Coastal Halloween Craft Project – Painted Jack ‘o Lantern Seashells

I enjoy sitting down with my grandchildren twice a month to work on easy craft projects. Last weekend we sat down and painted Halloween designs onto 4″ and 5″ wide clam seashells that we picked up from the beach while on vacation. Painting on seashells is a great way for children to get creative while keeping crafting costs down!

When painting on shells you need to wash them thoroughly with liquid dish soap and water. If necessary use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to get all of the sand and debris off them. Let them dry before painting on them.

Halloween Craft Project – Painted Jack ‘o Lantern Seashells

large 4″ to 5″ wide clam shells
black, orange, white and green acrylic craft paint
paint brush, water dish, paper towels
white acrylic paint pen, medium tip
clear acrylic spray sealer, glossy finish
old plastic drop cloth or plastic placemat

Place drop cloth or placemat down on your work surface to protect it. Cover the front of the seashell with 2 coats of black acrylic craft paint, allowing 30 minutes of drying time between coats.

Use the orange paint to make a large circle to serve as your pumpkin. Use green paint to add the stem. Let dry. Once dry you want to add the eyes, nose and mouth using black paint. Let dry. Dip the end of your paint brush into white or orange paint and dot on the polka dots that run around the outer edge of the shell and a white dot in the center of each eye. Let dry.

To finish up you want to add whatever wording you want using a white acrylic paint pen. My granddaughter added the words “Tricks” and “Treats” onto the shell shown in the photograph. You can add whatever wordage that you like. Let dry.

Take the painted shells outside and spray them with 1-2 coats of clear acrylic spray sealer. Let dry overnight. Spraying them will protect the painted surface from chipping, cracking and fading. They can be displayed inside or outside of your home.

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