Make your own exquisite 3D metallic dragonfly art using the free dragonfly templates in this post. Then use them as beautiful ornaments, original wall art, as part of a creative grouping of your favorite things, or as a hand-made metallic dragonfly gift for someone you love!
You can personalize these dragonfly ornaments in your favorite metallic colors—-copper, bronze, rose gold, pewter, silver or gold. And embellish with some sparkly gems.
Leave the wings clear for an ethereal look, or give them some dynamic iridescent shimmer by filling them with pearlescent tinted resin.
Keep reading for step by step instructions—
If you like these dragonflies, you may also like this butterfly art project.
gather these supplies to make your dragonfly art
- Creative Paperclay or other good quality paper clay (a 16 oz package will make 2 dragonflies)
- clay tool (“clean up tool”**) , craft knife, OR old X-acto knife
- non-stick work surface such as a silicone mat or parchment paper
- rolling pin or thick wood dowel for rolling clay
- free dragonfly art templates (download below in Step 1)
- dish of water and an old towel
- sandpaper
- metallic paint (Rustoleum Metallic brand was used for the silver & gold dragonflies on this page)
- strong clear glue (such as Gorilla Clear Epoxy)
- glass beads for eyes
- Epoxy resin and pearlescent powder pigment (optional)
- heat gun or torch to eliminate resin bubbles
- peel & stick transparent adhesive shelf liner –needed only if you use resin– (Duck brand Peel N’ Stick Laminate Adhesive Shelf Liner is used in the examples below)
** A clay “clean up” tool can be found at most craft & hobby stores in the section with clay supplies, or find one online as part of an inexpensive clay tool set like this one.
step 1: download the free dragonfly templates
Download these free dragonfly art templates and print on normal copy paper.
You can scale the patterns larger or smaller by adjusting your printer settings, in order to make dragonflies in sizes different than the ones shown in this post.
Use scissors to cut out the paper templates.
step 2: set up your work space
Set up your work space with a non-stick work surface (such as a silicone mat, parchment paper, slick freezer paper or vinyl sheet), rolling pin or thick wood dowel, clay “clean up” tool or craft knife (an old X-acto knife will also work), small dish of water, and an old towel. Cotton swabs are nice for smoothing hard to reach areas. You’ll also need a resealable container of some type to store leftover clay so that it will not dry out.
step 3: start creating your dragonfly art
Follow the basic steps below for cutting your dragonfly from paper clay. You can substitute alternate patterns and follow the same process to make different styles of dragonfly art.
how to cut the dragonfly from paper clay
First, open the package of Creative Paperclay and remove the clay block.
Next, use the rolling pin to roll the block into a slab approximately 1/4 inch thick (5mm).
Place the wing patterns on top. Use your cutting tool or craft knife to cut along the outside edge of the dragonfly wing templates.
Then continue cutting along the inside
Don’t worry if the edges look a little rough. You can smooth these later.
Remove the paper templates and your wings should look like this–
Now use the tip of your cutting tool to remove the sections of clay inside the wings.
Insert the tool at an end or corner…
Use the pointed tip to lift the clay section….
And then remove it….
Your dragonfly wings should now look like this–
Combine and knead all the leftover clay into a ball, and roll another clay slab to a thickness of 1/2 inch ( 10 mm).
Place the dragonfly body pattern on top, and use your cutting tool to cut out.
Your dragonfly body and wings will look something like this–
If you like, you can embellish the body by cutting out little strips of clay to add at different points along on the dragonfly tail.
Use the pointed tips of push pins or thumbtacks to make two holes in the head section of the body. You can leave the push pins in place until the clay dries, and then remove later to attach eyes.
how to dry your clay dragonfly
There are different ways to dry Creative Paperclay. Choose the one that works best for you–
- AIR DRY INDOORS: This method can take several days, depending upon humidity and temperature and how thick your clay shapes are.
- SUN DRY: If the weather is warm and sunny, you can place your dragonfly outdoors and sun dry it.
- OVEN DRY: The fastest drying method! Set your kitchen oven to the very lowest temperature (such as 170 degrees F). Place dragonfly on the middle oven rack on a baking tray lined with either parchment paper or a non-stick silicone mat. (If you used parchment paper or a silicone mat during the cutting phase, you can simply slide a baking sheet underneath and transfer directly to your oven.) Check every hour until your dragonfly is completely dry.
- PLACE NEAR A HEATER: On a cold day, placing your dragonfly near an indoor heat source like a heater will also dry the clay.
TIP: When the top surface of the dragonfly wings and body feels mostly dry and firm to the touch, carefully flip the pieces over and place them on a wire rack (like the kind used for cooling cookies after baking) so that air can circulate around the clay and allow the underside to dry more quickly. If you are air drying indoors, the clay will usually be dry enough to flip the next day. If you are oven drying, you may be able to flip the pieces after an hour or so.
how to prevent warping
As the clay begins to dry, you may see the wings begin to curve. This happens when the top surface dries faster than the underneath. If you plan to fill the wings with resin, they will need to be as level as possible. You can place the wings between cardboard sheets and then add weight on top (like a stack of books) to press out the curve. Try this only when the clay has dried to a firm state and feels like thick leather.
