How to Make Stunning Butterfly Art: A Step-by-Step Guide
Learn how to make DIY butterfly specimen art in fun spring colors using simple tools and materials with this easy tutorial.
Hello! This is Kimberly from Bugaboo Creates back again for another project! Over on Bugaboo Creates you’ll see all kinds of projects, from seasonal crafts to larger DIY projects for the home. I also share my love of photography, party planning, and sewing, among other creative works. This butterfly art is a quick project that’s perfect for getting your home decor Spring-ready.
All you need for this cute 3D artwork is some simple tools and materials you probably have at home already.
Want this freebie? Sign up for access to my resource library below.
How to Make 3D Butterfly Specimen Art
Butterflies are a fanciful, colorful part of spring and you can easily bring them inside by making this paper specimen art.
What you need:
- Printer
- White Cardstock
- Exacto Knife
- Colorful, Patterned Scrapbook Paper
- Paper Cutter
- Ruler
- Glue Runner
- 8×10 Frame – minus the glass
- Butterflies SVG Cut File (sign up for my resource library above for this freebie!)
1. Print and Trim the Butterfly SVG
First, download the SVG file and print it from your computer onto white cardstock.
Measure and mark the paper so that your butterfly specimen art is 8 inches by 10 inches and will fit in your frame when finished.
Use your paper cutter to trim off the excess paper.
2. Cut Out the Butterflies
Use your Exacto knife to carefully cut around the wings, WITHOUT cutting the inner part of the wings. Leave the middle intact.
By just cutting the top, outer portion, and bottom of each wing, you can pop the wing up for a 3D effect.
Continue to cut around each wing, leaving the middle or inside parts alone so the butterfly remains attached to the cardstock.
3. Cut and Apply the Scrapbook Paper
One of the things that makes this butterfly specimen art so beautiful is the bright colors you see in the background. To achieve this, pick out your scrapbook paper in four different designs. The more colorful and patterned the better!
Measure around your butterfly – across the top and down from the top to the bottom. Use these two measurements to create a rectangle from each piece of scrapbook paper.
Cut the rectangles from the scrapbook papers using the paper cutter. My rectangles were about 3.5 x 2.5 inches.
With the colorful side up, run your glue runner along each edge of a rectangle.
Flip your butterfly cardstock face down and place a piece of colorful scrapbook paper behind one of the butterflies.
Continue gluing down the remaining rectangles behind the butterflies on the printed butterfly cardstock.
4. Open the Butterfly Wings
Now, flip your paper over and pop up the wings. You can really see your butterfly specimen art starting to take shape!
All of your butterflies are colorful and spring-y with the scrapbook paper coming through!
5. Insert Your Butterfly Art Into A Frame
Take the glass out of your frame. Insert your butterfly artwork.
Use Your Butterfly Art to Decorate Your Home For Spring
It adds a touch of spring to your home decor.
Cute, colorful, and whimsical. Perfect for springtime and warmer weather!
Tips on Making Your Butterfly Specimen Art
- We used store-bought scrapbook paper, but there are so many that you can print out at home like this awesome collection of free scrapbook paper designs.
- Don’t stop at just butterflies! Think of any other designs that could have to pop-out elements. You would just have to arrange them on a page before printing them out.
What’s Next?
Don’t forget to check out a few of these ideas too!
This post was updated in April 2022.
