Do you enjoy doodling? What about Zen Tangle Art? If you answered yes to either of those questions I think you’ll like these 3 easy hand-painted designs. Each one was painted onto a genuine clam shell seashell but you could certainly paint them onto smooth river rocks. No pattern or template is needed. A great beginner’s art project!
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Medium sized clam shells were used. Wash them in warm, soapy water. Rinse with clean water and let them air dry overnight. I like to wash them using Dawn Liquid Dish Soap. It does a great job at removing sand, dirt, debris and fishy odors.
Base coat each seashell with 1-2 coats of white acrylic craft paint. Allow for 30-45 minutes of drying time between coats. Base coating the shells will allow for the colors placed on top to really POP and be VIVID. They won’t be dull and washed-out. I highly recommend the base coating!
To keep the design work simple…I used BETEM Acrylic Paint Markers for the majority of the design work. Each paint marker features dual-ended tips…one medium and one fine. They don’t require priming, no clogged tips, no drippy messes and no foul paint odors. Plus, they’re affordable compared to other brands.
When it comes to outlining and doing the doodling….I prefer to use Tooli-Art Acrylic Paint Markers with a fine or extra-fine tip. I like to buy the combo pack that contains all black and white paint markers, since I use those two colors the most when it comes to doodling, outlining and writing wordage onto the shells.
You can do any doodling or Zen Tangle Design that you would like. Use my photo for refence as they’re easy designs to replicate. Let all of the design work dry for 3-4 hours. You want the paint to be thoroughly dry.
The final step is to seal the design work. I personally like to brush-on 2 light coats of Clear Mod Podge Sealer with a glossy finish. I allow for 1 hour of drying time between coats. That’s it…you’re done!