DIY paintings from small seashells. Decor from shells: do-it-yourself panels

15.06.2019

Making something with your own hands is quite pleasant, and doing it with your child is doubly more pleasant. This can be done not only from those materials that you purchased at a handicraft store or in the market. In such a case, the objects that Mother Nature gave us are also suitable.

Real masters use literally everything that their keen eye has spotted in pursuit of a new masterpiece of art: leaves, pine cones, straw, sand.

Today we will discuss how to make a variety of shell crafts with our own hands.

These seafood are very beautiful and attractive in themselves, but if they become the basis of some homemade gizmo, then success is guaranteed to it.

You can make a lot of trinkets from such materials: bracelets, necklaces, earrings, souvenirs, vases, photo frames, dolls and whole paintings.

The list is quite long, so we have focused only on some of its aspects. If you're wondering how we're going to make all these seashell crafts, stay tuned!

How to make such a craft?

This process does not imply anything complicated, you just need to take shells of the right size (it can be river shells, small seashells, one large and beautiful shell) and decorative elements: beads, wire, threads, glue, paints, etc.

Below will be instructions for beginners on how to make shell crafts.

Panel with marine motives

After reading our article on crafts from shells and stones, you will learn how to make a modular panel in 3 parts. It attracts attention with its warm notes and natural beauty.

In order to make such beauty, you just need to collect the necessary tools: sand, eggs, several plywood sheets measuring 15 by 15 centimeters, glue, varnish, shells.

Now you just need to adhere to a certain algorithm of actions:

We sandwich the plywood with adhesive.
Sprinkle fine sand on top so that it remains in the picture. To do this, you need to firmly press it on top with something solid. After a few hours, you can continue working.
Check if the glue on your backing is dry so you can continue your work. Now the base needs to be varnished.
When the first layer of varnish dries, we glue the corners of the future panel with eggshells and apply the second layer of varnish.
On top we attach shells of different sizes in an indefinite sequence.
To connect three plywood sheets together to create our marine triptych, we fasten them together with wire.

Seashell flower

One of the options for how to involve a child and create a masterpiece of needlework with him is a handmade flower.

To create it, you will need absolutely little time and materials: shells, a frame, wire, beads and beads, velvet fabric of a rich red, blue or black shade, glue and clothespins.

Now you need to follow this instruction:

In order to make a flower, in our case it is an orchid, we connect three small shells with the help of transparent glue. If you want the flowers to look as natural as possible, use shells of different sizes for different flowers.
Prolish the finished flowers, and decorate the center of each orchid with beads or large beads.
Glue the velvet fabric to the frame, which is the basis of your work.
Attach a wire to this fabric, making it look like a stem or leaves. You can create a variety of fancy patterns.
Attach the orchid buds themselves along this wire in a scattered manner.
Wait until everything is dry, cover the frame with glass and place it on the wall.

Applications for children

To please your child and teach him to work, make a collage or applique with him using seashells.

Such a master class will be very useful to him, as it will teach the kid to perseverance and patience.

To work, you need a very small list of tools: shells, glue and cardboard.

Note!

To make the applique more interesting, use beads and beads, or just take shells of different shades.

You can see a photo of crafts made from shells below. We hope that among them you will find something interesting for yourself.

Photo of crafts from shells

Note!

A beautiful panel made of shells will complement the interior of the living room, bedroom or hallway. To make it, you will need glue, several shells and some decorative materials. The main thing is to choose the right color scheme, otherwise the composition will literally be striking. Designers advise not to limit the flight of imagination. The composition is complemented with images of marine life or ships.

Every year, citizens go to the coastal regions to take a break from the constant everyday hustle and bustle. You need to take the trouble to collect the necessary shells. The shape of the latter is chosen taking into account aesthetic preferences. The uniqueness of the composition will be given by the unusual shape of the shells. At the same time, it is worth remembering one aspect: if we are talking about a vacation in another country, it is necessary to clarify the legal nuance, is it allowed to export a large number of shells from the country? It is necessary to ask a similar question when entering the state.

In addition, it will not be superfluous to do the following:

Take a tight container for transporting shells;
Find large and small stones deformed under the influence of waves;
Collect some exotic tree branches.

Finding materials to complete your composition is easy at a craft store or market. The main thing is to first sketch on paper what you plan to bring to life.

