Butterfly Art: 4th Grade Glue Line Relief

As often as possible, I coordinate art projects with classroom content. Fourth graders begin the school year studying insects and making bug boxes, so their art instruction starts with glue line relief butterflies.

Materials: Pictures of butterflies, various sizes of firm cardboard, white glue (I use Tacky glue), glue sticks, heavy-duty foil, Sharpie markers, pencils

Direct Instruction Background:

1. Review insect parts: head, thorax, abdomen, antennae, six legs, compound eyes, four wings
2. Have students define symmetry and identify its role in the project’s design.

Project Procedure ~ Students should:

1. Select a butterfly picture.
2. Choose a piece of cardboard conducive to the butterfly’s design. (Elongated? Square?)
3. Draw the butterfly onto the cardboard. Include a background design.
4. Trace the design with glue. Put the project on a drying rack until the next class period.

Once the white glue outline is dry, students: 
5. Use a glue stick to cover the cardboard with glue.
6. Place a foil sheet onto the cardboard. Gently rub to define the butterfly. Fold excess foil over the back.
7. Use a dull pencil to fill the colored spaces with patterns. (If students are running behind, they can skip this step. Notice in the first and third butterfly pictures, students colored over their pencil texture patterns. However, in the second picture,  the student further defined the stripe and zigzag pencil patterns with color.)
8. Color with Sharpie Markers. (I allow students to use any colors they choose, but ask them to color symmetrically.)

This year, my goal is to add in an additional step: Make prints of the butterflies, with water soluble printing ink, before students cover with foil.

The designs, bright colors, and textures make these butterflies eye-catching display pieces.