Perfect Symmetrical Wings Hack! Loose Watercolor Moth Tutorial 🦋✨, by Watercolor Tips on YouTube. 3 min 51 s.
- Video length
- 3 min 51 s
- Time to do it
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Fold a sheet of scrap paper in half. Draw one half of a moth wing along the fold, running from the body edge out to the wingtip.
Cut along your pencil line through both layers, then unfold the paper. You now have a matching pair of wings and a reusable template.
Place the template on your watercolor paper and hold it flat. Trace the outline lightly with a pencil, then flip the template over and trace the second wing so the two sides match.
Wet the inside of both wing shapes with clean water using the large brush. Leave the narrow body area dry so the wings stay separate.
Load the brush with your main color and drop it into the damp paper, letting it spread on its own. Repeat on the second wing with the same amount of paint.
Add a second and third color while the paper is still shiny. Tip the paper slightly to blend the edges, then stop before the colors turn muddy.
Switch to the small brush and paint dark accents along the wing edges and next to the body. Mirror each mark on the opposite wing as you go.
Let the painting dry completely, then add fine details: thin vein lines, spots and two antennae. Paint the fuzzy body with short strokes of a darker color.
Erase any visible pencil lines once the paper is bone dry, working gently so you do not lift the paint.
Tips and common mistakes
Cut the template a little smaller than the final wings, because water spreads past the outline.
Wet the paper until it has a dull sheen but no standing puddles, or the colors will bleed together.
Use small sharp scissors and cut away from your fingers, turning the paper rather than the blade on tight curves.
Test your color mixes on scrap paper first so you do not overload a wing with too much pigment.
Questions
Can I use this paper stamp method for butterflies?
Yes. Cut a butterfly half wing along the fold instead and follow the same tracing and wash steps. The mirroring works the same way for any insect with matching wings.
What watercolor paper works best?
Cold press paper around 140 lb (300 gsm) handles the water without buckling. Lighter sketching paper will curl and the washes will dry unevenly.
Do I have to draw the moth freehand?
No. The folded template does the drawing for you, so you only need to trace and paint. That is the point of the paper stamp trick.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
