Make a faux stained-glass butterfly using simple supplies: cardstock, glue, black paint, watercolors, and the printable butterfly template provided. This bright, watercolor-painted butterfly makes a lovely spring decoration and is a fun project for older kids and adults. For younger children, an adult can prepare the glued outlines and allow them to paint the dried pieces.
Butterfly Craft
This faux stained-glass butterfly is perfect for spring displays. Painted with vibrant watercolors, the finished butterflies look beautiful hung in a window or strung from the ceiling.
How to Make a Faux Stained-Glass Butterfly
Gather your materials before you begin. You will need: cardstock, white glue (like Elmer’s), black acrylic paint, watercolor paints, paintbrushes, scissors, and the butterfly template.
Download and print the butterfly template onto cardstock. Trace or transfer the template designs onto your cardstock if you prefer to save the original template.
Open a bottle of white glue and squeeze out a small amount if needed to make room in the bottle. Add about a tablespoon of black acrylic paint to the glue, replace the lid, and shake well. Aim for a dark grey or black mixture. If the paint and glue do not combine fully by shaking, use a wooden dowel or chopstick to stir inside the bottle until smooth.
Trace the black glue mixture along each line of the butterfly template to outline the “stained-glass” sections. Work carefully so the lines are continuous and even.
Allow the glue lines to dry completely. Overnight drying is recommended to ensure the glue is fully set.
Once the glue is dry, cut the butterflies out from the cardstock.
Use watercolors to fill in each section created by the black glue lines. The raised glue outlines help keep the watercolor pigments from bleeding into adjacent areas, creating the faux stained-glass look. Experiment with blending shades and layering colors for depth.
Let the watercolor paint dry completely before handling or displaying your butterflies.
To display in a classroom or at home, make two painted butterflies and glue them back-to-back so both sides are decorated. Hang them from clear thread or fishing line to create the illusion of butterflies in flight.
Supplies
- Cardstock
- White glue (Elmer’s or similar)
- Black acrylic paint
- Watercolor paints
- Paintbrushes
- Scissors
Equipment
- Scissors
- Paintbrush
Instructions
- Download and print the butterfly template onto cardstock.
- Open a glue bottle and remove a little glue if necessary. Add about a tablespoon of black paint to the glue, seal, and shake well. Stir with a dowel if needed until the color is even.
- Trace the template lines with the black glue mixture to create the stained-glass outlines.
- Allow the glue to dry completely (overnight is best).
- Cut the butterflies out of the cardstock.
- Paint the sections with watercolors. The black glue outlines will keep colors separated.
- Allow paint to dry completely before displaying.
If you try this craft, consider making pairs and hanging them so they appear to float. This project is simple, colorful, and perfect for seasonal decor or an art activity with older children and adults.
