I’ve been painting on clam shells and various type’s of seashells for over 20 years. It’s a hobby that is inexpensive, allows me to be creative and helps to relax me. If you’ve never tried pianting or decorating on larger seashells…give it a try. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to do and it’s fun!
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For this craft project aka art project I used 4″ to 5″ wide clam shells that I collected from the beach. Wash them in warm soapy water using Dawn Liquid Dish Soap. Why Dawn? It does the BEST job at removing sand, debris and fishy odors. Rinse with clean water. Let seashells dry overnight.
Acrylic Craft Paints were used along with a paint brush to paint the background on each shell.
Sunset – I mottled together 3 acrylic paint colors while wet – yellow, orange and red. Swirl them around on the seashell until you get a pattern that you like. Let dry.
Nighttime – I mottled together 3 acrylic paint colors while wet – navy, royal and pale blue. You may need to add a tad of white or light gray. Let dry.
The easiest way to make the lighthouse is by using Acrylic Paint Markers. I like the BETEM Acrylic Paint Markers that I purchase from Amazon. They have dual tips with one end having a medium tip and the other end has a fine tip. These are paint markers, not kiddie paints! Use a pencil and lightly sketch a lighthouse onto the shell using simple shapes. Then use the Acrylic Paint Markers to color it in. Finish up by using the fine tip on the black marker to outline the lighthouse.
You can add white seagulls in the background or black birds along with a barely-there full moon. I like a very simple and clean look to this particular design. Let them dry overnight.
Sealing the Shells – You can seal them one of two ways:
1. Spray-On Clear Acrylic Sealer – Spray 2 light coats
2. Clear Glossy Mod Podge Sealer – Brush on 1-2 coats.
Let the shells dry for 3-6 hours or overnight. The sealer will dry crystal clear.
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