How to Draw a Butterfly (Easy Monarch Butterfly Drawing)

Steps

1. 1. Draw the Butterfly's Body: Thorax, Head and Abdomen

   Start in the middle of your paper with a small oval. This is the thorax, the middle part of the body where the wings attach.

   Tip: Lightly sketch in pencil first if you want to erase and adjust.

   

2. 2. Draw the Top Curves of the Butterfly's Forewings

   From the top of the thorax, draw a big curve that sweeps up and out on the left, reaching close to the edge of the paper. Repeat it on the right so the two curves match.

   Tip: Draw one side, then the other right away. It is easier to match them.

   

3. 3. Close the Butterfly's Forewings With a Bumpy Edge

   The top wings are the forewings. Start at the tip of the top curve and draw the outer edge down and around, adding a few small bumps as you go.

   Tip: Two or three gentle bumps are plenty. Too many look like a cloud.

   

4. 4. Draw the Butterfly's Hind Wings

   The lower wings are the hind wings. Start on the side line, a little closer to the body, and draw a big curve that swings out and down.

   Tip: Keep the hind wings a bit smaller and rounder than the forewings.

   

5. 5. Add the Butterfly's Antennae With Club Tips

   From the top of the head, draw a thin curved line out to one side for an antenna. At the very end, make a small thick dot.

   Tip: Press harder at the tip of the marker to make the club tips bold.

   

6. 6. Draw the Long Cell Shapes in the Monarch's Forewings

   Monarchs have orange shapes between their black veins. In the forewing, start near the body and draw a long rounded shape that curves back to where it started.

   Tip: Your shapes do not need to match the video exactly. Fill the space evenly.

   

7. 7. Add Ovals to the Tips of the Monarch's Forewings

   Near the top corner of each forewing, draw two medium ovals, leave a small space, then add two smaller ones. Right at the tip, draw three long thin ovals side by side.

   Tip: Keep the tip ovals small. They should sit inside the wing, not touch the edge.

   

8. 8. Draw the Raindrop and Cell Shapes in the Hind Wings

   Move down to the hind wings. In the middle of each one, draw a big raindrop shape.

   Tip: If a shape comes out wonky, it still works. The black fill hides small wobbles.

   

9. 9. Add the Monarch Butterfly's White Edge Spots

   Around the outer edge of every wing, draw lots of tiny ovals and circles. These stay white when you color, so they pop against the black border.

   Tip: Pause the video whenever you need extra time on a step.

   

10. 10. Color the Monarch Butterfly Black and Orange

    Fill everything outside your shapes with black: the body, the veins between the cells and the wide border around the wings. Leave the tiny edge spots white.

    Tip: Color the black first so the orange does not smear under the marker.