A canny way to create creatures of the sea

July 03, 2012|By Amanda Formaro, Special to Tribune Newspapers

Whether you're visiting a beach or hanging out in a sandbox, these fun sea-creature cans perform double duty: Pack them full of wet sand to make sand castles, using them to scoop or dig; then rinse them out to hold pencils at home! This is a fun summer craft to make with your kids before you head to the beach.


1. Give each can's exterior a coat of gesso or primer; let it dry completely.

2. Paint each can with acrylic craft paint in color of your choice; let dry completely.

3. Using a contrasting color (we used a sand hue), paint the foam side of each sea-animal stamp, then press onto a can to transfer the image. Allow the paint to dry completely. (For ridged cans, it's OK if some of the paint doesn't completely "paint" the can.) For the clam, just paint an elongated football shape onto the tuna can with black paint.

4. Use the handle end of a large paintbrush to add white for the eyes of each creature, and let the white paint dry completely. Then use the handle end of the paintbrush to apply a black dot to each white eye. Let dry.

5. Spray cans with two to three coats of acrylic sealer, allowing the sealer to dry between coats.

Amanda Formaro is a professional crafter; find more projects at craftsbyamanda.com.

Art supplies are sold at craft stores and online:

Recycled cans (vegetables, soup, tuna, etc.), washed and dried, see note

Gesso or white primer

Acrylic paints in beach-themed colors of your choice, plus black and white


Beach-themed foam stamps

Acrylic sealer spray (matte finish)

Note: We recommend opening cans with a safety can opener that eliminates the possibility of any sharp edges. If you don't have a safety opener, use high-grit sandpaper to sand down sharp edges before starting.
