Monarch butterflies, for example, have about ten veined sections on their lower wings that fit together like pieces of a stained glass window. If your butterfly has differently colored sections across its wings, count those areas first. If your butterfly appears more polka-dotted, sketch in small circles to help you plan the pattern you want to create. “Most people fudge this part because it’s challenging to get the geometry of the butterfly exactly right.” If you’re drawing a real species of butterfly instead of an imagined species you’ve dreamed up, take a moment to analyze the patterns on its wings. “Now we get to the really fun part, which is adding the marks on the butterfly’s wings,” says Case. Before you jump in, use your reference photos to plan your perspective. Will you draw it from overhead, with its wings stretched out? Is it fluttering in flight or perched delicately on a flower petal? Think about the background of your composition as well and draw in some basic shapes to represent the flowers, plants, or objects your butterfly will interact with. This is the time to think about the composition of your drawing and consider the angle you’ll want to take on the butterfly. Explore different species and images of that species to use as reference photos.ĭraw butterflies with this simple tutorial. Take time to do some research before you sketch. Whether you sketch the simple Cabbage White butterfly, the whimsical Great Windmill butterfly, or the iconic Monarch butterfly, every species has its own markings, colors, and shapes to consider. “Any time you’re drawing an animal that you’re not familiar with, you really need to understand the geometry of that creature.”īut not all butterflies look the same. “Analyzing your reference photo is going to be your number one job with any kind of naturalist illustration,” explains illustrator and comic artist Jonathan Case. Before you jump in and draw a butterfly, you have to understand what they look like.

Butterfly sketch tutorial