Whether it's the middle of summer and time to celebrate the season, or the dead of winter when nostalgia for that warm weather runs high, there’s no reason not to indulge in seaside-inspired wall art. While you can always head out and buy coastal artwork from a store, creating a DIY gallery brings the added bonus of creative satisfaction. This project doesn’t take long and is sure to keep summer alive in your home year-round.
To design a seashell art gallery wall, you'll begin with a collection of seashells, either those you plucked from the beach or bought in a variety pack. The array of sizes, shapes, and colors adds a dynamic look. All you need is hot glue to position the seashells on stretched canvas backing. The result is a professional and finished look for your lovely work of art that you can hang on any wall in your home. Create a single seashell canvas, or mix and match canvas sizes for a design to match the appeal and authenticity of a gallery exhibit.
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Materials
-Stretched white canvas, 12-by-12 inches
-Painter’s tape
-Scissors
-White metallic acrylic paint
-Small glass bowl
-Thin-tipped paintbrush
-Hot glue gun
-Scallop seashells in a variety of colors and sizes (13)
-Stretched white canvas, 5-by-7 inches (2)
-Painter’s tape
-Scissors
-White metallic acrylic paint
-Small glass bowl
-Thin-tipped paintbrush
-Hot glue gun
-Scallop seashells in a variety of colors and sizes (13)
-Stretched white canvas, 5-by-7 inches (2)
DIY Everywhere
Instructions
1. Place a 12-by-2-inch stretched white canvas on a flat working surface.
1. Place a 12-by-2-inch stretched white canvas on a flat working surface.
2. Cut four lengths of painter’s tape, and position one on each of the four sides of the canvas, keeping 1 inch away from the edges. Make sure the lengths of tape overlap where they meet at the corners.
3. Fill a small glass bowl with white metallic acrylic paint.
4. Paint the space between the painter’s tape and the outer edges of the canvas using a thin-tipped paintbrush.
5. Apply hot glue to the back of a scallop seashell, and position it at the top left corner of the canvas just below the painter’s tape.
6. Glue eight additional scallop seashells onto the canvas in three even rows of three shells. Alternate colors and sizes for a more dramatic effect. Remove the painter’s tape once all the shells are firmly attached.
7. Set the large canvas aside, and replace it on the table with a 5-by-7-inch stretched white canvas positioned horizontally.
8. Hot-glue three scallop seashells to the canvas in a diagonal line moving from the top left corner to the bottom right corner. Set the canvas aside.
9. Place a third stretched white canvas measuring 5-by-7 inches on the table horizontally, and hot-glue a single large scallop seashell to the center.
10. Mount the large canvas on a wall, and position and mount the two smaller canvases stacked above one another on the right side. Line up the edges of all three canvases for a polished final look that resembles a gallery display.
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