I need some feedback. I got the two metal butterflies below. It looks like they did a rust coat, then a variety of colors and I'm not sure if they covered them over. It could also be that they were multicolored and rust knocked off a lot... But they're fairly smooth so I think the former.

Anyway, I'm considering making them stick out a bit more as rust sort of blends in. So the feedback in looking for is to paint... It not to paint. If the answer is to paint... Color suggestions? And in case size matters... Those are 1x6" deckboards for scale.

Those are absolutely beautiful and I love all things butterfly

While I love the pastel color they are now, I'm thinking they would stand out more if they were brighter and when I opened the photo and saw the detail, I was thinking it would be so cool to paint them bright colors - notice how colors was plural? How to achieve that I have NO idea as I have no artistic ability.

Hopefully someone will come along with better details and ideas than my pathetic blubbering

Either way - they are awesome!

I'm with Vic! I love the pastel look, but to stand out they need to be brighter. I think I'd paint them a bright orange or pink. Maybe spray one color, and then add bits of another color to mimic the way they look now. You'd just have to experiment with it. I'm sure they would be beautiful! They are definitely awesome!
Where did you find them?

a quick rush job of a few basic colors as I am on my way out

ok maybe just a few more



maybe spray paint the whole thing yellow , and paint a few others different colors by hand

Kurt - I love all the colors

Oh gosh, I'm the odd man out. I like them the way they are and would be tempted to paint the fence white with a pink border. Kind of like a frame with a mat. I think they are so beautiful though, and would look pretty painted. Put metal art and butterflies together and you have a masterpiece, lol!

They would look fine on a white fence! I don't have anything I could paint white.

You're not odd man out at all -

Painted or not - they are freaking awesome

@krobra

Thanks for the awesome mock up!

Like most of you, I love the muted colors and at first, just thought I'd put them up as is. But anything but garden here is 130 year old brick, metal, and stone work some chain link and privacy fence... Sometimes both! The tallest area of plain light-colored fence is mostly blocked by the tall plants right now (6-12 feet high).

@plantmanager
I got them at a flea market some time ago... Back in the days where one could go to such things.

I love flea markets and thrift shops! I really miss being able to go to them. You found some goodies!

I was thinking you could try Hydro Dipping them too.

https://www.google.com/search?...

Just watched a couple of videos on hydro dipping. That is pretty cool!

That is all I've ever done is see videos on facebook or youtube , but after looking at the faded random like original paint job on the butterfly wings it reminded me of the hydro dipping.

Those hydro dipping vids are mesmerizing!

I was talking more about the shoe , oil based spray paint hydro video , rather then the decal/film versions when I suggested hydro dipping.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

but I have seen some pretty cool decal ones too.

That's what I thought you meant and I'd watched shoe-dipping vids. Not sure what you mean by decal

just printed designs on a special film , cut it to size , lay it on the water surface and after a minute spray it with a activating agent
before dipping your item in the water.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

The shoe vids look cheaper, less equipment intensive, and...well...cheaper.