How to paint beautiful watercolor butterflies using the rubbing alcohol technique for the decorations on the butterfly wings. This is a fun art idea for kids of all ages, and adults, too!
Updated April 2021
One of our favorite watercolor techniques is rubbing alcohol on watercolors.
We don’t use it as much as salt on watercolors, just because it’s a bit more of a commitment and a tad smelly. But the rubbing alcohol has such a dramatic effect on the wet watercolor paint, repelling it and leaving a perfect, lighter circle wherever we drop it. It’s mesmerizing!
So, the other day, we used this watercolor technique to create patterns on butterfly wings. We also used it to make bubbles in water, stars and lightning bugs in the night sky, decorations on hearts and flowers, and even some abstract art.
Here’s a brief video showing the rubbing alcohol technique in action as we painted watercolor butterflies and other artworks.
Watercolor Butterflies with the Rubbing Alcohol Technique
MATERIALS
- Liquid watercolors*
- Paint brushes
- Watercolor paper or card stock
- Rubbing alcohol (you can get this for super cheap at the grocery store or drug store)
- Droppers or pipettes
*You can also use watercolor cakes, but if so, be extra generous with the water so that the paint is pretty liquid.
Here is the link for the 6 cups in a base that is shown here holding our watercolor paints. We have a couple that we use all the time and love for liquid watercolor projects!
INSTRUCTIONS
- Paint the butterfly wings
Use the paint brush and liquid watercolors to paint the wings of the butterfly freehand . Be generous with the watercolor paint.
- Add drops of rubbing alcohol
Use the dropper to add drops of the rubbing alcohol on the wings where you want the decorative dots.
- Paint the body and antennae of the butterfly
And repeat with more butterflies!
Sometimes the watercolors all bleed together a bit when using wet on wet watercolor like this, which can look really cool.
You can use this rubbing alcohol technique to create all kinds of beautiful effects on your paper: tentacles on an octopus, bubbles in water, a night sky, abstract art, or anything else you like! You and your children will want to keep coming back to this fun watercolor option!
Want another fun butterfly painting idea? Try Butterfly Symmetry Paintings!
More Watercolor Ideas for Kids
- 7 Watercolor Techniques for Kids
- 12 Awesome Watercolor Art Activities for Kids (+ A Free Printable Guide!)
- 6 Amazing Watercolor Resist Techniques To Try With Kids
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9 Comments
Debbie
June 17, 2018 at 12:05 pmCan you use this technique to paint on fabric?
Jean Van't Hul
June 18, 2018 at 4:18 amHi Debbie – I’m not sure. If you wanted to try this on fabric, I’d try a different kind of paint or dye that is permanent (liquid watercolors aren’t) and then I’m not sure how that different kind of dye/paint would interact with the rubbing alcohol. It might be worth experimenting, though! If you do, I hope you’ll come back here and leave a comment telling us what worked and didn’t work.
Good luck!
Jean
Lynn Morgan
June 18, 2018 at 3:20 pmRubbing alcohol has a cool effect when applied to Sharpie on fabric.
Jean Van't Hul
June 19, 2018 at 5:01 amAbsolutely, Lynn! Have you tried Sharpie tie dye? It’s one of our favorites!
Here’s a post about it: https://artfulparent.com/sharpie-tie-dye-comfort-pillows-from-crafting-connections-magazine/
Rebecca
June 22, 2018 at 7:20 pmWhat is that container you pour the watercolors in for kids to be able to dip brushes? Link?
Jean Van't Hul
June 23, 2018 at 6:03 amHi Rebecca, It’s a set of watercolor cups in a base sold by Discount School Supply. Here’s the link: https://www.discountschoolsupply.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?product=2805&Category= I haven’t seen anything like it anywhere else. We’ve had a couple of them for years and use them all the time!
Alexandra
June 29, 2018 at 4:06 pmHi Jean!
Thank you for the wonderful tutorial! I was wondering if tempera paint would work as a substitute for the liquid watercolor?
Jean Van't Hul
June 29, 2018 at 11:24 pmI don’t think so, Alexandra. But if you don’t have liquid watercolor, you could use a set of watercolor paints in palette or watered down food coloring.
Libby
October 4, 2018 at 7:08 amWhere do you get the tray that is very helpful