During beach season your kids probably love to collect seashells! Here is a fun way to use seashells as inspiration for kid-made art. Plus, drawing seashells with watercolor pencils is a great art project for a summer art journal.
Don't forget to save some of the smallest shells to use when you make this calming ocean in a bottle project.
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Materials
First set up the materials. To facilitate a child-led drawing project, it is helpful to arrange the materials ahead of time to kids can jump right in.
What you need:
- Seashells
- Paper, preferably watercolor paper, or our favorite mixed-media journals
- Picture books about seashells (see end of post for some book suggestions)
- Water in a cup
- Brushes for painting
Next, arrange materials on a table
Instructions
Each child will need need a different level of guidance for this seashell art project depending on their age and/or interest level. Be sure to give the minimum amount of guidance necessary. Some kids will jump right in, others will be more reluctant.
I showed my child how to trace the shell. I discussed observation of the shell pattern and demonstrated replicating that pattern on the outline.
I really love to incorporate water-soluble pencils into drawing projects. They are a provide a nice change from standard-issue kid markers and kids love to see how their drawings transform with a few brush strokes.
The water and brushes can be a distraction if given too early, so supply those items after children have completed their seashell drawings.
It's likely that at first a child will apply the water with a heavy hand and make a mush of the colors. However, that's okay! Let them discover how the medium works.
Some further instructions could be useful here, but you can decide based on your child's interest. It's all about the process! It certainly doesn't bother me that some of the watercolor seashells look like blobs!
MORE: Use the watercolor pencils for this rain art project.
Books about Seashells
Seashells, Crabs and Sea Stars by by Christiane Kump Tibbitts
The Seashore Book by Charlotte Zolotow
Beach by Elisha Cooper
Discovering Seashells by Douglas Florian (out of print, check your library!)
What Lives in a Shell by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld
MaryAnne K says
I think my kids would enjoy this!
Raising a Happy Child says
Pretty! The books look interesting too.
Clara says
I am a July birthday. Every year I go crazy whether I am teaching one or two students or no students. I could do hours on the ocean.
I love your Arts and Crafts. We are glitter junkies but as of today we will stop using glitter. We are very concerned about life on our planet and especially the existence of a Healthy living ocean. So many materials I have now mention how this animal or this coral reef are going to be extinct. I try to only mention this once because it can change the mood from happy to sad.
Erica says
Yes, glitter can be such a problem!