I have been waiting to make this season-inspired button tree wall art for over a year. I saw a gorgeous painting that inspired me, but I kept putting it off because I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do with it once I was done.
I knew the colors wouldn’t match the decor in my home, but when I decided to rent studio space outside my home, I knew it was finally time to put paintbrush and button to canvas. This button tree wall art is one of my all time favorite pieces.
4 Seasons Button Tree Wall Art
While I have always known that crafting makes me happy, I’ve become much more aware since moving into this studio less than a month ago. Painting is definitely my happy place, and adding little details just to enhance the final product makes my heart sing.
Sounds corny, yeah? Doesn’t matter, it really is the way I feel. When I was working from home I was constantly distracted by one thing or another. Letting the dog out, throwing laundry in, cleaning this or that, running an errand… here I don’t have those distractions. Here I work. I create. I am inspired.
I also love the fact that I don’t have to worry about someone taking my scissors or my glue, someone doodling on important patterns, or people piling folded laundry, mail and other junk on my craft table.
I can leave my camera and tripod set up and there’s no worry that the dog will knock it over. My cats aren’t here to walk in wet paint or steal a craft I’m working on to take it to wherever the socks go. No. This is my place. :)
If you would like to have a look around my studio space, I have a studio tour here.
In fact, if you do follow on Instagram, then you probably saw all these pictures while I was working on this button tree wall art project.
In a couple of these photos you can see my cute little yellow Keurig
. I love it! Perfect for single serves and you don’t have to store water in it. So it’s really great for those that don’t partake that often.
I wanted to create a painting that depicted all four seasons, and I was originally inspired by this gorgeous painting by Etsy seller QiQiGallery. She has a really amazing style, turning beautiful painted swirls into leaves on her tree art. I decided to make my a bit different by making my end piece vertical while hers is horizontal, and I used buttons for my leaves. Be sure you check out her shop, so many beautiful things!
I decided on green for spring, pink for summer, yellow for fall and blue for winter.
For this project you will need the following supplies:
- 4 (14×18) canvases
- Clear Gel Tacky Glue
- Buttons (shades of green, white, shades of pink, red, orange, shades of yellow, shades of blue)
- Toothpick
- Clear sealer spray (matte finish)
- Command Strips
Americana Paint:
- Sour Apple
- Bright Green
- Whispering Turquoise
- Indian Turquoise
- Moon Yellow
- Marigold
- Royal Fuchsia
- Spice Pink
- Traditional Burnt Umber
- White
I started out by sketching out the shape of my tree. I wanted it to stretch across each canvas, so I drew 4 rectangles and then added the tree.
I painted each canvas with two shades. For example in this photo I used the two shade of blue, blending them both together in the center by simply brushing back and forth and mixing the two.
Next I laid out the canvases so that the darker shade of each color met in the middle.
Here’s where I used a pencil to draw my tree design onto the painted canvas. I used my paper drawing as a guide.
Next I painted the entire tree with the Traditional Burnt Umber. I gave the tree a second coat once I was done.
I used the Clear Gel Tacky Glue to add the buttons to the canvas. This takes a while, start with large buttons then fill in with smaller ones.
Once it was done it felt a little plain to me so I used a toothpick to add white dots around the sections of buttons.
I left them overnight to dry to make sure the paint and the glue were all set. The next day I sprayed them with a clear sealer.
Command Strips are my friend in this studio. My landlord prefers that I not make too many holes in the walls, and canvas is so lightweight that these are ideal for hanging art.
I’m so happy with how it came out! I’ve received several compliments from visitors already. I’m loving every minute I spend in this studio and creating projects like this bring me great joy!
Other projects I’ve made for this studio include these reupholstered stools and these flower wall letters.
More Painted Wall Art Ideas
If you’re looking for more wall art ideas, here are several to get your creativity flowing. You can see all my home decor craft tutorials in one place here.
This was the first button tree that I ever made, several years before I made the 4 seasons button tree wall art in fact. It went bananas on Pinterest and Facebook. In fact, a woman from Canada emailed me incessantly until I agreed to sell it to her.
I don’t normally sell my work because it’s either displayed in my home or given as a gift to someone I know. For some reason, this particular button tree makes everyone’s heart sing. That makes me happy!
I made this polka dot circle tree as a fun way to incorporate polka dots and lots of color, without a difficult tutorial. In fact, this is so easy that even kids could have a go at making a version of their own. There’s a step by step tutorial showing you how to create the circles using a sponge applicator.
