I prepared a couple of easy butterfly pencil drawings here for you. Today we will draw step-by-step this one - butterfly sitting on a Carnation flower. If you want to see this drawing in its actual size, click the last thumbnail image on the bottom of this page.
You have probably learned already the basic butterfly drawings, the sequence of drawing a butterfly with opened wings, which is one of the easiest because both sides - both wings are symmetrical and are very easy to copy.
This drawing of a butterfly is taken from a totally different angle, more natural, I would say.
It is a butterfly sitting on top of a Carnation flower so it gives you an opportunity to practice both; butterfly pencil drawings and how to draw Carnation flower ;-) In fact, you can draw any flower you like under the butterfly.
If you had a chance to see butterfly in nature, the scene would probably be very similar to this drawing.
After completing these few steps of drawing instructions your work will look pretty much the same…or…at least very similar.
It is very easy you’ll see; just follow the step-by-step guide exactly as I explain.
Click on every thumbnail image they will open in new window or tab in their actual size. Print them out or copy as you wish.
My advice is that you print out only the finished drawing – the last thumbnail on the bottom of this page – and copy only that. Resize as needed.
If you do not have printer handy, take a sheet of tracing paper, put it on your computer screen and trace/copy only the outlines of the butterfly.
Your outline drawing will look like the first thumbnail image on this page. Weak and soft strokes that is very easy to correct or erase.
By copying only the outlines, you set the right proportions - a guideline for your drawing. The rest is only a sort of coloring work (by pencil).
After you have your outline ready begin to darken the veins on the wings (2nd pic on the left). Veins can be considered as a kind of frame that keeps the wings together and strong.
Now observe and select first the darkest (black) parts on the wings and start to darken them from the top down.
Just simple strokes – open the thumbnail and see how simple and often rough the pencil strokes are.
It is important that you fill out the darkest parts on the wings first.
Now you have a beautiful pattern that looks like a lace work and you can gradually add more grey tone into the white holes.
Click on the images to see the actual size and see how the grey is added by deceptively simple pencil strokes. You can easily notice that I did not use any cotton swabs or tissue paper to soften the strokes.
You can also draw the butterfly directly “a prima vista” from your computer screen, which would be an excellent exercise.
