This swallowtail gets its name from the yellow and black markings that remind us of a tiger, while the projections from its hind wings resemble the tails of swallows.
Although this butterfly can float high above the trees, it is most frequently found in gardens drinking nectar from lilacs, butterfly bushes, or other flowers.
The tiger swallowtail is the state butterfly of several Eastern states. With its bright colors and 4.3-inch wingspan, it is a favorite of collectors.
More than half the life of this butterfly is spent as a caterpillar or pupa. As an adult, it survives about a month, drinking nectar and laying eggs.
You will need:
- Sketch paper
- Bristol paper
- Ruler
- Prismacolors
Drawing tip: The grainy look of colored pencils can be changed by burnishing. After laying down your color, go over it with heavy pressure of a white pencil. Then re-layer with your color.
- On sketch paper, let’s start with the most important elements of a drawing—shape and proportion. An aid to this proportion begins with a 5” x 7” rectangle, followed by diagonal, horizontal, and vertical lines. Use these to place a triangle on which to build your butterfly. Then sketch in your flowers. Lightly trace the sketch onto Bristol paper. Fill in the yellow markings and then burnish.
- Fill in the yellow markings and then burnish.
- Add the black markings. As you burnish these, be careful not to drag black into the lighter areas.
- For smooth blending on the flowers, layer pink over white. Then touch with red near the centers. To show that the flowers on the right are more distant, keep details sketchy.
- Continue developing the flowers, giving yellow centers to the ones on the left. Color the foliage on the flowers with a blend of blue, yellow, and green.
- As you finish your butterfly, keep in mind the body of the butterfly is fuzzy. This means you will avoid harsh lines.