This Cherry Blossom Tree wall art was something I created for my daughter. It was several years ago when she moved into her first apartment. She had seen a piece of art at a store she wanted and asked me if I could replicate it. I’ve had quite a few people send me photos of their versions after using my tutorial. I’ve loved them all!
Thanks for visiting and I hope this button tree wall art project inspires your inner creativity!
This post originally published here on Apr 20, 2015.
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Cynthia says
I cannot locate the printable for this project.
Amanda Formaro says
Hi Cynthia. I’m afraid there isn’t a printable for this one. However, you could print this and adjust the size to fit your canvases https://craftsbyamanda.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/4-season-button-tree-step-1.jpg
Barbara says
Amanda,
Your button art does make my heart sing. It is so bright and colorful and depicts life beautifully. I have kept a copy of your “first button tree” in my notebook and plan to make one. It is indeed a delight to gaze upon.
Amanda Formaro says
How sweet to hear! Thank you for your kind words, Barbara! Be sure to stop back and let me know how yours turns out :)
Martha Smith says
Have plenty of buttons collected. And my daughter, Amanda loves craft projects, German Stars, cake decorating. and sewing
Pamela Byington says
So awesome, love the soft colors and great way to recycle buttons. Thanks so much for sharing. I have to try and make it. My grandkids would even love doing it.
Vineela says
Such a brilliant thought and beautiful art Amanda, I would love to create a version of this :)
Would you be able to suggest what kind of buttons you have used for 4-season art ? Any recommendation on where could I find same kind ?
Amanda Formaro says
I didn’t use any one particular brand or kind. I have a large variety of buttons that I’ve picked up from garage sales, thrift stores and craft stores. If you check JoAnns or Michaels and even WalMart, they have bags of colorful buttons available :)
Dayle Byrnes says
I saw your first button picture on Facebook so I opened it up and saw how you did it. I thought to myself that that would be a great idea for the four seasons. One season per canvas then hung together. Well…. I kept looking and lo and behold…there the seasonal ones were. I hadn’t thought about one tree divided. I was thinking a whole tree per canvas. Yours would be much easier and a great effect. Thank you for sharing. I think I will get a small canvas and try one.
Dayle Byrnes
Amanda Formaro says
That’s great Dayle, creative minds think alike! Hope you enjoy the project :)
Vatchala says
Button art was exactly what I was looking for & voila! Yours is simply wonderful. I also saw the other button art tree on your site. I’m planning to do this project with kids for as an auction project. Do you recommend e6000 or clear gel tacky glue or hot glue for a similar project? Please help decide.
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks for the compliments, so glad you like it! I would suggest E6000 for best results :)
Rosemary Tatton says
Thank you Amanda for your 4 Season Button Tree.
I loved it from the day I saw it.
I have now finished my very own to hang on the wall.
I appreciate all the things you post and have plans to make other things in the future.
Amanda Formaro says
That’s wonderful Rosemary, so glad you had fun!
Teresa says
Your picture are beautifull :) with doughter I was try make some like this, but our picture wos onli play not art like yours.
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks Teresa! Glad you liked it :)
Tiffany says
I’ve been thinking about doing a new art project and I think I would like to try this one out. It looks awesome.
Amanda Formaro says
I hope you enjoy making it!
nelly says
¡GENIAL!
Alex says
any chance of purchasing one
Amanda Formaro says
I’m sorry Alex, I only make my projects for myself :) thank you for the compliment!
janice says
this is wonderful. I want to try this,I am a scrapbooker.
beatrix bosman says
Amanda, HOW amazing is this 4 seasons button tree? WAY past amazing creativity! THIS i will do – definately.
Amanda Formaro says
Thank you beatrix! I really appreciate that, and I hope you get a chance to make one!
Carin says
Wow, they are all wonderful in their own right and make such a statement piece together! Lovely!
Amanda Formaro says
Thanks so much Carin! I thought it was fun that they could actually be individual pieces if you really wanted them to. :)
Megan says
I just love these! I’ve been saving buttons for a while now and would love to use them for something like this:)
Amanda Formaro says
Thank you Megan! I hope you get a chance to make something and glad that this inspired you! :)
Vanessa says
Very nice take on the seasonal tree. I have always wanted to make one of these and I just asked my Hubby which he liked better your 4 in a square version, or the 4 in a row. He very quickly said he liked your version. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Amanda Formaro says
That’s awesome Vanessa! So glad you both liked it and I hope you get a chance to make one too :)
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
It’s so beautiful! I’m so in love with all of the colors that you used!
Amanda Formaro says
Thank you so much Angie!