Have you heard of the art form called Zentangle? Last year I heard about it for the first time and decided to give it a try. You can find all kinds of beginner’s information, lessons, resources, classes, etc. online by visiting this Zentangle website. Zentangle is an art form that anyone can learn including a beginner like me!!!
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Instead of painting my designs on art canvases…I chose to paint on large 4″ and 5″ wide clam shells seashells and flat-sided rocks. They’re a free resource for me living close to a beach. You can paint on just about anything! You can use all kinds of different paints with a brush or use acrylic paint markers which are great for those who are just learning this art form.
The first thing that I recommend that you do when painting on seashells and rocks is to base coat them with white paint. You can brush-on 1-2 coats of white acrylic paint or spray them with white spray paint. Let them thoroughly dry. By base coating them…they will help your other colors be more vibrant when you paint over top of them.
You can make simple Zentangle designs like the pink seashell and multi-colored one in the top left corner of the photo. You can also do more elaborate designs like the other 2 clam shells and rock that are shown in the photograph. For the designs, I like to sketch onto the surface using a pencil. This way I can erase anything that I don’t like. I then use Acrylic Paint Markers to color in the design.
I personally use and highly recommend two different acrylic marker sets:
* BETEM Acrylic Paint Markers – no drippy messes, no clogged tips, dual-ended tips (fine and medium), no foul paint odors and they dry super-quickly on most surfaces.
* Tooli-Art Paint Markers – these require you to shake and prime the marker before use. From time to time I get clogged tips and have to replace or clean them. However, I do like some of the vibrant colors plus…I do almost all of my outlining and wordage using a black Tool-Art Fine Tip Paint Marker.
I purchase both sets from Amazon and use both when I’m paining seashells and river rocks. BETEM is much more affordable than Tooli-Art if you’re comparing prices.
Once you have the design work done you need to let them thoroughly dry overnight. You need to seal the design with one of two different products. I use both….depending on the size of the product.
* Mod Podge Clear Sealer – I purchase the one that gives you a glossy finish. You’ll need to brush-on 1-2 light coats, allowing for 30-45 minutes of drying time between coats. It goes on white but dries crystal clear. I like using it because it doesn’t have any foul odors and it’s affordable.
* Spray-On Clear Sealer – There are several brands available. They come in a spray can. You can ONLY spray them outdoors. You will need 1-2 light coats with 45-60 minutes of drying time between coats. This option costs more than the first option.
If you enjoy painting on seashells or crafting with seashells…you’ll find over 150+ seashell craft projects right here on the Two Classy Chics blog! We will be sharing more seashell craft projects in the future too!
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