Butterfly and Flower Tutorials (Oil + Watercolor)

These step-by-step Butterfly and Flower tutorials are some of the most joyful subjects to paint - full of color, pattern, and beauty.

They provide guidance on the skills that matter most for these subjects: clean shapes, glazing/layers, edges, and color harmony.

Quick Links:

Find Butterfly tutorials in watercolor and oils on art by Carol May.

Butterfly Tutorials

A variety of oil and watercolor flower tutorials by artist Carol May.

Flower Tutorials

Start Here: Choose Your Project (30 seconds)

Pick the option that fits you today:

Flower Tutorials

3 Key Skills That Make Butterflies & Flowers Look Beautiful

How to paint an easy butterflyEasy Butterfly (Monarch)
  1. Use values so petals/wings don’t look flat. 
    Start here: Values in Painting
  2. Color harmony + glazing/layers
    Use fewer colors for harmony, then build depth with layers: Glazing with Watercolor
  3. Clean shapes + edges
    Start big and simple. Add the tiny details as a last step. Paint the white spots last on this watercolor Easy Butterfly.

Quick Exercise

Before you paint:

  1. Butterflies: lightly map the largest wing shapes and place the biggest pattern shapes first - before you start.
  2. Flowers: decide your light/mid/dark plan so you don’t lose petal structure.
  3. Do one test swatch: a quick glaze/layer on scrap paper to see how your color deepens and changes after it dries.

Butterfly Tutorials

Common Problems with Quick Fixes

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the Easiest Butterfly to Paint First?

Start with (Watercolor) Easy Butterfly Painting. It’s designed for a clean, confident result / not overwhelming.

How Do I Keep Butterfly Wings Bright (not muddy)?

Use fewer colors, let layers dry, and build depth with transparent glazing rather than over mixing.
Helpful: Glazing with Watercolor

How Do I Make Flower Petals Look Layered?

Use value changes: the petal “behind” is usually slightly darker with softer edges than the petal in front.

Is Glazing Hard in Watercolor?  

No. The key is to let the first layer dry, paint a thin transparent layer and be patient between additional layers.

Next Step:

Choose one tutorial above and schedule a time this week to paint it. 

How to paint watercolor flowers tutorialPaint WC flowers step by step.

Small, regular sessions build skill fast - and these subjects reward practice quickly.

For inspiration, visit:

Recommended supplies:

Choose your next project, get your supplies and ---

Enjoy Painting Your Butterflies and Flowers!



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