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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.

Learn how to make DIY butterfly specimen art in fun spring colors using simple tools and materials with this easy tutorial. #butterflies #wallart #TheSummeryUmbrella #LZCathcart

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.

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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:

1. Print and Trim the Butterfly SVG

First, download the SVG file and print it from your computer onto white cardstock.

butterfly svg printed on 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.

butterfly art getting cut from cardstock

Use your paper cutter to trim off the excess paper.

butterfly art getting cut from cardstock

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.

butterfly art getting cut from cardstock

By just cutting the top, outer portion, and bottom of each wing, you can pop the wing up for a 3D effect.

butterfly art getting cut from cardstock

Continue to cut around each wing, leaving the middle or inside parts alone so the butterfly remains attached to the cardstock.

butterfly art getting cut from 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!

scrapbook paper in 4 different patterns

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.

measuring rectangles on scrapbook paper

Cut the rectangles from the scrapbook papers using the paper cutter. My rectangles were about 3.5 x 2.5 inches.

a paper trimmer is being used to cut rectangles out of scrapbook paper

With the colorful side up, run your glue runner along each edge of a rectangle.

using a glue runner on scrapbook paper

Flip your butterfly cardstock face down and place a piece of colorful scrapbook paper behind one of the butterflies.

the backside of cardstock after glueing scrapbook paper

Continue gluing down the remaining rectangles behind the butterflies on the printed butterfly cardstock.

the backside of cardstock after glueing scrapbook paper

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!

printed butterflies on colorful scrapbook paper

All of your butterflies are colorful and spring-y with the scrapbook paper coming through!

colorful spring butterfly specimen art made from scrapbook paper

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

Learn how to make DIY butterfly specimen art in fun spring colors using simple tools and materials with this easy tutorial. #diy #decor #TheSummeryUmbrella #LZCathcart

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.

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