Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly with Colorful Wings Coloring Page

Leaves and wings overlap across the middle of this sheet. A butterfly opens its wings wide, and behind and across them a spray of long pointed leaves fans out in every direction, each carrying a central rib and a few side veins. The wing surfaces divide into long tapering cells. A line of small crescent marks follows the outer edge of each forewing, and the hindwing rims carry a border of round dots.

Because the leaves cross in front of the wings in places, the first decision is which layer sits on top.

Settle that with color rather than with line. Give the leaves one consistent green wherever they appear, including the sections that cut across a wing, and the eye will read them as a single plant lying over the insect. If you would rather the butterfly dominate, do the opposite and keep the leaves pale and nearly uniform. Either choice works on this drawing. Making no choice at all is the one result that looks unfinished.