Watercolor Butterflies

1. Intro: Hey there, I'm [inaudible] and I'm still in love with watercolor. Today I want to talk about butterflies and watercolor of course. What do you usually do when you see a butterfly? As for me, I can't pass by and I definitely take a photo or video. Last summer I had a collection of butterfly photos. So that they are not lost in the flow of digital garbage, I began to draw them. They are perfect for painting. Butterflies are amazing, is a beautiful nature for radical sketches and the result is fantastic. To begin with, we will draw a simple but beautiful, yellow butterfly. Then, I will suggest you to concentrate on the dark pattern on the wings, we will create a composition of butterflies in black and white. I really like this method. It's very cool. Then, we'll draw a wonderful, blue butterfly using the skills obtained in previous exercises and new tricks. If you have small lattice, draw together, it's a great family activity. Look, it's work of my seven years old daughter. I will be happy to see your project. I'm pretty sure that you will enjoy the process and get fantastic illustrations. Let's get started. 2. Stuff needed: We need a watercolor paints, brushes, one beak for clean water, and several others. Good, if you have a liner brush to draw fine lines. It's very thin, it's convenient. Watercolor paper, I have two small sheets and one large. We will place several butterflies on it. Paper is preferably a [inaudible] carton, it's quite important for a good result. Tablet, replace paper, paper tape, pellet, ceramic or plastic, it doesn't matter. Two containers of water other one for washing pigment and other with clean water to wet the paper. Water in the second container should always be clean. It's important. It's convenient to use a glass jar to be sure of it. A wide gush and paper napkins. That's all. 3. Yellow butterfly: The first butterfly we will draw is pretty simple but spectacular. I prepare a templates use them if you don't want to draw it yourself. You can download it in the tape my project, later you can show your pictures here and get feedback from me. I fix the paper on the tablet. Firstly it is going to be an end and secondly, in this case the paper is less deformed when when weted. I draw the butterfly with the pencil. Please note that the lines should be weak, barely visible, so it's easier to erase the pencil line if necessary but try to use an eraser as less as possible. It's really bad for paper. There is a small tip to check whether the sketch is symmetrical. Turn the paper over, errors are much more visible in this position. For example, I see, I draw more here then here, now, I will correct it a little. The contour is ready, proceed to the color. Firstly, carefully and thoroughly moisten the paper inside the contour. To see if the whole surface is wet I look at the sheet by this side. Let's pick the colors, do it on the separate sheet, I'll start with a rich yellow and gradually add the lemon color. Add a little water in the cuvette beforehand to make the paint soften and the color is more saturated. You can also see my class about watercolor washes. There is a lot of basic useful information about colors. I'm starting from the center, you see the paint doesn't flow to the where the dried paper is, it follows only on wet paper. On the edges I add the lemon and the colors flow into each other nicely, think to a wet cotton paper. If you use not cotton paper creating a smooth transition is more difficult, but it is also possible. By the way, you can choose not yellow but any other color if you want, choose your favorite shade. It is the advantage of the painting that you draw and want you want, you will create your own watercolor board. Here there are a part of paint somewhere, so they need to be removed with the squeeze brush. I show these process in details in the course about washes. It sounds like advertising bar. There is really a lot of basic information that is useful in any illustration. While the paper is still wet, I'm drawing butterflies body and the beautiful black contour along the sides. Be careful and there shouldn't be a bottle of water in this place practice to draw a thin line on a separate piece of paper, if is the new skill for you. It's not terrible if the paint spreads more than planned. I have started many butterflies, believe me, they are all different, that's okay. Another advantage of cotton paper is it remains wet for a long time but all the same work quickly. What to do in case you see that the paper has started to dry out and you have not managed to do all in wet? Wait until the paper dries completely and draw on dry paper. The effect will be different, but the illustration can still be wonderful. Now, I really want to add a little from myself, such charming dark spots. I take the thinner brush and draw the body. Usually the paint dries more quickly around the edges, so I start with the wings and then in the center. I add the fluffiness with the fine brush. Now, I take a light brown and draw thin lines. If it's very scary to paint in a wet way, wait until it dries up and draw on a dry using a brush or even a colored pencil. Hardening a couple of strokes here and that's it. Wait until the paper completely dries, to check it gently touch it with your hand, if the paper is dry, you will not feel cold when touched. If so safely, remove the extra pencil lines with a soft eraser. Plus I want to add some clear lines. I add a fluffiness using gets squeezed brush and I add gouache. It seems understandable, but if it's necessary, in my class fluffy fluxes, I show in detail how to do it. That's it, enjoy your illustration. 