Welcome to a colorful and stunning collection of VerbNow – Butterfly coloring pages! On a rainy and free afternoon, what’s better than immersing myself in the vibrant world of coloring?
With amazing designs and some color tools, you can dive into the world of these cute butterflies. Especially, all the butterfly coloring pages are free and printable so you can start a coloring session anytime.
If you feel interested, go with me to learn more about this collection, and surprising knowledge about butterflies.
22 Colorful free printable butterfly coloring pages
In my mind, butterflies always appear with a gorgeous and attractive image. I really love the beauty and freedom of this creature, so this butterfly coloring book is very attractive to me.
You can find from the easy butterfly coloring pages to a little more intricate one from VerbNow’s website. That diversity makes these coloring sheets fit for all ages.
VerbNow put all the illustrations under the US letter size, however, you can adjust to print on A4 paper if you want. Now, let’s have a closer look at this butterfly collection to see how alluring it is.
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Quick steps to download and print free butterfly coloring pages
Do you find any difficulties when downloading and printing free butterfly coloring pages? VerbNow tries to make the process as easy as possible so that you can easily access the collection. To be more specific, you just need to take some simple steps as below:
- Step 1: Browse the collection of free printable butterfly coloring pages and choose any designs you like.
- Step 2: Under the image, there is a red button “Download/Print”, you press on that to open a full-sized image. Now, continue choosing the green “Print PDF” icon under the image.
- Step 3: Now, you can adjust the size of the image and letter. If you want to print, you choose the print icon on the upper left corner. Or you choose the PDF icon (next to the print icon) to download to your devices.
It is so easy, you just need a printer and a phone or a computer to do it. After you print these coloring pages, please only use them for your personal space. Let’s enjoy the coloring journey with beautiful butterflies right away.
How to color a perfect butterfly?
In this section, I will show you from A to Z how to color a butterfly coloring page beautifully. This section will be so valuable for beginners or for parents/teachers who want to teach kids coloring.
Materials Checklist
First and foremost, you can not start if you don’t have enough materials, this checklist will help you.
- Butterfly outline: Make sure you have all the beautiful butterfly coloring pages you want. If you don’t have one, let’s print and download from VerbNow’s website. There are 22 designs for you to choose from.
- Coloring tools: Prepare as many types of coloring tools as you can for a better result. I highly recommend colored pencils for adults and crayons for kids. For a deeper and more professional result, watercolors and markers are good choices.
- Optional tools for blending: Cotton swabs, tissues, blending pencils, or a white pencil for smooth color transitions.
- Scrap paper: You should prepare some scrap papers for testing color combinations and practicing strokes.
Plan your work art
Before coloring, you should take a moment to plan your work art through finding inspiration and choosing a color palette.
You can find inspiration by looking at real butterfly species such as the Monarch or Blue Morpho to mimic their patterns. By observing the real images of butterflies, you can create realistic butterfly coloring pages.
Choosing color palettes is so important which will decide the whole mood of your word art. The choice depends on the butterfly species and your personal preference.
For example, you can choose warm tones for Monarch butterflies by using red, orange or color. With Blue Morpho butterflies, cool tones with the color of blue, green or purple may be appropriate.
Or you just need to flow your imagination and color whatever you want to create a unique masterpiece. Don’t worry, just let your creativity soar with these coloring pages of butterflies.
Coloring techniques for beginners
Don’t worry if you have no idea of how to start coloring butterfly coloring pages. These are some simple techniques for you to get familiar and level up your artwork.
Start with a base
You should begin by lightly applying a base layer of color to the entire wing to form the foundation for designs. Let’s try using soft strokes and ensure the application is even. If you plan to add highlights or specific patterns later, you need to leave some areas blank.
Layering and Shading
Next, you start adding depth to the wings by layering darker shades near the edges, body, or along the veins. Now, you blend these darker tones into the lighter base by reducing pressure on your pencil or using blending tools. It will create a gradient effect that adds a sense of realism.
Patterns and Details
If you’re adding patterns, like spots or lines, use contrasting colors to make them stand out. For instance, you can use black or dark brown for outlining and white for small accents like dots along the wing edges.
You gradually build up the layers, adding details symmetrically on both wings. You should focus on symmetry, as butterfly wings are identical on both sides.
Shadowing and shading
To make the butterfly coloring pages appear more three-dimensional, you can add highlights. You start by lightly shading areas where light would naturally hit, such as the center of the wings or tips.
You can use white or pale yellow for these highlights to enhance their vibrancy. Shadows, on the other hand, should be near the body and at the edges of the wings using darker tones.
This contrast will make your butterfly stand out and appear more lifelike. When coloring the body, let’s stick to darker tones and use small, light strokes to mimic texture. You also can add subtle highlights with white or lighter shades to give the body a slightly glossy look.
Example of coloring Monarch butterfly coloring page
So that you have a clear vision of how to apply all the techniques in your artwork, I will give you an example. In case I want to color Monarch butterfly coloring pages, this is how everything will go.
- Base color: I will start with orange for the wings of the butterfly.
- Edges and veins: I use black for the wing outlines and vein patterns.
- Patterns: Then, I continue adding white dots along the black edges using a white pencil or marker.
- Shading: I deepen the orange near the black areas with a red or darker orange pencil. Blend toward the center of the wings for a gradient effect.
- Body: Finally, I use black for the body, with white dots for accents.
