Have you ever 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. There are easy, moderate and more complicated designs.

** Post contains affiliate links.

I’m just a beginner and have been dabbling in it for the past 4 months. I’ve done a few easy designs on large clam seashells and on smooth river rocks. It’s not an expensive art and craft hobby to get into. It’s affordable! I find that it’s very relaxing to sit down with a blank slate and begin drawing. Let your creativity take off!

Like I said, I’m just learning the art form but wanted to show you a few of the Zentangle Kindness Rocks and Seashells that I made. I painted them with a base coat first. Left that dry. Then I used a pencil to make all of my designs. Opened up a pack of my Acrylic Paint Markers (they’re paint, not kiddy markers) and got busy coloring things in. Once all of the paint was dry I sealed them with 2 coats of Mod Podge Clear Sealer with a glossy finish.

While my designs don’t look like the experts just yet…I’m really pleased with how they turned out. I felt so calm and relaxed while I was making them. A great way to reduce stress in your life! In the coming weeks…I share with you more designs as I get them completed. If you enjoy painting kindness rocks and seashells you’ll find over 100+ designs on the TCC blog.

* This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, we may or may not receive a small commission which helps to support this site. Thank you!

Last month I decided to try something a little bit different when it comes to hand painting seashells. I decided to do a patchwork quilt design on the outside of a large knobby whelk shell. Some people incorrectly call them Conch seashells, but they’re really called Knobby Whelks. I ONLY collect vacant shells that I find on the beach. You never EVER want to take occupied seashells and you NEVER want to take too many. You ONLY need a few!!!

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!

**** Post contains affiliate links.

You need to wash the seashell in warm soapy water using Dawn Liquid Dish Soap. If needed, you can use a Mr Clean Magic Eraser to remove any tough grime or stains. Rinse with clean water and let them air dry overnight. I recommend using Dawn because it’s the best at removing sand, debris and fishy odors.

Take the seashell outside. Spray it with 1-2 light coats of a white flat spray paint. Don’t use one with a glossy or semi-gloss finish. You need it to give you a flat finish. By giving it a white base coat…it will allow all of your paint colors that you’re placing on top to really POP in color. It’s a step I highly recommend that you do. Let dry until the paint is no longer tacky.

I like to use a pencil to sketch out the sections on the top of the seashell. Since I was trying to replicate a patchwork design I made square and rectangle shapes. To add a little bit of extra interest I drew on a simple flower shape in the center. You can totally skip that if you’re going for just a classic quilted look.

Time to get busy coloring in all of the sections! I like to use BETEM Acrylic Paint Markers to color-in all of the sections. For this particular shell I went with bright vivid colors that remind me of a tropical paradise. Go with a color scheme that appeals to you. Once dry, you need to do the outlining and stitch work with a Tooli-Art Fine Tip Black Acrylic Paint Marker. I did the outlining first and then went back to add the tiny little slashes to represent the faux sewn stitches (lines). I do recommend that you keep those faux stitches small and neat with a little bit of space between each one.

Color-in the flower (if you added one) and the top section of the seashells. I did the top section in a pretty neon pink color to match the flower…gave it a more cohesive look. Let all of the paint dry for several hours.

Seal the painted surface one of two different ways:

Clear Acrylic Spray Sealer – I like using one with a glossy finish. I sprayed 2 light coats around the entire circumference of the seashell. Let dry overnight. This needs to be done outside!!!

Mod Podge Clear Sealer – If the weather isn’t cooperating…you can brush-on 2 coats of Mod Podge Clear Sealer with a glossy finish. Allow for 30-45 minutes of drying time between coats.

Don’t skip the above step! You need to seal-in that paint to help prevent chips, scratches and the colors from fading. PLUS, by sealing the shells…you can display them inside or outside of your home. Perfect for summertime decorating!

* This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, we may or may not receive a small commission which helps to support this site. Thank you!