Capture the tranquility of a beach with seaside decorations.
Beach scenes can be tranquil, exotic or charming ways to add personality to a room. Whether you're decorating for a party, or simply decorating your home, an artificial beach strewn with coral, makes a strong design choice -- as a centerpiece or art item. Coral grows naturally in a wide range of colors and shapes, so be inventive as you paint and structure your beach landscape.
Instructions
1. Spread newspaper over your work surface. Put sea sponges and willow or mazanita branches down on the paper. Sand the branches lightly with sandpaper.
2. Spray paint the sea sponges and branches in red, if you want to create coral in shades of red, orange, pink or purple. Spray paint them in blue to create coral in shades of green, and use white paint for pale coral. Apply the paint evenly and thoroughly.
3. Fill a paint tray with a second color of paint. To make orange or red coral, use an orange top coat; to make purple coral, use blue paint; to make green coral, use yellow paint; to make pastel coral, use cream or lightly colored paint.
4. Dip an art sponge into the tray and press it lightly against the newspaper to remove excess paint. Sponge the color onto the fake coral, blending it with the base shade to create the colors you want. Let the paint dry.
5. Use a spray lacquer to create shine, if you want shiny coral. Wait until the fake coral is completely dry.
6. Fill the bottom of a glass vase or aquarium with sand and press the fake coral into it -- to create a contained seascape. To make a free-form seascape on a table or on the ground outside, pour a pile of sand into the area where you want your fake beach and press the coral into the pile.
7. Decorate the sandy area with seashells, smooth rocks, tropical flowers and a cocktail umbrella to complete your artificial beach decor.
Tags: fake coral, paint make, artificial beach, coral into, coral shades