5 craft ideas to do with the finished butterfly coloring pages
To renew your finished butterfly coloring pages, I have 10 craft ideas for you. There are many projects from the simple one to a little more challenging ideas, you can choose what fits you. Now, go with me to expand the fun with coloring pages!
Butterfly-themed keepsakes
If you want a thing that helps you store precious memories or treasured belongings, you can make keepsakes. However, it is not a normal keepsake, you make it unique by using finished butterfly coloring pages.
Before you begin, let’s prepare some necessary things first. You need to have a blank box, acrylic paints, glue, paintbrushes, scissors, sandpaper (optional), your chosen design, box lining material (felt, fleece, or fabric), and decorative elements like ribbon or lace.
- Step 1: You start by lightly sanding the box to smooth any rough edges. Then, you apply a base coat of white acrylic paint to the entire box. This will enhance the vibrancy of your final color. Once dry, you paint the box with your desired color.
- Step 2: Choose your cute butterfly coloring pages and carefully cut it out. Then, you apply a layer of glue to the desired area on the box, position the design, and smooth out any air bubbles. You seal the design with another layer of glue and let it dry completely.
- Step 3: To add a finishing touch, you line the interior of the box with felt, fleece, or fabric. Secure it with glue or craft glue. For the exterior, you can decorate with ribbons, lace, or other embellishments.
Note: To protect your work and give it a glossy finish, apply a final coat of glue to the entire box.
Butterfly coasters
To create unique and personalized coasters, you can repurpose your butterfly coloring pages. It is not too difficult at all, follow my guide to have a special butterfly coaster.
To make a coaster, you will need more than one copy, so let’s create some copies of your artwork. Remember to adjust the size of the copies to fit your desired coaster size. After coloring, you need to cut out four square images from the copies.
Then, you must clean your ceramic coasters with rubbing alcohol to remove any dirt or residue. This ensures a clean surface for the decoupage process.
Now, it’s time to apply glue and place your four cut-out images face down on wax paper. You should apply a generous layer of glue to the back of each image.
Next, you carefully place each image, face up, onto a ceramic coaster. Cover the image with wax paper and use a squeegee to smooth out any air bubbles and ensure a tight bond. Let the coasters dry for at least 20 minutes.
To protect your artwork and make the coasters durable, apply several coats of a clear, hard-coat sealant. Once the final coat is completely dry, your personalized coasters are ready to use.
T-shirt with butterfly logo
Butterfly coloring pages adults usually have intricate patterns which are appropriate to make T-shirt logos.
To create custom apparel from your coloring page artwork, start by coloring your design with markers or colored pencils. You make color copies, and adjust the size to fit your garment.
Now, you cut out the design, leave a border for t-shirts or a circular shape for onesies. You carefully place a hard surface inside the garment and apply a photo transfer medium to the back of the design.
Carefully position the design on the garment, cover with wax paper, and roll to smooth. To remove the paper, you lightly wet it with a sponge and gently rub it off in a circular motion. Finally, you add any final details with fabric paint and trim the onesie if desired.
Butterfly gift bags
You totally can give your gifts a personal touch by upcycling plain paper bags into enchanting butterfly ones. After selecting your favorite butterfly coloring pages, you trim them to fit the front and back of the paper bag. It’s easy, you only need to ensure they cover the desired area.
To adhere to the colorful butterfly designs, you use a strong craft adhesive like glue or double-sided tape. You can ađ a touch of elegance with ribbons, a playful flair with washi tape, or a sprinkle of glitter for a sparkly finish.
These customized butterfly gift bags are perfect for birthdays, holidays, or any special occasion. They not only add a personal touch to your presents but also demonstrate your creativity and thoughtfulness.
Butterfly name plaque
The last craft idea today is to turn butterfly coloring pages into a name plaque. You begin by choosing a sturdy base for your plaque, such as wood or acrylic.
Next, you select your favorite butterfly coloring pages. And then, you carefully cut them to fit the desired size or leave them intact as a vibrant background.
You can use glue or double-sided tape to stick coloring pages to the base. You can decorate the way you want by using stencils, stickers, or hand-painted letters. Now, let’s choose colors and fonts that complement your butterfly designs.
These charming name plaques are perfect for adorning children’s rooms, adding a whimsical touch to gardens. They make wonderful gifts for loved ones and are a delightful way to showcase your artistic talents.
Fun Facts about butterflies
How can you let your kids learn and play at the same time with butterfly coloring pages? You can tell them about these fun facts, it is really helpful for their general knowledge.
- Butterflies taste with their feet: They use taste sensors on their feet to detect if a plant is suitable for laying eggs or feeding.
- They see colors we can’t: Butterflies can see violet light, a spectrum of colors invisible to humans. This ability helps butterflies find nectar-rich flowers easier.
- Caterpillars completely transform: A caterpillar’s body breaks down into a liquid-like state before reforming into a butterfly.
- Some butterflies migrate thousands of miles: Monarch butterflies travel up to 3,000 miles each year from North America to Mexico for winter.
- Butterflies drink from mud puddles: This behavior, called puddling, helps them absorb essential salts and minerals for their health and reproduction.
Conclusion
Butterfly coloring pages provide a perfect blend of creativity and tranquility, making them an enjoyable activity for all ages. With a wide variety of butterfly designs available, you can explore your artistic side. These free printable PDFs butterfly coloring sheets are a convenient and versatile resource for you.