Classy and Opinionated Lifestyle Mom Blog
Oyster shells are something that I often pick-up when I’m walking the beach. If you don’t live near a beach…you can often obtain oyster shells from local seafood restaurants and fish markets. When working with them…try to get ones that are a minimum of 3″ …
Love celestial symbols? If so, you’ll love these hand-painted Sun and Moon designs clam shells seashells. These designs are easy to make and don’t require any templates or patterns. You’ll need 3″ to 5″ wide clam shells, acrylic craft paint, paint brush, Mod Podge Sealer …
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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A friend of mine hosted a Zoo themed birthday party for her 8 year old son. She asked me to come up with some unique party favors and table decor to go along with her Zoo animal theme. Well, I got busy and this Elephant …
I’ve been hand-painting on seashells for over 20+ years. When I first started out I would just paint them solid colors or a very simple stripe or polka dot pattern. Over the years I’ve learned to do better designs that really stand out. If you …
Zentangle is a popular art form that anyone can do. It’s great for beginners and can be done in a wide variety of different surfaces. You can learn about the Zentangle art form by visiting one of the best websites HERE. You will also find great how-to videos over on YouTube. With that said…use the basics of Zentangle to come up with your own unqiue painting style.
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Last month I decided to make a few homemade suncatchers using 5″ diameter Capiz shells. These type’s of seashells are flat and often come in a round or oval shape. I buy them from Amazon when I need them. You need to prep the shell’s surface before painting on it. Wash in warm soapy water using Dawn Liquid Dish Soap. Rinse with clean water and then lay it out to air dry. Once it has dried…take a little bit of alcohol over it. I use a cotton ball dipped in alcohol. Let it dry again. This preps the surface for painting.
Take them outside and spray with 1-2 light coats of white spray paint. You want to use one that gives you a flat finish. Don’t use semi-gloss or glossy. You can opt to hand-paint by using white acrylic paint and a paint brush. Allow for 30-45 minutes of drying time between coats. This is necessary if you want the colors that you’ll be applying on top…to really POP!
Use a pencil and sketch on the design. I like to make one focal point (the flower) and then section off everything around it. You don’t need a big focal point…you don’t need even-sized sections. Again, make this doodling art form your own! After sketching it’s time to color-in the design with paints. I use a combination of BETEM Acrylic Paint Markers and Tooli-Art Acrylic Paint Markers. I like using the BETEM for coloring in the sections. I like using the Tooli-Art fine-tip black paint marker for doing the doodling and outlining.
When doing the design work take your time. Doodling is about what you feel at that moment. You can do bold or soft, you can do vivid colors or tone it down with neutrals. Pastels your thing? Yeah, you can do that too. I don’t believe in copying other people’s work…so do what naturally appeals to you. Work in sections until all of the design work has been completed. Let it dry for 4-6 hours to allow all of the paint to cure.
You can seal the design by one of two different methods:
1. Clear Acrylic Spray Sealer – Spray 1-2 light coats of a clear sealer on each side of the Capiz shell allowing for 1 hour of drying time between each coat.
2. Mod Podge Clear Sealer – I like using one that gives it a glossy finish. Brush-on 1-2 coats of clear Mod Podge Sealer allowing for 35-45 minutes of drying time between coats. It goes on white but dries crystal clear.
Thread a 1/8″ wide by 7″ long ribbon through the hanging hole at the top. You can also use clear fishing line if you like a more clean look. These can be hung up as suncatchers, little home decor pieces or use them as Christmas ornaments during the holiday season.
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!
* 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!
St. Patrick’s Day is just a few days away. You still have time to make these beautiful hand painted St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Design seashells. The designs were painted onto 4″ to 5″ wide clam shells collected from the beach. You don’t need any patterns …
My grandson had a birthday a few months ago. The theme of his party was Superhero and we decided to make a few tabletop decorations and party favors to fit within that theme. These clam shells seashells were hand painted. The designs are really simple …