How to make a panel from shells with your own hands: secrets and recommendations

To begin with, a rough sketch of what should turn out at the end is made. Designers recommend not limiting yourself exclusively to seashells. The panel will be supplemented with seeds of cereals and legumes.

In order to make the composition, you will need a large piece of thick cardboard, which is cut into two equal parts. The contour of the future creation is drawn with a pencil on one of the parts. At the next stage, you will need Moment glue or hot melt glue, a brush and decorative materials, depending on your preferences.

The procedure for working with them is as follows:

Small pebbles are laid out on a sheet of cardboard, according to the previously drawn contours;
The resulting layer of pebbles is poured with a thin layer of glue;
After drying, the glue will become transparent, thereby giving a special charm to the composition;
The glue gains the maximum level of strength within 24 hours, only then can the shells be attached;
When choosing a method for applying seashells, it is not necessary to adhere to the rules of symmetry;
Moderate creative chaos will lend lightness and appeal to the composition.

After the traces of touching the canvas of the glue gun have dried, the resulting voids must be covered with stones with a very fine fraction. Designers do not recommend overusing the specified element. The shells should not be completely hidden under the filler layer. The process of manufacturing surface treatment with varnish is completed. It will add durability and special charm.

Learn about decorative mosaic panels from the following material:

We make a panel ship from shells with our own hands

The composition, unusual in its form, will appeal to those whose hearts have long been overwhelmed with love for the endless sea. The production of the panel will take no more than 2 days, taking into account the time required for the glue to dry. You will need to find one large shell, which will become the basis. Decorative elements are selected taking into account the color scheme of the room where the composition will be installed.

For beginners, there is one good advice - to decide in advance on the shape of the vessel. The selection of the necessary materials depends on this. If the ship is planned to be multilevel, you will need several small-sized sinks.

Instructions step by step

Glue the base of the structure from 2-3 rapans, the gluing process takes place on the front part, followed by a flip;
Cut off 2-3 sticks, the length of which is the same;
Strictly glue the sticks vertically to the sink, observing an equal distance between them;
The glue will dry within 4-5 hours;
Fasten a shell on a piece of dense material, the inner side of which looks up;
It is allowed to use twine for decoration and strengthening of the structure;
Fasten the sail shells on the installed vertical sticks;
It is recommended to put a large sail-shell in the middle, and use smaller shells for the other 2 sails;
The mast of the resulting ship is decorated with a flag.

Those interested should remember the need to maintain a balance. An eye-catching picture does not contain a large number of elements. That is why it is important to think over everything in advance. For example, a composition of pastel colors looks great in the living room, and warm ones for a nursery. If there are no ideas in my head yet, then you can see a variety of photos of finished works.

When making a composition, it is necessary to take into account the degree of illumination of the room and the colors prevailing in the interior.

Do not abuse glue, otherwise the composition will turn out to be unaesthetic;
The elements used must be in harmony;
To create an outwardly attractive picture, you need a frame that differs by 2-3 tones from the main color of the work;
As a reliable base, dense cardboard or chipboard is used;
You can not put the finished composition in direct sunlight;
There is always an opportunity to attend master classes, where experienced masters will answer all questions.

Panel from shells do it yourself (video)

Making a panel from shells is an exciting activity for those who want to please loved ones with unusual gifts. If desired, I use the finished composition as an interior decoration. The size and shape of a fake is limited solely by the flight of imagination, but it is not recommended to make an oversized version. Its main drawback is weak stability. Do not forget about the necessary decoration of the finished structure.

Panel from shells (photo)

During my vacation, my crazy hands have created this panel from shells. Many sinks have been languishing on the shelves for a long time and were waiting for the moment when they would be able to “go out into people” and show their beauty.
Once I asked my friends to bring me various beautiful shells, and they brought me so many from all over the world that the collection began to exceed the critical mass. It was necessary to urgently come up with something - to somehow put into operation some of the shells, or somehow to place the exhibits in a different way, freeing the cabinets and shelves (yeah, for new ones ...). The idea did not come immediately, but when it came, I immediately got down to business. The first result is in front of you.

