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    Home » art » Watercolor Painted Seashells

    Watercolor Painted Seashells

    Published: Apr 16, 2021 · Modified: Apr 28, 2022 by Vicky

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    Whenever my family hits the beach, we go on a hunt for shells. Kids love looking for and finding these natural beauties and we often end up bringing a bunch home after a trip. I am always looking for ideas to use those shells and came up with this easy art activity for kids. Watercolor Painted Seashells are so easy to make and very eye catching. If you have extra shells, try our Bubbling Shell Craft.

    painting shells with watercolors
    Jump to:
    • Why this activity is awesome
    • Supplies needed
    • How to paint shells
    • Frequently asked questions
    • Related posts

    Why this activity is awesome

    My favorite kinds of shells to use for this activity are clamrose shells. They come in a variety of sizes and the grooves in them really do a good job of holding the paint.

    Now if you haven't been to the beach lately, no problem! You can buy some clamrose shells on Amazon that are perfect for crafting. If you don't have liquid watercolors, try using traditional watercolor paints. I prefer using liquid watercolors because they are so vibrant, plus they are great to use for lots of other kids art projects.

    Supplies needed

    • Liquid Watercolors
    • Small paintbrush
    • Cups
    • Clean shells
    shells and watercolor paint

    How to paint shells

    Squeeze a few drops of liquid food coloring into a cup and add some water to dilute it a bit. Do this with as many colors as you wish. We used four colors. Provide your child with a smock or old tee shirt, paintbrush, shells and cups of watercolors and let them get creative. You will want to place something on the table to protect it. I used a sheet of parchment paper.

    child painting seashells
    Providing a variety of colors is fun because it lets kids really get creative and experiment with color mixing. You can even try mixing some new colors while having children predict what will happen. "What do you think will happen if we mix red and blue together?"
     
    child painting shells with watercolor paint
     
    You can paint one coat or do one coat and add another after it dries for deeper colors. You can leave these for a few hours to dry or place them out in the fun. When they are done, they will make a beautiful memento of your beach trip.

    The results of painting seashells in watercolor are so eye catching, wouldn't you agree? These are great for pretend play or for for decorating. You can place a bunch of them in a basket or glass jar.

    watercolor painted seashells

    Frequently asked questions

    What kind of paint should you use on shells?

    While we used watercolor paint, acrylic paint works best.

    How do I get shells ready to paint?

    As long as your shells are clean, you are ready to go. If you have just returned from the beach, rinse them with water to remove any sand and dry them.

    ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY KIDS CRAFTS?

    If you are looking for more fun activities for kids, check out Green Kid Crafts, an earth friendly monthly craft subscription box for kids that sparks creativity while teaching kids a respect and love for the environment. These boxes are themed and each month will be filled with fun projects and creative activities that can be enjoyed by kids from ages 3-10.

    Since Green Kid Crafts is an earth friendly company, they use sustainable, safe materials in all of their products. They also give a portion from each sale to environmental non-profits. Learn more about a monthly subscription of fun!

    Related posts

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    Watercolor Painted Seashells
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    1. 21 Beautiful Seashell Kid Crafts To Make After Beach Day - Smart Child Play says:
      February 26, 2022 at 8:39 am

      […] Watercolor Painted Seashells from Messforless.net […]

    2. 41 Fun Crafts for 3-Year-Olds - Craftsy Hacks says:
      May 9, 2022 at 1:29 pm

      […] 22. Watercolour Seashells […]

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    Hi, I'm Vicky, founder and content creator at Mess For Less. If you are looking for family friendly recipes, recipes that kids can make, and play and learning activities for kids, you will find it at Mess For Less. I invite you to learn more about me. Thanks for stopping by!

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