As moisture evaporates from the clay, the dragonfly pieces will shrink slightly in size.When completely dry, the pieces will feel lightweight but durably hard, and will be slightly lighter in color.
how to smooth your dragonfly
Use 400 grit sandpaper to smooth any ragged edges or rough spots on your dragonfly body and wings.
prime & paint
If you are planning to use a high gloss metallic paint, coat the clay pieces with primer first. After applying the primer, gently sand with a very fine (300 grit) sandpaper to remove any brush strokes or uneven areas before applying the metallic color. Since paper clay is porous, the primer helps to seal the clay surface—-when the metallic paint is applied it will look shinier and more like actual metal. Metallic paints vary in how well they cover, so you may need to apply multiple coats.
step 4: personalize and decorate your dragonfly art
idea 1: make a silver dragonfly with tinted resin wings
first….
Use the process outlined in Step 3 to cut your dragonfly wings and body from paper clay. Dry. Smooth over any uneven places with sandpaper. Then use your favorite metallic paint to coat all the pieces.
how to fill wings with resin
Use a pencil to trace around each wing shape onto the back side (paper backing) of Clear Peel N’ Stick Laminate Adhesive Shelf Liner. (You can find this product online or at stores like Walmart.)
The slick transparent side of the adhesive liner should be face down on your work area. The wings should be facing right side up as shown below.
After tracing, set the clay wings aside and use scissors to cut along the pencil outlines. You should end up with four wing shapes cut from the transparent peel & stick adhesive liner.
Peel away the paper backing, and stick the clear film to the back side of a clay wing.
Adhere a small piece of the peel & stick laminate behind the oval section of the dragonfly body too, the same as you did for the wings.
Press firmly around the perimeter edges of the clear laminate film to make sure that there is good adhesion to the clay wings and body section. You need a good seal to ensure that the resin doesn’t leak underneath. You can also apply clear glue over the edges of the transparent film with a small paintbrush. When the glue dries, it will provide an extra seal/barrier so that none of the resin can escape around the wing edges after pouring.
Next, mix resin. Artresin (a non-toxic, zero VOC, zero BPA resin product) was used for all of the dragonflies on this page. You can find a complete tutorial for working with resin here.
If you want to tint the resin, add a pinch of powdered metallic or pearlescent pigment. Jacquard Pearl Ex Powdered Pigment (Duo Blue Green) was added to the resin cup below.
Place the dragonfly wing sections and body on your work mat with the shiny silver front side facing up. Make sure that your work surface is level so that the resin will spread out evenly once poured.
Pour the resin into each wing section carefully.
Use a heat gun or torch to pop any air bubbles.
Then cover to prevent dust from falling into the resin while wet. Allow the resin to cure and harden for 3 days.
assemble
After the resin has cured, use a strong clear glue such as Gorilla Clear Epoxy or J B Weld Clear Epoxy to attach the wings to the body and add glass beads for eyes.
idea 2: make a gold dragonfly with gems
You can make a gold dragonfly using similar steps to the silver dragonfly.
first…
Cut the dragonfly body and wings from clay. Dry, sand until smooth, and paint with gold metallic paint.
to make wings filled with resin
Follow the same process as for the silver dragonfly above to fill the wings with resin.
Start by using a pencil to trace around the outside of each wing onto the back side (paper backing) of clear peel n’ stick adhesive shelf liner. (Shiny clear side of the paper will be facing down.)
Use scissors to cut along pencil outlines. You will then have 4 wing shapes cut from the peel n’ stick adhesive.
Peel away the paper backing, and adhere the clear laminate film to the back side of each wing. When viewed from the back (see below) the smooth shiny side should be facing up, and the sticky side should be pressed against the clay wing.
Now mix and pour resin.
Use a heat gun or torch to eliminate bubbles. Then cover and allow 3 days for the resin to fully cure.
to make eyes
Push jewelry head pins through the center of two glass or crystal beads.
Use pliers to cut off excess wire.
Then push the end of the wire into the holes at the top of the head (made by the push pins in Step 3). Use a drop of glue to secure.
assemble your dragonfly
Use a strong clear adhesive (like Gorilla Clear Epoxy) to attach wings to body.
Add two small rhinestones or crystal gems to the tail with clear glue.
step 5: display your dragonfly art
Use your 3D dragonfly art to add a little joy to an empty space. You can display your dragonfly in a shadowbox frame or use it with related objects to create a vignette. You can also add a small hook to the back so that it can be hung directly on a wall or used as an ornament.
If you liked the dragonfly art & ornament project above, you might also like this other metallic dragonfly art tutorial which shows how to make the dragonfly wall art below—
And, you may like this butterfly wall art project—
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