Seashells are very fond of being photographed. Both singly and in groups. This photo shows a set of shells in a grid and a large branched shell, which were the first to appear on the panel. The teddy bear remained sitting, watching and silently approving. I photographed all the stages of the panel assembly so as not to forget what I did and how. And now I thought - suddenly my photos will be useful to someone else, and decided to publish them, providing them with explanatory text.
So, here is a photo reportage about the process of creating a panel from shells.

The basis of the panel is a piece of hardboard (aka fiberboard), 55x45 cm in size, which I found I don't even remember and where. First I made the background.
The background for the panel is an important moment, and here you cannot do without an idea. The idea was this: beautiful shells and various "wealth" accumulated on the seabed. And in the sea, a fishing net has been abandoned, which has fished out all these deposits and drags upwards. Therefore, the background should indicate, as it were, the depths of the sea, the sandy bottom and fishing nets.
How to depict the depths of the sea is, of course, an interesting question. I didn't want to draw and, without hesitation for a long time, I cut the fabric of blue and green flowers into pieces and glued it onto the hardboard with PVA glue in several layers. The lower part of the future panel was also smeared with PVA and poured dry sand on it. What stuck, stuck, shook off the remnants. The result is a picture in the style of Pablo Picasso, pure cubism.
More about sand. First, it was impudently poked in a children's sandbox, then washed, dried and sifted through a sieve. Formed two fractions - fine sand and coarse. Before the small business went into business.

I develop the idea further - I finally designed the sandy bottom, planted algae and threw a net. For this, the sand was mixed with PVA glue and poured onto the panel. A layer of an amoeba-like shape was formed, about 3 - 5 mm thick. And I sprinkled this layer with coarse dry sand, pressing it into the sand-glue mixture with my palm. Several small seashells also went there. The result is a textured coarse-grained bottom. Darkish only ... I would have added lighter stones, but there weren't any. We'll have to look for another sandbox.
The plants were made of dirty green yarn, dipped in PVA glue and attached to the surface with wavy lines. The fact that for several years could not find application because of its nasty color turned out to be right here on the topic. Next time it will be possible to spin the whole Sargasso Sea from these threads.
A string bag from under a set of shells went to the fishing net. It was made of some kind of plant fibers, all in intricate knots, it was a pity to throw it away. I steamed it in hot water until soft, soaked it with PVA glue and put it on the panel. Dry for two days! Already patience began to burst. Here in the photo - a drying "fishing net", all covered with white PVA glue. From time to time the grid tried to lag behind the panel, it was necessary to press it down with pebbles and strong words. It helped - it dried up tightly, not to tear it off.

Well, everything is finally dry. The creation of the picture was delayed for almost a month, and all due to the fact that all the time something must dry thoroughly. Well, there is no way you can speed it up. The next stage - covered everything with colorless matte nitro lacquer NTs-2139. Matt varnish almost does not shine, is hardly noticeable, and at the same time creates a sufficiently strong protective layer. What is it for? - For more convenient care of the future finished product. As you know, all these panels are amazing dust collectors and a monstrous problem for cleaners. There are even such touch-up crafts, from which you just have to blow off the dust, and in the literal sense, with a hairdryer, and nothing else can be done. But for me - it's a different matter, you can still drag the panel into the shower and douse it with a stream of water. There will be nothing for the shells anyway, and now the background will not get wet.
After the varnish had dried, I began to glue pieces of yellow Baltic amber here and there. In the photo, they look like corn kernels. Then I peeled them off, then pasted them again, but in different places, and re-pasted them again. Reciprocating movements are our everything ...

To avoid many annoying alterations, I tried several options for placing objects on the panel, and each option was photographed. Then he chose the one that he liked best. The final version is noticeably different from the samples, I felt the direction in which I further compiled the composition.
There are two basic rules for composing a panel, which I adhered to: 1) I will put this here, and this - there; 2) if I put it here and I like it, then so be it. There are also rules of composition in the visual arts, such as the "golden section", etc., but this is already for 80 LEVEL ...
Here are some of my photo tests.

I made the center of my composition the remains of two branchy murexes. This stunning clam lives in the vast region of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The first shells were brought to Europe in the 17th century and since then they have invariably been admired by amateurs and collectors. The shell is equipped with three rows of branching outgrowths. Black and white or white patterns are more common. Branched murex is included in the "standard" set of souvenir shops at any seaside resort. Several years ago I made this still life with murexes, a jug and boxes of flax. Now the murexes are posing for the panel.

