How To: Butterfly/Dragonfly Yard Art
Seven Steps to Making Your Yard Take Flight
Spring is around the corner and so are blue skies, warm days and enjoying the beautiful scenery around us. With the heat also comes bugs and insects and while that may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I’m excitedly anticipating an abundance of critters. While growing up on the east coast, I would catch dragonflies and lightening bugs as the sun went down, admiring their beauty. I’d always release the insects after creating a piece of art in their likeness, and it became a sunset tradition. This evolved into a passion for collecting all things insects, including my own personal creations.
Sometimes we want to be crafty but either are not the crafty type or it’s hard to muster up the creativity. That’s why I love finding tutorials to help with motivation. DIY Steel wants to do the same for other fellow crafters. That’s why this blog will frequently showcase easy projects that even the uncrafty type can complete, while still feeling satisfied!
With spring comes awe-inspiring insects, and we have created two beautiful designs in the likeness of the change in weather. You can pick between a dragonfly or a butterfly, or design both! It’s really easy, and as simple as these seven steps:
- Materials:
- Butterfly or Dragonfly Cutout
- 1 Rod (6” or 12”)
- Paint of your choice
- UV Reactive Sealer
- Epoxy
- Tools:
- Rubber Mallet [Avoid using a hammer as it may damage the panel]
- Any type of thick gloves
- Pliers
- Degreaser
- Time Required:
- approximately 2-3 hours
Step One:
Decide on your cutout. We have both the butterfly and dragonfly design at DIY Steel. (picture 1 & 2) Notice the 2 circles on each end of the cut out.
Step Two:
Decide on the length of your rod. We have 6” and 12” rods to choose from. (picture 3)
Step Three:
Prime your cutout with a white or gray base, then paint your cutout. If you are using acrylic paint for your design, I suggest you prime it with a layer of white acrylic paint to give the metal a nice porous finish. This allows the acrylic paint to stick better and will not leave a streaky finish. Once primer is dry, design your cutout. (Picture 4)
Step Four:
Once your design is dry, grab your pliers and bend both circles (picture 5) towards the back of your cutout. Make sure to get the circles as straight as you can. (picture 6) This will help with sliding the rod through. (Take care to gently move the metal circles. If manipulated too much you risk breaking off the circle).
Step Five:
Take your rod and slide it through the top of your circle. You should be able to slide it through both circles with no problem. Decide where you want your cutout to sit on your rod. (picture 7 & 8) It will be slightly loose on your rod.
Step Six:
With the cutout on the rod, use your pliers to push the circles away from each other. (picture 9 &10) This helps create a tight barrier between the rod and cutout so that it doesn’t move. If you need some extra support, you can add a drop of epoxy to each end of the circles.
Step Seven:
Stick it in your garden and become the talk of your neighborhood with your very own butterfly and dragonfly yard art!
