Got a sport’s fan in the family? Do you cheer on a particular athletic team? If so, today’s hand painted seashell project is for you! These painted clam shells are easy-to-make! The designs were painted on large 4″ and 5″ wide clam shells that we collected from the beach. In addition to the seashells…you’ll need acrylic craft paint, paint brush, acrylic paint pens and a bottle of clear acrylic spray sealer.
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We live in central Pennsylvania, so all of the designs that we made reflect Pennsylvania athletic teams. These painted seashells can be used as garden & yard art, as paper weights on a desk, displayed on a shelf or used as party favors. They make a great inexpensive gift for the sport’s fan in your life!
For all of the designs you want to wash the clam shells in warm soapy water using Dawn Liquid Dish Soap. Let them soak in the soapy water for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with clean water and air dry overnight. Why Dawn? It’s the best at removing sand, debris and fishy odors!
Base coat each clam shell in the desired color. We used 2 coats of acrylic craft paint with 30 minutes of drying time between coats. The paint needs to be completely dry before you decorate them.
Phillies – Base coat is red.
Philadelphia Eagles – Base coat is green.
Pittsburgh Steelers – Base coat is black.
Penn State – Base coat is navy blue.
To decorate them we used Acrylic Paint Pens. Why paint pens? They’re easier to use when writing out words, outlining items or adding smaller details. We used medium-tip paint pens with these designs. You can write just the team’s name on the seashell or added a decoration like a logo, baseball, football, hockey stick, goal posts, basketball, etc.
Once all of the paint is dry you need to take them outside. Spray each side of the shell with 1-2 coats of a Clear Acrylic Spray Sealer. We used one with a glossy finish. You can purchase them in glossy or matte finishes. Let dry for a few hours. This will protect the painted surface and help to preserve the shell.
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This is a fun way to support one’s team. They would be good to have at a Super Bowl Party.