The question immediately arose of how to fix these sinks. They are large - up to 20 cm in length and heavy - no glue will hold. And I decided to tie them to the fiberboard with a wire for the branches-branches. He chose a suitable branch, wrapped it with wire, the ends of which he brought to the back side of the panel and twisted it there. Plus I glued the sink itself with a hot glue gun at several points. Holds firmly!

He disguised the wire by pasting the attachment point with small shells and pebbles.

And he also disguised the attachment point.

A few words about drilling and other methods of piercing shells. It would seem that everything is simple - I took a drill and drilled a hole in the sink. I thought so too at first. After twenty minutes of working with an electric drill, I examined the resulting hole a quarter of a millimeter deep and realized that shells are an extremely ungrateful material for drilling. Googling on the Internet on this topic, I discovered a second problem - a possible chipping off of the edge of the shell. And I needed to drill a lot of these holes. An ambush, in short.
But another way of making holes was discovered - picking with nail scissors or a needle from a syringe. Laughing to myself, I tried all the methods on a thin scallop shell, and after all I did it ...
Needle to make a hole for the longest time. Drilling gives a more accurate and predictable result, while it is necessary to stick masking tape on the sink and periodically interrupt drilling so that the sink and drill cool down, then there will be no cracks. Have patience and finish what you wanted. In general, everything worked out.

Most of the shells, I nevertheless planted with a thermal gun on glue. This comb with a pearl was also glued at first. The next day it fell off ...
Again I had to drill, secure with wire, and mask the wire with pearls. A few more were added to one modest pearl, there was such a "large" shell - a pearl oyster. But I still think that one pearl looked more stylish.

This porous thing is the remains of coral, I picked it up on one of the beaches in Thailand. The coral turned out to be much softer than shells, it was drilled and attached in a couple of minutes. I sent him to a corner, he asked for himself there with his form.

And this is an earthen jug in which a genie should sit, thrown into the abyss of waters. At first, its appearance was not planned, but without the genie, it seems to me, it will be somehow boring. So that he would not come out, I plugged the jug with a cork. It remains only to find the genie who would agree to sit in this vessel. It would be necessary to pour some more sealing wax then ...
Secured with a hot glue gun and wire to one of the handles. To keep the jug stronger and not try to roll from side to side, I shoved small shells and pebbles under its sides.

The horned starfish (Protoreaster nodosus) has unexpectedly become the superstar of the composition, making it festive and vibrant. The star flew to me by mail with a set of small seashells. Upon arrival, she had a pale dusty pink color and looked rather nondescript. But as soon as I covered it with varnish, it suddenly turned into a beauty with a rich lingonberry color. And against the background of green and blue patches, it just shone!
He molded fish from paperglue, painted it and placed it around the star, but, alas, the fish looked alien, replaced them with glass balls (more precisely, hemispheres), called "marbles". They usually imitate water droplets, while mine represent air bubbles. He glued twenty transparent marbles with a hot pistol, while their transparency was not lost at all - and a round dance of bubbles swirled around the starfish. So that the star does not have to blush alone, he placed a piece of red jasper not far from it.

Another artifact, the appearance of which was also not originally planned, is a real silver fifty kopeck piece of 1924. Let's consider that he was thrown into the sea for good luck. Next to the round mother-of-pearl pyramids it looks quite organic.
Glued with a thermal gun. Before gluing the metal products in this way, it is recommended to warm up a little, which I did by putting the coin in boiling water. While carrying it to the panel, the fifty-kopeck piece was still hot, and the glue firmly grabbed it to the surface.

No wonder, no wonder the artists of the Renaissance came up with the idea of enclosing their paintings in a carved baguette. The frame is not just a decoration, it is also a part of the picture, giving it completeness and style. To be honest, I wanted a frame from the "expensive - boHato" category, but the master baguette, having rummaged in his bins for about five minutes, pulled out this baguette, put it on the panel and the search stopped there. The frame, in my opinion, very much approached, adding something like a vintage touch to the work.

In this photo, a framed panel hangs on the wall. Together with the frame, its dimensions became 70 x 60 cm. The panel turned out to be colorful and elegant, as I wanted. It contains all seven colors of the rainbow: a red starfish, orange scallops and rapanas, yellow amber, green, blue and blue scraps of fabric, and a purple sea urchin shell. Every hunter wants to know where the pheasant is sitting ...

