Easy Vintage Butterfly Decoupage Art

DIY decoupage art is such an easy way to create custom art projects for your home. This Easy Vintage Butterfly Decoupage Art is shockingly simple to make, yet creates a gorgeous display for your home.

You might remember this hanging canvas I came across while thrifting a while back, and how I turned it into gorgeous Blue Heron wall art for my screened porch.

This post is sponsored by Dixie Belle Paint Company. Paint and supplies have been generously provided, but all ideas and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

Vintage Butterfly Tissue Decoupage Paper

I had been waiting patiently for Dixie Belle’s newest tissue decoupage paper to arrive in this gorgeous vintage butterfly print.

Since the back of my Blue Heron canvas was blank, I decided to turn it into a 2-for-1 art project!

This was prime real estate just waiting for more creativity, and I knew these vintage butterflies would make a stunning display.

How to Make Your Own Easy Vintage Butterfly Decoupage Art

Clean

If you’re upcycling an old canvas or painting, be sure to give it a good clean before beginning. I used my favorite Pristine Clean from Dixie Belle.

Obviously, if you are starting your piece of art with a new canvas, you won’t need this step.

2. Choose Your Art Print

The next step is to decide what art to feature on your DIY canvas art piece.

Dixie Belle Paint Company has several gorgeous patterns these that would be perfect for this project– landscapes, vintage prints, florals, and more!

Tips for choosing your print:

• consider where you will hang your own wall art (living room, dining room, guest room, laundry room) and choose a color scheme that will work in that space
• make a seasonal piece of art, and choose a print with an appropriate color palette
• choose a print with your favorite colors, or the colors of your home decor
• for a modern look, use a print with a geometric pattern
• create an abstract painting by mixing and matching various decoupage mediums like tissue paper, wrapping paper, even paper napkins! 
• you could even make this project using a favorite photo–just be sure to print it out on regular printer paper and not photo paper

3. Size Your Print Appropriately

You will want to fit your print to match the canvas you’re using for your project.  You may have to cut it to the right size, and it’s fine if it doesn’t completely fill the canvas.  The Mod Podge will help it blend in.

4. Mod Podge

Once you’ve decided upon your print or decoupage paper, you’re ready to attach it to your canvas.

The first step is to pour as much Mod Podge as you think you’ll need to cover about 1/4 of your canvas.   Just pour it directly onto the canvas and smooth it out into an even layer using a paint brush.  Be sure to get it all the way to edges of the canvas.

Next, lay your print on top of the Mod Podge and use your hand to smooth out any big wrinkles or bubbles.  There will be some creases or wrinkles–it’s just the nature of decoupaging.  Plus, it adds to the vintage vibe of the piece.

I applied a generous amount of Mod Podge, aligned the tissue paper with the canvas, and gently smoothed with my hands.

​At this point, the Mod Podge may still be a bit opaque, but as it dries, it will begin to clear up.

Double-Sided Art

It takes about an hour for your project to dry and then you’re all set to hang it. See, I told you it was easy!

Two different options that you can switch as easily as flipping it over!

If you want to make your own art similar to this, here are some canvas ideas:

• Amazon sells these very reasonably-priced hanging scroll canvases in different sizes
• You could purchase a blank canvas from a craft store, or these canvas boards from Amazon
• You could make your own DIY scroll similar to how I did in this DIY vintage art project
• You could even use an old painting or canvas and cover it up using this decoupage technique for a whole new look! Look around at thrift stores or maybe you even have one in your basement!

Vintage Butterfly Display

Once your project is finished, styling it to look lovely in your home is part of the fun!

I created this gorgeous vignette in my office that looks almost like someone was here studying butterflies.

Fun fact: Did you know that someone who specializes in the study of butterflies and moths is called a lepidopterist? Me neither.

After creating my vintage butterfly art, I had a few scraps of decoupage paper left.

Rather than waste them, I carefully cut around a couple of the butterflies and laid them on the book along with the magnifying glass.

It looks almost as if they had been pressed and preserved within the pages.

These antique books are family heirlooms, so I certainly didn’t want to harm them in any way. Displaying them like this allows me to enjoy them in a new way, rather than keeping them packed away in a box.

Creating art doesn’t have to be difficult or challenging. It’s something anyone can do. And yes, decoupage art is still art.

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This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.

• Pristine Clean
• Chalk Mineral Paint– Fluff
• *Vintage Butterflies Decoupage Paper
• Gondola and Landscape Decoupage Paper
• Floral Ballerina Decoupage Paper
• Moonshine Metallics Paint
• Dixie Belle Artist Brushes
• Dixie Belle Paint Brushes

More Projects You Might Like:

• Odds & Ends with Dixie Belle Paints
• How to Paint Old Picture Frames