A butterfly is not just a beautiful fluttering insect, but also a symbolic creature. Many people associate butterflies with the ease of life, purity of soul, and the desire for transformation. Therefore, the image of these winged insects can be found everywhere - on clothes, accessories, and in interior decor.
The easiest way decorate your apartment with a butterfly image - cut it out of paper. The finished cutout can be used in different ways, for example, stick it on the wall or hang it from the ceiling. In addition, cutting out figures using templates is an excellent option for training children's hand motor skills.
Tools
To cut out figures from paper, you will not need the most extensive set of tools. But it is important that all of them are of sufficient quality - this way the work will be faster and easier.
There are several ways to cut a butterfly out of paper:
- using scissors - the main thing is that they are sharp;
- a stationery knife - it is useful for those templates where there are many small and rounded details;
- a special paper cutter - usually sold in sets with different replacement blades;
- a paper cutter can be replaced with a wood cutter;
- An unusual but effective method is to use a scalpel.
Simple templates can be cut out using scissors. It is better to take those intended for scrapbooking - they are comfortable to hold in your hand, they are quite sharp.
As for the other tools, they should be used with extreme caution due to the sharpness of the blades. This is especially true when doing creative work with children.
To cut out butterflies you will also need:
- pencil or marker for drawing the outline;
- tracing paper or carbon paper, if you need to redraw the image;
- cutting mat, thick cardboard, plywood sheet, or cutting board (if the template is cut with a cutter).
In many stationery stores and handicraft workshops you can find special thick stencils with various designs for sale. Several types of butterflies can be placed on one such stencil.
Another important step is to choose paper for cutting out butterflies. For children's creativity, it is worth choosing brightly colored options, but thick enough so that the child does not tear the template with an awkward movement. For more meaningful creativity, you can buy unusual materials.
The butterfly can be cut out of the following types of paper:
- standard office paper;
- colored paper for children's creativity and colored cardboard;
- corrugated paper of different types;
- wallpaper with interesting prints;
- wrapping paper;
- newspapers and magazines.
To practice your skills, you can use the paper you already have at home – wallpaper scraps, unnecessary magazines, leftover paper from gifts. Although these materials can sparkle with new colors in the hands of a person with design thinking.
Paper and cardboard for children's creativity should be of high quality (even better if you can find out about the certification of these products). Colored sheets should not "fade", staining the child's hands, have an unpleasant chemical smell, or tear easily.
Master class
For those who are just starting their creative path, it is easiest to use detailed master classes. The first template should be simple, one on which you can feel the paper, get used to the scissors in your hand or another tool.
With scissors
You can cut out a butterfly from paper in several very simple ways. For them you will need paper, a pattern template and scissors.
First method:
- A sheet of paper is folded in half;
- On the resulting half, draw a butterfly wing (the part adjacent to the body should be located on the fold of the paper), half of its body, one antenna;
- The drawing is cut out along the contour;
- The cut out fragment is straightened out - a whole symmetrical butterfly is obtained.
This method can be used to cut out not only butterflies, but also any other symmetrical figures and shapes. The same principle works when cutting out snowflakes - those who are good at such ideas can include the contours of a butterfly in a paper snowflake.
Second way:
- Draw the outline of the butterfly on paper completely. This can be done using a transfer method - through a computer monitor or smartphone screen, using carbon paper or tracing paper (thin baking paper);
- Use scissors to poke a hole in the widest part of the template (for example, in the center of the design or on one of the wings);
- Cut a "path" to the outline in a straight line;
- Start cutting out the butterfly along the drawn outline from this very place.
Both of these methods are suitable for cutting simple butterflies from paper or not too thick cardboard.
From corrugated paper
It is also very easy to cut a butterfly out of corrugated paper, but such a craft will look spectacular. Here, in addition to the material and scissors, you will need a thread and a needle, or simple floss (if the paper thickness allows).