A little on the side

Sobsna, everything ...

Many of us have shells brought from the seaside. From them, you can create a beautiful panel or picture that will remind you of the warm summer sun and a pleasant vacation on the beach all year round. A picture of shells is an excellent solution for needlewomen who want to create with their own hands an unusual interior decoration in a marine style. It will not only delight you with its appearance, but also carry positive energy.

A picture made of shells and stones will look beneficial in a bathroom or living room, made in a marine style, and if it is made with your own hands, it will acquire special value as a gift. The plot can be different for her. You can make an abstract composition or lay out a drawing with seashells. Some craftsmen make portraits in this style.

We collect a picture from shells with our own hands in a step-by-step lesson

Painting shells can be collected from the coast, or can be purchased at handicraft stores. You can also use beads, beads, sand and stones to create a composition.

The rest of the materials necessary for work will probably be found at everyone's home.

Everything you may need:

Plywood or board
Shells of different sizes and shapes
Pebbles
Beads, beads, rhinestones, cereals, buttons, twigs, feathers, etc.
Paints
Glue (preferably a glue gun)
Frame
Acrylic varnish (desirable)

Any materials at hand can be used to create an original painting. You can show your imagination and create a unique, one-of-a-kind piece.

If you decide to make a picture out of shells, then first you need to process the material with your own hands.

Sort the shells by size. Rinse and dry thoroughly.
Decide on the composition and the colors and shades needed for it.
If desired, to give a different shade of the shells, you can paint them with acrylics or treat them with a strong solution of potassium permanganate, which will give them a dark red or brown color. A rich dark shade can be obtained using a marilka. An interesting effect is obtained by painting the shells with nail polish.
Dry the shells well so that the paint does not accidentally smudge.
The board for the base must be selected or adjusted to fit the frame. The board needs to be sanded so that its surface is flat.
The frame can also be painted. White or blue is especially suitable for the marine theme, but it is worth focusing on the color scheme of the composition and interior.

While the shells are drying, you can start sketching for a picture. You can draw a drawing with a pencil yourself or print your favorite photo from the Internet and circle it like a template using carbon paper. Do not get carried away with the small details, they will be very difficult to implement with materials such as shells. But if you still want to add them, then you can use crushed shell crumbs. When the drawing and materials are ready, you can start working.

We insert the prepared base into the frame.
Various fabrics and even burlap are often used as a background. They are glued to the board. Can be placed on the background of sand. To do this, the surface of the board is covered with a layer of PVA glue and sprinkled abundantly with sand or grains, then left for a couple of hours so that the workpiece is completely dry.
The third point is the most important. We compose a complete picture from the details. We carefully glue each element of the picture.
Finished work can be varnished. Thanks to this, it will look more complete and beautiful overflows will appear on it.

Let's analyze a detailed master class: a flower arrangement from seashells

A similar picture of shells, made by hand, will look beautiful not only in a room, the design of which is made in a marine style. To create a flower arrangement you will need:

seashells
basis for the picture
frame
varnish and paints
film

Step by step guide:

Color the background of your painting.
Process the seashells as described in our article above.
Put glue on the foil and glue the shells to each other in turn to make flower petals.
A small shell or bead is glued to the core.
Don't try to match shells with the same color. The more varied the shades of petals in one flower, the more lively it looks.
Make as many flowers as you need and consider their arrangement in the painting.
Glue the shells and varnish.

In the photos presented, you can see which pictures of shells you can make with your own hands. Get inspired, fantasize and create your own works!

Panel from seashells (video)

How to make a panel from shells with your own hands: a master class

The creation of a panel develops incredible creativity in everyone. Such a panel can be hung at home, for example, a nautical-style panel looks great in the bathroom. And panels with flowers or trees, as well as in the form of toys, are great for the design of a children's room. In addition, a hand-made shell panel is a good gift.

To create a panel from shells you will need:

Shells of different sizes and shapes;
Board or plywood;
Glue;
Acrylic paints;
Wooden frame, you can for a photo;
You can also use various beads, feathers, beads, rhinestones, stones, buttons, cereals, seeds.

In general, you can use any materials at hand that you have. There are no restrictions.

First you need to collect all the material for work. Prepare everything.

