterns by delineating a series of curved lines within the upper and lower wings. To make it look more real, the lines should follow the wings’ natural curves.

Step 4: Improve the wing patterns

Add more lines and shapes to the wing designs to make them look even better. To make the wings look like the wings of many kinds of butterflies, add small circles or ovals to the edges of the wings. Draw lines around the wings to make them stand out more.

Step 5: Color in your butterfly

Last, add color to your butterfly to make it come to life. Fill in the wings, body, and antennae with bright colors. For instance, monarch butterflies have orange wings with black lines and white spots. You can use any colors and shapes you want to make your butterfly one of a kind.

I hope you found this article useful. Now you have plenty of butterfly drawings for inspiration and how to draw your own butterfly. With so many ideas at your disposal, you can now draw these amazing insects on paper a bunch of different ways. With their complex designs and bright colors, butterflies are great subjects for drawing. They give artists a lot of creative freedom. It can be satisfying and fun to capture the essence of these delicate insects. So, grab your materials and start creating!

Grab your materials and let your creativity take flight