4. Monochrome Butterflies: Now we will ignore the column and pay our attention on the pattern. These illustrations will be only black and white. If we look closely at the butterflies now we will note that many of them have a clear contrast pattern and they are mainly just black and white butterflies. The same time they are incredibly beautiful and so let's draw them. There is the template for this illustration two. You can download it in the same tab, my project. I prepared a large sheet of paper to draw three butterflies. Before the pencil sketch, I carefully look at the butterfly and notice its shape, looking for geometric shapes. I notice it fits into the trapezium. At the first step, I draw only a simple form. This is where the first butterfly will be. Next butterfly, I will take only half of it, there will be a side view. In this case it looks like a triangle, so drawing a triangle on paper. One more small butterfly here. There is a rectangle for it. When I placed the butterflies on the sheet, and the composition is good, I begin to draw the contour of butterflies, only contours and without patterns. Patterns we will draw later at once [inaudible]. Why do we need this preliminary geometric figures? Why I can't immediately draw butterflies? To find the correct places for all of them on the sheet. It is very sad to realize that the butterfly doesn't have enough space or just needs to be moved when it's almost completely drawn, too much to redraw. It is much more easier to do preliminary work. It is necessary to check whether this line of the middle of the wings is parallel to the line of the top of the wings. I turn the paper over to check the sketch. It looks symmetrical. I proceed to the next butterfly. Remember that the pencil lines should be light to be easily erased. The third butterfly. I turn it over again to check the whole sketch. Go to the bends. Moisten the butterfly inside the contour. Done. Look at the photo. Here there is a lot of black. Take the paint. I have an indigo. Look, watercolor spreads beautifully on the wet paper. It's important there is not a lot of water in the brush because water is in the paper too. If there's a lot of water in the brush the watercolor can spread more than necessary, but at the same time, be read that the watercolor behavior cannot be always predicted. This is kind of charm with watercolor painting. Now, take the thinner brush, I have a liner brush and add some details. Whenever you think it's almost ready just correct the outline where it's needed. If you are afraid to draw there with the brush, use the mark pen, black pen or even pencil. The next butterfly, the sequence of actions is the same. Now, we begin with moistening the paper inside the quanta. The water must be clean, please check it every time. It's convenient to use a separate brush and a transparent container with the clean water for this purpose. I look at the photo and try to repeat the pattern of the wings. Drawing the line and with a paint. I can't see them. The paint will be spread. While the paint is fresh, I'm drawing these strips with the liner brush. I take a smaller brush for the lower wing. Now I correct a contour a little and draw the body. I use a less saturated tone for the body and antennae. The third butterfly, it has an almost black outline, spots below and dark body. As usual, I moisten the paper and gently toning the lower wings using a weak pen solution. Remove the access water. I add a drop of the same solution in the center and then take a rich tone and draw the body. There is an inter tink effect and a thorough body. I make a neat outline, but oops, I over did it. Quickly take the clean squeezed brush and remove the excess paint and draw the wing. Spots, just add the paint in one point and the spot spreads out in different direction. Now let's look at the old picture. I want to fill in some empty places, but don't divert attention from the butterflies. That's what I do, I moisten the empty areas with clean water and add beautiful spots around. I take an additional piece of paper to protect butterflies from splashing and add a little spray. It seems to me that there is too much more than color. It's boring, I want to diversify into this place [inaudible] For example, aiding fluffy hairs to the body. I use wide gauge for these, take the paint and squeeze the brush so that the individual hairs make a mark. When the paper is completely dry, remove the excess lines with the soft eraser. This is okay, there are absolutely no contour somewhere. The human vision is arranged this way that is complete the wing to the own without effort from us. That's what we've got. In the next lesson, we'll see how to add a color to a butterfly and make it even more interesting. Try to draw a variant of butterflies, completely black, fictional, white, with thin veins. Feel free to do experiment. 5. Blue butterfly: Let's draw this pretty blue butterfly. It looks like glowing. To create such an ethic the color background should be fair and light. From the rich tone in the center to the lighter tone by the side. Carefully look at the shape, the wings are on one line then down forming a triangle. We need to fit the butterfly into the triangle. There is a counter template for this butterfly tool. You can download it if you want. I chose the color from the ultramarine blue then Dresden blue. Moisten the paper, I start with a transparent blue tone and add a more saturated tone to the center. Now, the ultramarine, I paint the wings with a fine brush. Do this with quick, bold, and smooth mounds then the lines will be beautiful. The blue background is ready, now I take the small brush for a dark bottom. Create other paint motions and layer the verticals beautifully, spreads out. It is carton paper that allows us to create beautiful smooth color transitions. Fluffy body. On the reference image we can see quite clear oblique lines and a clear boundary between the wings and white spots. All of these I will draw on almost dry paper. It is convenient to use a liner brush for this. A black marker a pen or a pencil are also suitable for this addition. For such [inaudible] , I add volume to the fluffy body. Then I take a wide brush and draw, more hairs. When the paper is completely dry, I erase the extra pencil lines. Our butterfly is done. You can, for example, cut it and have fun. 6. End: That's all. I really hope that you enjoy the class and gain new knowledge and inspiration, of course, for creating your amazing illustrations. I would be happy to see your watercolor class project and get some feedback from you. Please feel free to tag me on Instagram, Banito's_@ and contact with me anyway. See you.