The shells can be brought from the sea, or can be bought at a craft store.

Actions:

It is necessary to disassemble the shells by size and type. All shells should be thoroughly rinsed and dried.
Shells can be painted with a marilka to give them a darker and more intense shade.
If there is no marilka, you can use a strong solution of potassium permanganate, then you get a color from dark red to brown, depending on the strength of the solution. It is easier and faster to paint the shells with acrylic paints.
The shade of paint is selected at will, in accordance with the concept and drawing of the picture. For example, in yellow to create the sun from shells, and for flowers, you need to paint the shells in pink, red.
Before gluing the shells on the panel, the paint must dry, or it will be smeared. You can, of course, paint the shells after they have been fixed on the panel. But it may not turn out very neatly.

If you don't have any of the above at hand, you can take nail polish to give the shells a shade. Pearlescent varnishes look especially impressive.

You need to take a wooden frame, you can use a photo frame. It can also be overcoated with acrylic paint.

The board or plywood should be flat, to achieve this, you should walk over the surface with sandpaper. The board should be adjusted to fit the frame.

How to make an unusual panel

You can make a panel abstract, that is, just stick shells of various shapes in a chaotic manner, or you can decompose the shells into a drawing.

For example:

Flowers;
Wood;
Ship;
Doll;
A car;
Seascape, etc.

The next stage is a sketch of the panel, made in any way. You can not only draw a drawing by hand with a pencil or paints, but also find a photo you like on the Internet or scan a beautiful picture, photo or even a postcard. Using the Adobe Photoshop program, you need to make the image outlined.

It should be understood that the sketch should not have many small details, since the shells themselves are very original and interesting material that looks spectacular in various compositions. But if you really want to, then for small parts you can use shell crumbs.

Beginners in this direction should take simple drawings, with few details.

Print the image in accordance with the dimensions of the panel being performed, the next step.

Then you need to put the drawing on the board using carbon paper.

However, this is not a required step, as beginners usually do this. Or when the drawing is incredibly complex. You can simply compose the composition directly on the panel.

Step-by-step instructions: do-it-yourself paintings-panels from shells

After preparing all the necessary materials, you can start working on the panel.

Step by step guide:

We paint the frame with marilka, potassium permanganate or acrylic paints. The frame must be completely dry. A white and blue frame works well for a panel in a marine theme.
We insert a board or plywood into the prepared frame.
Mesh, fabric, sand, burlap are used as a background.
We cut out the mesh, fabric or burlap prepared for the panel according to the size of the frame. We attach it with glue. It is convenient to use a special glue gun. If creating a panel is a hobby, then you should spend money and buy a glue gun, it is not expensive, but very convenient, since the glue is fed neatly, in small portions. This will prevent the adhesive from spreading.
The next stage is the main, the most exciting and interesting one. We compose a panel from shells and other materials directly on the panel. We carefully attach each part with glue.

We process the compiled panel with acrylic varnish. This will allow the panel to look more finished, in addition, the details painted with varnish shimmer beautifully in the sun.

Panel of seashells with sand background

A panel made of shells on sand is a panel with sand in the background. Instead of sand, you can use any cereal.

The first steps of the frame and board are carried out in the usual way. Then we put PVA glue on the board. The next step is to apply sand or cereal in an even layer, press it as tightly as possible to the board so that it adheres well. Then you should wait a couple of hours until it dries completely.

For shine, it is good to varnish the sand and let it dry.

After that, we compose a composition in a nautical style, using shells directly, as well as materials combined by theme and style (beads, beads, stones, dried sea stars). We glue everything to the base with glue.

You can lay out the details randomly, or you can in the form of a drawing, for example, in the form of a ship.

How to make such a craft?

Panel with marine motives

Seashell flower

Applications for children

Note!

Photo of crafts from shells

Note!

How to make a panel from shells with your own hands: secrets and recommendations

We make a panel ship from shells with our own hands

Instructions step by step

Panel from shells do it yourself (video)

Panel from shells (photo)

We collect a picture from shells with our own hands in a step-by-step lesson

Let's analyze a detailed master class: a flower arrangement from seashells

Related videos

Panel from seashells (video)

How to make a panel from shells with your own hands: a master class

How to make an unusual panel

Step-by-step instructions: do-it-yourself paintings-panels from shells

Panel of seashells with sand background