UGHHHHHHHHHH butterflies!!!!!!!!!!

I hate to be mean, but that kinda looks like a very colorful mustache.

haha yea not my personal fave!

LOL! Thay's kindof funny
That butterfly is in a the favorite areas for kids to touch their face, rest their hand on their cheek, rub their snotty nose....

Just thinking... maybe the parent requested it.... I've had weird requests from parents that don't want paint on the eyes.

Maybe...maybe not. Would YOU take a photo of and let other people see (ie the public) work you weren't proud of and willing to do again?

I agree about the thick black lines, especially when the interior color of the wings is a lighter color. The change in color is just so sudden, sharp and drastic it adds a harshness to the whole effect. If you must outline in black, use much thinner more fluid lines. This will also help with making the overall design look lighter and more delicate rather than heavy. Sadly, I don't have any good examples of this on my pc, I just kinda wing butterflies when they are requested (haha, no pun intended). I don't have a set pattern, I feel it inhibits my creativity, and that way I can give ever child their own unique butterfly. But beleive me, that kind of confidence only comes through practice, practice, practice. I think you are actually doing quite well for a beginner, we all start somewhere. In fact, here is my first ever full face butterfly...



Ugh! Now isn't THAT terrible?? See, you've come a long way already! Don't give up!

I have been having the same problem myself lately. I wrote in to the constructive comments thread about it.
I do a different butterfly nearly every time according to face shape and size and the colors they want.
I've found if they are little it's better to break up the lines and just do some swirls etc instead kind of like this little girl

If they are young like to leave the bottom open

If they are older I do them bigger with more detail


All of these were done on the fly - so please don't judge me on the line work.... but as you can see I'm much happier now I don't try to have a standard butterfly. Each one is as unique as each face.
If you try a new one every time your bound to find one you love or at least some elements you will almost always incorporate.
I think you are being pretty tough on yourself, as you can see we all struggle with the butterflies.... and yours are much better then mine were when I started! Keep on keeping on.

This was my first butterfly, completely lobsided, but I'm very proud none the less. I couldn't have done it without the help of this forum, just by looking at other peoples butterflies. Its surprising how much you learn from copying someone and adding your own touches!

Hey, that is pretty! It is different than most I see - me likey
Barbie

I couldn't even find a decent older & newer butterfly for comparison, so we all struggle w/ this. Just keep practicing!

I made a step by step for a butterfly here:

http://www.facepaintforum.com/general-face-painting-f1/step-by-step-butterfly-t2827.htm

Ashley, you're the bomb.

Don't forget to make your own gallery and link it to your profile. I put a posting on how to do this under FAQs

-Metina

Bigger on the top than the bottom, yes, but I also noticed the lines going in from the outside are the same thickness from start to finish. I think it would look better if they were tapered (larger by the edge of the wing, getting smaller toward the inside) and maybe make the lines curved out. Hmmm, to explain better... like make a rounded W at the edge and fill in the triangular shapes. I hope that makes sense.

I hope this does not sound silly, but I look at pictures of real butterflies, and I love tattoo books,have a ton of them, there is always pictures of butterflies.
I also HIGHLY recommend taking a hands on workshop! Many people really need that hands on experience to learn, I know I have had many "ah ha" moments when taking classes:)
Like the others have said
1) you want the lower wings to be smaller than the top ones
2) you need to distinguish the 2 wings
3) start with the side you have the most trouble with
4)my tip would also be, don't cover the whole face with it, i find many [painters make their butterflies way too big, it then over powers the face. if you have a chubby face, it ends up looking even bigger. if it is a petite face, then it all you see is the butterfly!
Hope that makes sense

I think you might get a lot out of this tutorial:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Np3fhl4xhmY&feature=related