DIY Coastal Contrast Art

4 Materials
$15
3 Hours
Easy
Paint...check, canvases...check, paintbrushes...check, art skills....maybe?? I looked for simple shapes and designs that would be easy to replicate into artwork with a coastal theme. My source of inspiration...seashells that I've found along our shorelines of course as seen below.
I used 2 sizes of canvases just because its all I had on hand and I thought it would create interest when hung on the wall.
I'm sorry I didn't take any pictures throughout the process but I google searched a sand dollar and an anchor to make templates with waxed paper. I had previously painted the two large canvases with navy acrylic latex paint. Once dried I faintly traced over them just enough to provide an indentation to use as my guide for painting with the contrast color. There were smears and touch ups and retouches I assure you! I retouched the anchor so much I went with the blob and dab method, lol! A blob of paint dabbed around to create a textured finish.
Here's the finished look of my trio hanging in my bathroom including an anchor, a mussel shell and a sand dollar.
The sand dollar required using a skewer stick to apply paint in narrow lines that create their intricate shell patterns. The stick was dipped into paint and used as a pencil to make the thinner lines, as you would an old fashioned stylus pen.
The mussel took the least amount of time, it was a last minute addition to paint a small white canvas and use navy paint for the subject. It was a mere creating the border shape and then simply filling in the middle. To create the pattern I simply added white and at the shell tip and kept blending stroke after stroke following the shape of the shell.
I couldn't get it wrong because no two are alike, so much variety in shades as long as you have the basic shape. Have fun and try it, you can always borrow my blob and dab method for boo-boo's! 😂
Note:Cost excludes paint because I already had it on hand, as most of us do but if not just use dollar store craft paints.�
Suggested materials:
  • White acrylic latex paint   (Hardware store)
  • Navy acrylic latex paint   (Hardware store)
  • Artists brushes   (Dollar store)
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