What Makes Birds and Butterflies a Favourite in Animals Paint by Numbers?

 

Art can record the beauty of the natural world, and few subjects better exemplify that beauty than birds and butterflies. Elegant, colourful, and imbued with symbolism, they have been represented in paintings, literature, and culture for hundreds of years. Today, the appeal of both has led to the emergence of guided painting kits, where they still represent some of the most popular subjects. When considering the plethora of options available in
Animals Paint by Numbers, birds and butterflies consistently take centre stage. Birds and butterflies are very hard for both new and experienced painters to shy away from due to their beautiful colours, symbolism, and easy images to record. 

So, what makes these flying wonders so appealing and why do so many hobbyists use them in their projects? Let's find out! 

A Celebration of Colour

One of the strongest reasons painters are drawn to birds and butterflies is their vibrant palette. From the brilliant blues of a kingfisher to the fiery orange wings of a monarch butterfly, these creatures are living works of art. For painters, working with bold, natural colours is both exciting and rewarding.

Unlike other animals that may rely heavily on shades of brown organdy, birds and butterflies allow for experimentation with bright hues and striking contrasts. Each feather or wing segment provides an opportunity to play with colour combinations, making the process lively and engaging.

For beginners, this wide colour range keeps the painting fun, while for more experienced artists, it provides the chance to practice blending and shading techniques.

Universally Symbolic

Birds and butterflies are iconic across most cultures and are the basis for so much art. Birds are recognised as symbols of freedom, hope, and the link between earth and sky. Butterflies represent transformation and renewal, and the experience and beauty of change as well. 

They are not just something to paint; for some, it could mean so much more. The creation of a butterfly on a canvas may represent someone's growth. A bird in flight to someone else could symbolise their aspirations, independence, or peace. Whatever the feeling, the emotional weight creates more value in the experience and in the painting.

Accessible for Beginners

In part because of their accessibility, birds and butterflies are also very popular! Their shapes are simple enough that beginners can be focused on their work without the prospect of being overwhelmed. For instance, butterflies have symmetrical wings with patterns that should be relatively simple to follow. A lot of birds have simplistic patterns - blocks of colour with bold outlines.

They are perfect for structured painting usages. Beginners feel they have the right balance of simplicity and detail and end up with something that is visually pleasing. And when the subject turns out to be manageable and looks good, you have a satisfying feeling of achievement!

A Perfect Fit for Mindfulness

The process of creating art is often said to be very therapeutic. In addition, if the subject is soothing, such as a butterfly on a flower or a bird on a branch, the restorative effect is even greater. Butterflies and birds have a calming, tranquillising effect, and the process of painting them on a canvas extends that feeling of peace.

Every stroke of paint on a butterfly wing, or each design that is added to a bird's feathering, generates a level of patience and focus. The painter is lost in the work, and forgotten are thoughts of their worries and stress. This mindful work is one of the major reasons that so many people paint for fun in their off-hours, especially with guided kits that help them move forward one step at a time.

Variety Across Styles

With the variety of birds and butterflies, there is no shortage of subject matter for a painter. There are a significant number of species, each with its colouration, shapes and patterns. With birds, there is also so much variety, whether it be a tropical parrot, an exotic hummingbird, a sweet little warbler, or more. Butterflies also vary from tiny, delicate swallowtails to the bold morpho butterflies. There is no shortage of species, forms or colours.

This also means that there are unlimited paint styles, from realistic, where you are replicating every detail of a species, to completely abstract, using painterly and playful colours with exaggeration at the fore. The flexibility of the subject opens doors to long-lasting creative projects.

Popular Choices in Home Décor

Decorative images of birds and butterflies last forever. A vibrant peacock painting, or a dainty butterfly painting, will fit perfectly into any modern, rustic or traditional space. Their appeal to the eye from nature adds a little outdoors to someone's home. It is not surprising that they are more than just painting subjects, butares also often used as framed art.

Many hobbyists would like to display their completed canvas paintings or give them to family and friends. These subjects appeal to a lot of people, giving one a sense of it being both personal and shareable.

Building Skills With Feather and Wing Details

Not only are butterflies and birds easy subjects, but they also provide challenges for development. Given that their wings and/or feathers contain so many detailed features, they require precision and patience to execute. This makes them perfect subjects to practice your brush control and blending process. 

A good example is the pattern on a butterfly's wing - it will often rely on repeating symmetrical shapes. Focusing on the details requires consistency and accuracy. Bird's feathers often require some layering of colour to give softness and depth. Although these challenges are formidable, they are not insurmountable, and they are an excellent opportunity to hone your skills for beginner to advanced painters. 

Emotional Joy in the Process

The pleasure of painting birds and butterflies is partly from the joy they give. For me, beauty has a feel-good vibe; especially working on art projects focused on beautiful things can boost one’s mood immediately. Experiencing joy from seeing a butterfly wiggle by or mimicking feelings of joy based on the thought of a bird’s song-- these experiences are designed to provide comfort. 

Hobby painters share feelings of cheerfulness or motivation when the subject they’re working from is bright, lively and happy. So, take advantage of this positive "net gain" to return to the easel again and again! A hobby that has positive reinforcement is a hobby that will serve you well.

Birds and Butterflies in Paint by Numbers Kits

Birds and butterflies remain perennial favourites in the world of paint by numbers adult kits. The established sections make it easier for hobbyists to replicate their artistic masterpiece, and the strong palettes create an interesting project for painters to participate in. With busy lives, adults wanting to engage in relaxing and creative ways can appreciate the gradual emergence of a bird or butterfly. 

After the project, painters gain satisfaction from displaying a piece of artwork that looks much more complicated compared to the time involved. With this level of success, we often find many people choose birds and butterflies first and then choose to challenge themselves with the more complex designs.

Conclusion

Birds and butterflies are perhaps the most popular subjects in painting kits because there is beauty, symbolism, accessibility, and, of course, fun. Birds and butterflies offer a lot of colour, potential for emotional depth with cultural meanings, and are just simple enough to allow detail, whatever your level of painting experience.

Hobbyists can paint with Animals Paint by Numbers with loads of fun structure included; it is a win-win! Along with the boom in ipaint-by-numbersrs adult kits, people everywhere are noticing how painting life-sized birds and butterflies can add creative, relaxing time in their day.

Ultimately, painting birds and butterflies is more than just putting paint on the canvas outline; it is about connecting with our natural environment, practising being mindful, and enjoying the experience of transforming a blank outline into an explosion of life and colour!