How to Draw a Butterfly Step by Step - 16 Easy Steps!

In this fun and easy butterfly drawing tutorial, you’ll learn how to draw a butterfly step by step.

This tutorial is great for beginner artists (both kids and adults) who want to improve their drawing skills.

Butterfly drawings can be a great way to express creativity in your artwork. With just a few simple steps, you can create an amazing butterfly drawing that is sure to impress family, friends, and anyone else who sees it!

Butterflies have different shapes and sizes, so choose one that you would like to draw. Make sure to look at pictures of other butterflies to get the shape just right.

Fun Facts: Did you know that butterfly species have been found on every continent except Antarctica?

Once you have completed this tutorial, you’ll end up with an awesome butterfly drawing.

What You’ll Need

You’ll need the following materials to create your butterfly drawing:

• A piece of paper
• A pencil
• An eraser

How to Draw a Butterfly Step by Step

Follow our step-by-step tutorial covering how to draw a butterfly.

We’ve included all the steps in detail so that the process is easier to follow.

So, let’s get started!

The collage above shows each step of the process so you know what your butterfly drawing should look like at each stage. 

Instructions

Tip: Make sure you don’t press too hard on the paper when you draw your pencil lines so that you can correct your mistakes with an eraser as you go through the tutorial.

How to Sketch a Butterfly Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Create the Head

Start by drawing a small circle for the head.

Step 2: Draw the Thorax

Draw another small oval for the thorax which will be the middle part of your butterfly.

Step 3: Draw the Abdomen

Draw a bigger oval for the abdomen which will be the bottom part of the butterfly.

Step 4: Add the Antennae

Now draw two curved lines coming out from the head. Then, add two tiny circles at the end of each line to form the antennae.

Step 5: Draw the Front Legs

Draw two curved lines and attach them to the thorax. Make sure that the lines are slightly bent to give your butterfly a more realistic look.

Step 6: Draw the Back Legs

Draw two small straight lines just below the lines you just drew and attach them to the abdomen.

Step 7: Draw the Butterfly Wings

Now that you drew the legs, sketch out butterfly wings.

A. Draw two curved lines on the top of the right side and connect them in the middle with one wavy, curved line.

B. Draw another two slightly smaller curved lines just above the lines you drew in Step 7 A.

Step 8: Draw the Third Wing

Then draw another long curved line just below the first wing you drew in Step 7 A to form the third wing.

Step 9: Erase the Pencil Marks

Erase any unwanted lines.

Step 10: Draw More Lines Inside the Wings

Draw another two curved lines inside each wing already created.

A. Draw two curved lines inside the top wing.

B. Add two curved lines to the middle wing and connect them in the middle with one wavy, curved line.

C. Then draw one long curved line inside the bottom wing.

Step 11: Draw the Wing’s Veins

Draw several curved lines inside the wings to form the veins.

Step 12: Draw the Pattern on the Wings

Now start to draw patterns like dots, stripes, or any other creative design that you can think of on the butterfly wings.

Step 13: Add Texture

Draw rough edges to the wings and veins to give more texture and look more realistic.

Step 14: Shade the Dots

Now you can add a little bit of shading to the dots.

Step 15: Add the Eyes

Draw two tiny circles for the eyes.

Step 16: Draw a Flower

Draw a flower or any other object next to the butterfly so looks like your butterfly is getting ready to land on it.

Congratulations!

Now you have a beautifully finished drawing and you know how to create a butterfly drawing.

Don’t worry if your butterfly drawing isn’t perfect the first time, the more you practice the better you will get!

Bonus Tips on How to Improve Your Butterfly Drawing

• Use reference images of real butterflies for more accurate drawings.

• Practice drawing different types of butterflies and flowers to create a more dynamic artwork.

• Try drawing background to complete the scene.

We hope you had fun and that our tutorial helped you learn something new today.

Try out your newly-learned skills on different animals like a cat or a dog and have fun practicing until you master the art of drawing!

Soon, you’ll be a master at animal drawings!

Are you looking for more similar ideas? Search our list of 101+ Drawing Ideas!

Happy drawing!