Painted Seashells

Make a colour co-ordinated seashore display using a combination of painted shells and modelled starfish.

Painted Seashells

Skill Level

Beginner

Time to Make

1 hour

How to Make

  1. To make a 10cm diameter starfish, cut off 5 strips from a block of Air Drying Clay using the flat end of a modelling tool or use a knife.
    Knead and shape the strips into balls then roll with your fingers into 5 sausages, making each one approximately 5cm in length.
    Shape each piece into a leg, making one end more pointed. Press the 5 legs together to form a star shape, with the thicker ends in the middle.
    Use a pointed modelling tool or the end of a pencil to make a pattern onto the starfish. Curl the legs then leave to set hard, following the instruction on the packet. To make a smaller-sized starfish, use 5 x 1/2 strips of Fimo.
  2. Select some shells to use, paint some with a white base coat and some with a colour. To make lighter shades as variations, mix a small amount of white with the colour. Add a second coat if you need to, then leave to dry. Turn the shells over and paint the reverse side, using the same selection of colours, or a contrasting colour if you prefer. Paint the starfish using the same colours. Leave to dry.
  3. Working with the same colour palette, paint patterns onto the shells and starfish using a thin brush or a cotton bud to paint dots. Leave to dry.
  4. Put the shells and starfish in a basket or as part of an arrangement. The painted shells could also be placed outside.
Painted Seashells Painted Seashells Painted Seashells

Top Tip

To help the starfish stay in shape, place it into a muffin tray compartment when leaving to harden so the legs stay curled upwards.

Tagged with:

, , , ,