BRUSH UP ON YOUR PAINTING SKILLS AND CREATE COLOURFUL SHELL CREATURES
COCKLE shells are common around the UK. Next time you’re at the beach, pick up a few for this art project.
It’s fun to think how you can use the cockle shell shape to make part of an animal, whether it will be wings, a body or a creature’s shell.
Things you find on the beach have a habit of being a bit stinky, so make sure you give them a good wash first.
YOU WILL NEED
Cockle shells
Paint
Thin card
Glue
Pipe cleaners (for upright designs)
Googly eyes
Pencil
Scissors
METHOD
1. When you have decided which animal you are going to make, paint your shell with a base colour first. For example, when making the bee we started with an all-over coat of yellow (see below). If there is more than one colour in your design, it can be best to start with the lighter colour.
2. When your base coat is dry, add details with your other colours.
3. While your shells are drying, think about any features you might want to add with card. We drew and cut out wing shapes for the bee, a body for the peacock and pincers and eye-stalks for the crab. Measuring your shell first will help you size up the card pieces.
4. Using a little of the colours you used on the shells, carefully paint your card pieces to match and leave to dry.
5. Glue on your creature’s googly eyes. We used a variety of sizes – small ones for beady eyes and big ones for cuteness! Some of the eyes will be glued straight onto the shell, others onto the card pieces.
6. Stick your card pieces onto your shells. For upright designs (such as the crab and peacock), make a small ring from a pipe cleaner for the shell to sit on. Wrapping it around your finger – not too tightly – works well.
7. If someone in your family has a favourite animal, why not make it for them to brighten their day?