I saw this really cool technique on TikTok and had to try it myself. Her video was a lot more satisfying and turned out way better than mine did, but it was still fun to try. I think with more practice, itβll be exactly how I pictured it!
I used:
11βx14β canvas
1 thick piece of paper (construction paper works well)
Acrylic paint (5 colors)
Popsicle sticks
Chalkboard paint
Pencil
Paint brushes
Mod Podge
To start out, I painted the whole canvas with my pink chalkboard paint and let it dry. When it was fully dry, I sketched out a simple butterfly shape. The technique is pretty simple, but making it look good may take a few tries. I shook up my paint and used the popsicle sticks to fill in the spaces on the wings. The paint I chose had holes in the lid to pour, so I could have used those but the popsicle sticks felt more precise. The paint should be fairly runny but not so thick that itβs running together just sitting on the canvas.
To get the wing like pattern, I cut a piece of paper to cover each wing. Doing one wing at a time, I placed a piece of the paper on the paint, lightly pushed it down, and peeled it up towards the inner body. For example: I peeled the paper off the top right wing down and to the left. I think I made my lines a little too thick because they definitely didnβt turn out how I wanted them to, so I used my finger to smear it a little more. Again, itβs not perfect but art isnβt meant to be! Itβs meant to be fun π
Once my wings were dry, I used black paint to make the body of my butterfly and write in my words at the bottom. Then I carefully went back through with my pink chalk paint and fixed up any messes and spills. When everything was dry, I covered everything with a layer of mod podge so it would be protected.
I made this to hang in my best friendβs babyβs nursery. When I looked at it for the first time, Iβll be honest I was a little disappointed in how it turned out. But then I realized how hard I was being on myself. It is a gift from Aunt Becca and made with love, not a professional artist. With all of that in mind, I thought it was important to show you all that art is meant to be from the heart, not perfect π As always, if you take any fun pictures of any crafts, tag me on Instagram @SmileMakePeopleWonder and use the hashtag #DandelionSmiles. Donβt forget to subscribe so you donβt miss out on the next exciting idea.
Dandelion Smiles 