In this free art lesson, you'll learn how to draw a Moth (Emperor Moth) step-by-step.

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To draw this Emperor Moth step by step, follow along with the video tutorial below and pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace. You may find it easier to follow the step-by-step drawings below the video. The new lines in each step are shown in red, so you'll know exactly what to draw next. You may want to open the video in a new tab and use both drawing methods. Take your time and draw at your own pace.

The Written step-by-step video tutorial:

For the first few steps, don't press down too hard with your pencil. Use light, smooth strokes to begin.

Step 1: Draw a small oval as a guide for the emperor moth's body or thorax. First make four small marks to determine the oval's height and width. Then connect the marks using curved lines. Sketch lightly at first so that it's easy to erase if you make a mistake.

Step 2: Under the oval, draw a V-shaped line as a guide for the visible part of the moth's abdomen.

Step 3: On either side of the oval, at the top, draw a long, curved, horizontal line as guides for the top part of the wings. The longer you make these lines, the bigger the emperor moth's wings will be.

Step 4: On the sides, draw two lines that slope inward as guides for the sides of the wings. Pay attention to how long these lines are in relation to the moth's abdomen.

Step 5: To finish the guide for the wings, draw a horizontal line at the bottom, and then a vertical line toward the moth's abdomen.

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That's it for the guides! From this point on, press harder with your pencil for a more defined emperor moth drawing.

Step 6: Draw a series of short strokes along the path of the initial oval for the moth's furry thorax. Don't draw the strokes along the bottom edge of the circle. Draw them along the top side of the V-shaped line.

Step 7: At the top, draw a line that curves to the left for the first antenna. The head is hiding behind the thorax. Make the bottom part of the antenna thicker than the top. Draw a series of short lines along the moth's antenna for hair.

Step 8: To the right, draw the moth's other antenna as another line that curves to the right. Make the base of the antenna thicker. Draw a series of short lines along the antenna for extra hair.

Step 9: Darken the top, left guide but make the line curvier for the emperor moth's first forewing. The left tip of this line should dip down. Starting near the middle of the thorax, draw a line that slopes to the lower, left side. Now close off the shape on the left side. The moth's entire forewing should fit inside the top part of the initial guide.

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Step 10: Use the guides on the right to draw the other forewing the same way. Start with the top edge. Curve the outer tip of the line down. Continue drawing the side of the wing as you follow the path of the guides. Draw the lower edge of the forewing as a sloping line that connects to the thorax. Try to draw both of the emperor moth's forewings the same way, but it's okay if they're not perfectly symmetrical.

Step 11: Follow the basic path of the initial guide to draw the moth's hindwing below the forewing. Make the shape curvier. The side and lower edges of the hindwing should overlap the initial guide lines a bit.

Step 12: On the right, draw a curved line along the bottom guide for the visible part of the emperor moth's other hindwing.

Step 13: Draw a small circle inside each wing for the pattern. The circles don't have to be perfect. Emperor moths like this one have a circle pattern on their wings, but you can design yours differently if you'd like.

Step 14: Add more of the pattern on the forewings by drawing a series of short strokes on the sides of the circles. Use short strokes for a furry texture on the emperor moth's wings. The pattern should have a diagonal orientation.

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Step 15: Add more strokes above and below the circles on the hindwing to complete the pattern. The curved lines formed by the short strokes at the top should be smaller than the curved lines at the bottom. Don't draw the strokes too long, otherwise the furry texture on the moth's wings will appear too shaggy.

Step 16: For a cleaner look, erase as much as you can of the initial guide lines. Don't worry about erasing all of the guides. It's okay to leave some behind. Re-draw any final sketch lines you may have accidentally erased.

Final Step: Add some shading to your emperor moth drawing for extra detail. Add a bit of value to the antennae. Leave the top part of the torso bank and use a dark value and a medium value for the rest of it. Vary the pressure on your pencil to get different degrees of tonal value. Use different values to create the pattern on the moth's wings. For a more detailed guide on how to shade, check out this tutorial: How to shade.

Use strokes that go in the general direction of the emperor moth's furry wings. To the right of the first circle, leave a thin area blank between two dark stripes to create a white stripe. Near the bottom of the forewing, draw another stripe the same way: a blank stripe between dark stripes. Use a medium value for the area around the circle and between the top and bottom dark stripes. If you want your moth to be a different species from the emperor moth, shade your drawing differently.

Draw some lines on the lower edge of the forewing. Add a big, dark spot in the middle of the circle and darken its edge. Shade the emperor moth's hindwing using the same technique of applying different values. Shade a similar pattern on the hindwing of two blank stripes surrounded by black stripes with a medium value in the middle. Draw a big, dark spot inside the circle and darken its edge. Draw a series of vertical lines to the entire hindwing.

Use the left side as a template to shade the right side. The wings don't have to be perfectly symmetrical, but try to make them similar. It's a good idea to use reference for a more accurate depiction of the moth you're trying to draw. Certain species of moths are very colorful, so if you'd like, you can color your drawing instead!

As you shade your emperor moth drawing, add the value lightly at first. Gradually make it darker until you're happy with the result. Shading can be time-consuming, so be patient and take breaks. Don't forget to pause the video after each step to draw at your own pace.

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