Shell Paintings

Access the full lesson with vocab, teacher instructions, and step-by-step student instructions!

This project is a win-win because I get my students to really slow down and focus on detail in their painting and students love it because painting on a shell is unique and a fun challenge!

They are really simple to prepare, requiring just a thin coat of white acrylic paint or gesso on the area to be painted. I usually have my students paint anything that fits into a water/oceanic theme, including under the sea, lighthouses, boats, docks, Polynesian designs, and more.

I go through a wave painting tutorial for students that need extra guidance in painting with acrylics (in the full lesson) and we take a look at an artist who also works in miniature paintings. Other students create and execute their own ideas for their shell. This is a great chance for students to practice blending and color mixing, and they turn out great! Check out the examples below, and try it with your classes!