70 Wonderful Butterfly Drawing Ideas

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Butterflies are absolutely beautiful creatures, which is why they make great drawing subjects.

If you’re looking for butterfly drawing references, here are 70 wonderful ideas that can be used to improve your drawing skills.

Take inspiration from a detailed monarch drawing, or keep things simple with a butterfly line drawing. Whatever your style, below, you’ll find a butterfly drawing for all skill levels.

1. Ornamental Butterfly Sketch

Ornamental Butterfly Sketch
iStock/Oesia_Agudova

Taking inspiration from nature, an ornamental butterfly sketch can bring a sense of whimsy and charm to your artwork.

2. Four Butterfly Poses

Four Butterfly Poses
iStock/Dezein

Practice drawing a butterfly from different angles. These drawings show the butterfly doing four different poses.

3. Butterfly with Good Shading

Butterfly with Good Shading
iStock/Natalypaint

This butterfly drawing is an excellent reference if you want to improve your shading skills. The artist did a fantastic job with the shading on this one.

4. Simple Butterfly Outline

Simple Butterfly Outline
iStock/Julia_Khimich

Here’s a great idea if you want to draw something simple and fun. This outline of a butterfly is super easy to draw and looks terrific.

5. Continuous Line Butterfly

Continuous Line Butterfly
iStock/Thirteen-Fifty

This butterfly was drawn using a continuous line. That means the artist never lifted their pencil from the paper. I recommend trying this technique if you want a challenge.

6. Detailed Butterfly Sketch

Detailed Butterfly Sketch
iStock/Retrofutur

Artists looking for a challenge can work on adding more detail to their drawings. This butterfly has a more complicated pattern and requires a good amount of shading.

7. Butterfly Pencil Drawing

Butterfly Pencil Drawing
iStock/Juan Francisco

Skilled artists will enjoy recreating this swallowtail butterfly. Use a pencil or even charcoal if you want similar results with your art.

8. Six Butterfly Drawings

Six Butterfly Drawings
iStock/Alevanda

Take inspiration from this collection of six different butterfly drawings. Each butterfly features its own unique hand-sketched pattern.

9. Easy Pastel Butterflies

Easy Pastel Butterflies
iStock/Ivan Vlasov

Pastel colors have been added to these easy butterfly outlines. Adding a pop of color is a great way to make your art shine.

10. Twelve Elegant Butterflies

Twelve Elegant Butterfly Drawings
iStock/Yuliya Soklakova

Take a look at the graceful beauty of these twelve elegant butterfly drawings. Draw one or all of these simple doodles in your sketchbook.

11. Hand Drawn Butterfly

Hand Drawn Butterfly
iStock/Artrise

Drawing a butterfly is easier than you think. All you need is a piece of paper, a pencil, and creative inspiration. Come up with your own pattern for butterfly wings.

12. Old World Swallowtail

Old World Swallowtail Drawing
iStock/Hein Nouwens

The old world swallowtail butterfly can be found all over North America. Try using colored pencils to give your butterfly drawing a distinguished look.

13. Six Monarch Butterfly Drawings

Six Monarch Butterfly Drawings
iStock/Vera Orlova

You’ll learn how to draw one of the most beautiful butterflies by sketching the monarch butterfly. They are known for their striking orange and black patterns.

14. Six Butterfly Silhouettes

Six Butterfly Silhouettes
iStock/Cotuvokne

Silhouette drawings aren’t just for human portraits. You can also draw butterfly silhouettes.

15. Beginner’s Butterfly Outline

Beginner's Butterfly Outline
iStock/Marharyta Areshnikava

Beginners will enjoy drawing this simple outline of a butterfly. A few details are added to the pattern that allows the butterfly to be colored in.

16. Butterfly Flying 

Butterfly Flying Drawing
iStock/Vitalii Barida

This continuous line art is of a butterfly that’s taken flight. I love the simplicity and ease of this drawing.

17. Butterfly That You Can Color

Butterfly That You Can Color
iStock/Luliia Lakupova

If you’re in need of pattern drawing ideas that are easy to color, this is a fantastic idea. The drawing gives plenty of space for adding your favorite colors.

18. Rice Paper Butterfly Drawing

Rice Paper Butterfly Drawing
iStock/Natspace

The rice paper butterfly (Idea leuconoe) is a beautiful butterfly native to Southeast Asia. These insects boast striking wings with an intricate black-and-white pattern, making them a must-see for butterfly enthusiasts.

With over 70 butterfly drawing references at your fingertips, you now have the perfect resource to help you reach your goal of creating beautiful butterfly drawings.

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