The principle of operation is as follows:
- A 10x7 cm rectangle is cut out of corrugated paper. The size may vary depending on the desired result;
- The rectangle is gathered in the center like an accordion (for convenience, you can use a needle);
- A knot is tied in the center;
- Next, the resulting butterfly base is folded in half;
- The future wings are placed tightly against each other, all folds are straightened out;
- From the upper edge of the wings, 2 strips are cut off - the future antennae;
- In an improvised manner, the wings are cut to the desired shape (you can also use a ready-made template);
- The butterfly straightens out, the antennae curl into tubes (they can also be curled into a spiral).
After straightening the wings, they can be slightly bent in the desired places, giving the craft more volume. Before starting to work with paper, you should understand in which direction you can stretch the material, how to give it a concave shape.
You can also make such a butterfly multi-layered - for example, two large wings and two smaller ones on top.
In the style of vytynanka
Vytynanki are openwork contour figures and pictures cut out of paper, thin cardboard or foil. And although the name of the technique is not so common, many are familiar with it. The simplest example is snowflakes.
You can only cut out a butterfly from paper in the vytynanka style with a sharp cutter or a stationery knife. In this case, you will definitely need a backing in the form of a material that will not be damaged by cuts. A special backing, a vegetable cutting board or a thick cork board will do.
Step-by-step master class on cutting out a butterfly-vytynanka:
- Select a sheet of paper of the required size and thickness (beginners can practice on simple A4 office sheets);
- Print or transfer the butterfly template you like onto paper. For your first work, choose a design with larger, openwork details;
- Place the sheet with the template on the backing, secure it (with pins or small pieces of tape) on all four sides;
- Cutting out the template starts with the smallest details, then moves on to the larger parts and finally to the outer contour;
- The cutter should be held at an angle of approximately 45°, so that it is comfortable. The cutting line is carried out continuously from point to point.
It is important that the table for work is comfortable - the working hand should have support, the light should illuminate the entire area of the drawing. There should be no deep shadows on the table during work, this will prevent you from seeing the outline of the template well.
In addition, you need to position your hands correctly when cutting out such pictures. The working hand, in addition to the support point, should minimally touch the drawing. Also, do not lean the palm of your other hand on the cutting - the paper can get dirty or accidentally tear.
If you stick such an openwork butterfly on a window or lampshade, its shadow will appear on the walls with an interesting effect. Such decorations are suitable for children's room interiors or for creating a special atmosphere during holidays.
A butterfly in this style can be used for a handmade card. Moreover, you can either cut out the outline of the insect in the center of the card cover or create a butterfly that extends beyond the rectangle, as if flying away into the distance.
Original ideas
Even a butterfly cut out using the simplest template can be made original in several ways.
For example:
- creating multi-layeredness;
- using unusual paper;
- using a butterfly in an original way.
Layering is what will add volume to any cut out shape. To achieve this effect, you can use two identical wing templates, identical wings of different sizes, or completely different butterfly templates attached to each other.
As for the use of unusual paper, the ideas here are limited only by the master’s imagination.
Here are some good ideas:
- Newspaper sheets with a large amount of text. If you have really old or foreign newspapers on hand, this will make the cut-out butterfly figure original and allow you to use it in scrapbooking or interior design.
- Glossy magazines with bright photographs, drawings, patterns. In addition to unusual prints, the butterflies will also have a pleasant texture and glossy shine. Magazine sheets can be given additional volume by pressing in the right places.
- Craft paper is one of the most popular materials for crafts. Butterflies made from it will acquire a special vintage style. In addition to cut-out details, you can add lace, pearl beads, calligraphy elements.
The resulting beautiful and unusual paper butterflies can be used in various ways. For example, create a composition on the wall - multi-layered cutouts will look especially impressive.
Another option is to decorate flowers on the windowsill with paper butterflies. They can also be hung on threads or fishing lines from a chandelier or used to create a weightless original curtain.
Butterflies cut out of thick paper can be attached to clothes or accessories. For example, on a girl's dress during a matinee - any little princess will love such an accessory. You can also use butterflies on a headband or shoes.
Video about cutting out butterflies from paper
How to cut a butterfly out of paper: