sea glass sailboat art

Your cart is empty

Subscribe by Sept. 21st to start wtih Volume 45!

Sea Glass Mosaic Sailboat

Get Carried Back to the Beach on a Sea Glass Mosaic Sailboat

By Jackie Trimper

Have you ever asked yourself, “What am I going to do with all this sea glass?” Well, have I got a solution for you. Here is all you need to know to create a sea glass mosaic sailboat to display some of your sea glass and showcase some of your favorite beach treasures.  

I have found that working with sea glass to create art serves a purpose for my sea glass and results in a beautiful way to display it as it hangs in the window with the sunlight shining through. Those little pieces of glass that have been collected along the shoreline can instantly return me to the feeling of calm and peace that being at the beach always brings to me. And so it is that handling and sorting sea glass, working on a sea glass mosaic, or looking at the completed mosaics has tremendous power to transport me back to the beach and bring back that “beach feeling” once again.  

As I walk along the beach and look out over the water, seeing the clean crisp edges of a sail can evoke a feeling of adventure and carry me away as I can imagine myself floating upon the top of the water. Whenever I see pictures of sailboats, I get that same feeling of calm that comes with being at the beach and dreaming of being carried over the water to far away places. I am therefore drawn to creating sailboats with my sea glass. It is common for glass to be broken in triangular shapes and so often when I pick up a triangular piece of sea glass on the beach, I imagine it to be the sail of a boat out on the water.

So…take a look in your collection of sea glass and other beach treasures and pick out a few pieces you would like to showcase in a sea glass mosaic art piece.

1. 8" x 10" picture frame with glass. I prefer to recycle old frames, but you can use a new one if you prefer.

2. Small tube of clear silicone. See insert on why I use clear silicone for an adhesive.

3. Sea glass: a mixture of green for the water, white for the sky, and brown for the boat.

4. Some special pieces of sea glass you want to showcase. Each finished mosaic is a one of a kind piece of art because of the special pieces you decide to use in your mosaic.

5. Wooden skewers: small toothpicks or BBQ skewers.

6. Paper and pencil for pattern.

7. Hanging hardware.

Prepare your frame by removing the backing and attaching the glass into the frame by inserting the glass and applying a small bead of clear silicone around the edges of the glass on the back. Allow the silicone to set overnight before beginning your art piece.

Sort your sea glass by color and size. Choose some special pieces that you want to showcase to include in the sails. As well, set aside two triangle shapes and two long shapes to make two small sailboats in the background.  

Draw the pattern of a sailboat on a piece of 8" x 10" paper and tape the pattern to the back of the glass in the frame. Be sure that the line you create on the horizon is straight and at a 90-degree angle with the edge of the frame. The horizon line over water is always straight in nature.

Arrange the special pieces you want to showcase in the sail of the sailboat and fill in the remaining area of the two sails and the boat with brown sea glass. To attach the sea glass pieces, apply a small bit of silicone to the back of each piece of sea glass. It will take some time to set so you have time to move pieces around. Add in the two background sailboats where you would like them.

Using the silicone, attach green sea glass for the water. Arrange the sea glass so there are small pieces of green on the horizon line, with the pieces getting larger as you move towards the bottom of the frame. This helps to give the impression of distance in the water.

Attach white sea glass for the sky. I like to include shades of aqua, sea foam, and pale pastels to add interest to the sky. I also arrange some of the pieces in flowing lines so that the sky appears more dynamic.

Give your mosaic a few days for the silicone to fully set. If you used silicone that is white, you will know it is set when it has dried clear. Attach hanging hardware. I prefer to hang my sea glass mosaics in a window where the changing light of the day brings it to life and provides an ever-changing look to the mosaic.

• I prefer to leave to some space between the individual pieces of sea glass. Your eye will fill in the gaps if the pieces are fairly evenly spaced, creating a good “mosaic effect.”
• Work slowly to ensure you find just the right pieces that work well with each other. It is best to have a large pile of pieces to pick from so you can find pieces that “fit together like a puzzle.”
• Use the wooden skewers and toothpicks to clean off any excess silicone before it dries to make your finished piece look neater. 
• Take your time because the longer it takes you to complete your piece of art, the more hours of relaxation you will have while playing with your sea glass.

After completing this small sea glass mosaic sailboat, you will have the skills you need to complete sea glass mosaic designs as large and as complex as your imagination, your sea glass collection, and your time permits. You could try a sailboat as large as this one completed on a 27.5" x 29.5" antique window that came out of a Nova Scotia farmhouse. I call this one Sailboat Regatta . On a piece this big, there is lots of room to add interesting details and showcase even more special sea glass pieces and other beach treasures.

Every time you look at your piece of art it will take you back to the beach and return you to that feeling of peace and calm that you get every time you go to the beach.  

To learn more about creating sea glass mosaic art, check out Jackie’s book, Windows to the Past—Creating Sea Glass Mosaic Art . Learn more at jackietrimperseaglass.com .

This article appeared in the   Beachcombing Magazine May/June 2019 issue .

I collected a lot of sea glass pieces recently and was wondering about how to make a see-through glass mosaic art. This technique you shared is fantastic! I love it that it requires only a few supplies, and the tips you share make all the difference. Thank you so much for writing this tutorial!

This is a great article and so good of you to share all your tips and tricks! Your book is awesome and has been so helpful – plus beautiful as it sits on the coffee table. Hats off to artists like you!

Leave a comment

All comments are moderated before being published

Beachcombing Premium Subscription

Beachcombing Print+Digital Subscription

Beachcombing Digital-Only Subscription

Back Issue Clearance Sale

Beachcombing Volume 45: November/December 2024

Beachcombing Volume 44: September/October 2024

Let customers speak for us.

I ordered 2 issues to share with friends. They were shipped quickly and arrived in pristine condition. Friends were absolutely thrilled with the content of both magazines. What a wonderful way to share the hobby of sea glass!

Comes in so handy when beachcombing. Keeps everything clean and dry. :)

Another great guide from Peblsrock!

If you are a “regular” beachcomber then this magazine is for you. The finds of others as well as convention locations and other gatherings are well publicized. Enjoy!

Love the magazine. I get inspired by the articles to create works of art

Been combing for beach glass and sea glass for 5 years or so. Found a community on Facebook to help find beaches when traveling, wanted to learn more about the hobby, the finds, and the community - this magazine was perfect for that! Happy that last issues are available digitally too!

Love the Colors but got distracted and only ordered 1! Now I am going back for the Front plate to quit complaining. These are just Fun and give you great bragging rights.

I got 2 to put one on my Tote Bag and the other for my crossbody Purse. I changed out the blue plastic loop with a Stainless Steel Cable Wire Key Chain in colors! Already got compliments, so I have to going back for a couple more for my luggage. Highly recommend.

The poster is just what I wanted. Vivid colors also.

Very nice journal. Looking forward to using it on my sea glass hunting vacation this spring!

Looking for something?

Join & subscribe.

• Shop Coastal Decor & Furniture
• Decor Ideas & Interiors
• Crafts & DIY
• Decor & Design Guide

How to Make Sea Glass Art -15 DIY Seaglass Art Ideas

You might also like:

50 Best Sea Glass Art Ideas

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our full Disclosure Policy for details.

Sea glass art is the process of transforming weathered glass shards crushed and cleaned by the water into an amazing handmade work of craft. For artists, sea glass is a rare and precious tool as each piece has a story about its journey over the oceans. This article explores the captivating world of sea glass art, with 50 best and most creative ideas to create jewellery, home decor, sculptures, mosaics, and more. Lets get bewitch by its smooth texture and brilliant colors.

Learn more about how sea glass is made, where you can find and collect them, and how you can use them to form various artworks? Simply scroll below the ideas and get all the valuable insights.

What is Sea Glass?

Sea glass ( aka beach glass, marine glass and mermaid’s tear), is a smooth, round piece of glass that is adorned and cleaned with the force of waves and sand. It is a popular gift found on beaches around the world. “Real sea glass” can be collected as a hobby or used to manufacture jewelry. Recognize sea glass by its unusual color variations, polish texture on the outside, and smooth, round shapes. The color of sea glass can vary on the type of glass used. White, brown, green, and blue are common colors, but collectors prize rarer colors like red, orange, and yellow.

Sea Glass Art Ideas and Projects

Sea Glass Art Ideas

Sea glass art offers various artistic options, allowing you to highlight the exquisite qualities of these aquatic gems in novel and creative ways. Here are some fascinating sea glass art ideas that will stimulate your imagination:

1. Broken Bottle Tops Specimen Art

2. Sea Turtle

3. Cheers Cocktail Art

4. Nursery animals art

5. Cute photo frame

Sea Glass Home Decor

6. Kitchen Shelf by Angela Fronius.

7. Kitchen counters

8. Laundry room

9. Kitchen with a view

10. Retro bathroom

Art by Thalassologie .

11. Birds on canvas by Just Meg Art.

12. Perfume bottles on the shelf

13. Dog and cat lovers art

14. Beach house lighthouse

15. Colorful fish aquarium

Sea Glass Garden Art

16. Inspired by sea glass, made using glass tiles and rock indoor garden art by Craftionary.

Indoor Garden Art

17. Sea Glass Garden Art

18. Beautiful art with plants by Ann Godden.

19. Tea Towel Holder

20. Beauty Everlasting by Tanya Bosarge.

21. Painted minimalist indoor garden

22. Sea shell and glass indoor garden

23. Unique indoor garden photo display

24. Make Butterfly , dragonfly, bees, and other cute elements to add to your art design with ocean glass.

25. Beautiful Tree Art

Sea Glass Flowers Art

26. Hand painted flower pendants

27. Bird Painted Magnets

28. Flower bunch frame art

29. Beautiful Wreath and dragonfly art

30. Humming birds on flowers art by Marcia Klemz.

31. Flower pots

32. Pond frogs

33. Flowers in basket

Sea Glass Holiday Projects

34. Heart ornament

35. Bird ornaments

36. Christmas trees on driftwood

37. Christmas art

38. Snowflake

DIY Sea Glass Crafts        

Most commonly crafters use sea glass to make bracelets, necklaces, and ornaments. Home decor pieces such as mosaic coasters , and trays are decorative and useful.

39. Driftwood Wind Chimes

40. Photo Frame

41. Candle Holder

42. Key chain

43. Green Planter Bowl from Pinterest.

44. Ocean Inspired Lantern from Pinterest.

45. Napkin Ring

46. Name plates

47. Decorative Mirror

48. Serving Tray

49. Decorate a Clock

50. Decorate a birdbath

Commonly Asked Questions About Sea Glass

How is sea glass made.

Sea glass, recognized as beach glass or mermaid’s tears, is made by an organic method that involves water, sand, and time. This is how it happens:

1) Glass Disposal: Due to human activities like littering and stricken vessels broken glass items such as window frames, bottles, and jars that were previously lost or disposed of are thrown into the water.

2) Tumbling Action: The ongoing flow of waves and trash destroys glass fragments in the water.

3) Chemical Weathering: Long-term contact with saltwater and ocean minerals enhances the oxidation process, which causes the glass to crumble and become more round and frost.

4) Deposition: Over a period, the glass transforms into soft, bright sea glass pieces that beachcombers and artists discover.

Where to find and collect sea glass?

To find and collect sea glass follow these tips.

• The best beaches to find sea glass are those with a combination of sand and pebbles.
• For optimal sea glass sighting, select a combination of pebbles and sand.
• Sea glass is a byproduct of glass pollution and is more common on beaches experiencing strong currents and upwelling.
• Take your time and walk along the coastline looking at one color at a time.
• Search for beaches near glass companies, as they are likely to have sea glass.
• To find wet sea glass, keep your back to the sun and look for specific colors in both wet and dry sand/pebbles.
• The most visible sea glass colors in wet sand or pebbles are Green, brown, and blue.
• Check the low or high tide lines early in the morning.
• Look for translucency; especially dark shards of glass can be misunderstood for stones.
• Bring a little bag with holes for storing your discoveries.
• To locate the greatest locations for sea glass, ask the locals for advice.

You can also find sea glass in local craft shops or from online retailers.

What to do with sea glass?

You can use sea glass in several ways for making artistic projects and decoration pieces. There are some ideas below that you can use for sea glass.

Make Jewelry: You can make unique earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings out of sea glass.

Home Decor: Sea glass accents add coastal beauty to photo frames, mirrors, vases, candle holders, mosaic artworks, and glass jars.

Ornaments and Sculptures: Using Sea glass forms, create intricate ornaments or sculptures suitable for display indoors or out.

Wind Chimes : To create calming wind chimes, hang sea glass pieces over driftwood or metal poles using a line of fishing line or wire.

Paintings Projects : Use Sea glass in the form of mixed-media painting to add texture and visual curiosity.

DIY Crafts: You can make coasters, keychains, magnets, or suncatchers with simple hacks of sea glass.

Gifts and keepsakes: You can celebrate the beautiful qualities of sea glass with your loved ones and close friends by offering them handcrafted items.

Souvenirs: These will also make great travel souvenirs. Add in a tube and label with beach and time stamp.

How to stick sea glass to make art?

To stick sea glass to make art you need the correct adhesive and techniques to ensure a strong and long-lasting bond. Here are some tips to stick sea glass art:

1) Select the appropriate glue:  Use Epoxy resin or transparent silicone adhesive to attach marine glass.

2) Prepare the surface: Make sure it is clean, dry, and free of dust and debris. For improved adherence, you may sand the surface.

3) Arrange the sea glass: Before adding glue, plan your pattern and place the sea glass pieces on the surface.

4) Apply the glue: Cover the entire surface area of each Sea glass piece with a thin layer of adhesive on the back.

5) Press and hold: To help the glue set, place every sea glass piece on the surface and press it in place for a few seconds.

6) Let the glue cure: For instant results let the artwork dry under a UV lamp. For best results dry the finished art overnight.

7) Seal the artwork: For better resilience and protection spray a quote of clear dry sealer .

Celebrate the beauty of the ocean and establish an intimate relationship with it through sea glass art ideas. Something is enchanting about making art out of glass that has been modified by the water, irrespective of your level of expertise.

Written by: Alveena Nazir

Welcome to craftionary

Hi, I’m Hani

I’m a mom of 2 decorating and soulfully designing our home. I love to share crafts and simple ideas for home and garden.

DIY Bowl and Glass Mushrooms Garden Decor

How to make a dried flower bouquet into arrangement for free?

How to Make a Clay Mushroom Candle Holder

How to Make a Handkerchief Wreath

30 ways to make Abstract Art projects

30 Summer Beach Activities Fun for Kids and Parties

36 Stunning Epoxy Resin Projects DIY that Look Expensive

40 Impressive DIY Mosaic Projects to love

Related Posts

DIY Embroidery Hoop Wreath (Crafts room tutorial)

75 Creative Front Door Decor Ideas

Unique butterfly epoxy resin art on bamboo jars

70 Best DIY Painting Ideas on Canvas for Beginners

what is great about sea glass, is that the edges are not sharp anymore and you can be creative also with kids without any accidents.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

© all rights reserved 2024 craftionary | copyright disclosure | privacy

• Sea Glass Blog
• Add photos, content, share!
• Ask or Answer Questions
• Intro to Sea Glass
• What is Sea Glass?
• How is Sea Glass Made?
• Colors of Sea Glass
• Color Identification Chart
• Great Lakes
• All Other States
• British Isles & Europe
• Mediterranean Countries
• Sea Glass Caribbean
• Other Countries
• Glass Beach
• >>> Submit Beach Report
• About Collecting
• Finding Beaches
• Grading Sea Glass
• Rare Sea Glass
• Color Rarity Chart
• Agate Rocks
• Glass Fishing Floats
• Sea Glass Art
• Sea Glass Crafts
• Make Sea Glass Jewelry
• Jewelry Making Tutorials
• About Sea Glass Jewelry
• Etsy Seller Reviews - Honesty in Arts and Crafts
• Photo Gallery
• Recommended Books
• Upcoming Fairs, Festivals, Events
• Related Websites
• List of Sea Glass Businesses
• Privacy Policy

Seaglass Sailboat

by Mona (Maine)

My seaglass sailboat

More Sea Glass Mosaics:

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Crafts .

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

• Click on the HTML link code below.
• Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Odyssey Sea Glass Free Newsletter 

Recent Articles

Travelahawk Beach, Ireland

Sep 06, 24 12:38 PM

Aug 10 2024 crescent beach ns

Aug 12, 24 01:36 PM

Woody Point, Queensland Sea Glass

Aug 06, 24 08:32 AM

Bumboras Beach: Where Sea Glass Treasures Await

Jul 07, 24 10:30 AM

Nightcliff beach Darwin Australia Sea Glass

Jun 28, 24 01:22 PM

Can you identify this strange fish?

Jun 28, 24 12:47 PM

Makers mark on the base of a bottle I found in lake michigan

Jun 20, 24 06:46 AM

Barceloneta

Jun 19, 24 01:18 PM

Beach Combing for Sea Glass

May 27, 24 11:25 AM

Bakoven Beach, South Africa, Sea Glass Report

May 22, 24 03:10 PM

Jackie Trimper, artist

Create this small sailboat post card - a small mini quilt embellished with sea glass.  This project uses various apporaches to create texture and interest.  This digital file includes the pattern and instructions for completing an art quilt including the techniques of raw edge strip piecing, raw edge applique, machine quilting (either free motion or using a walking foot), couching, embroidery, and beading.  Sea glass or other beach treasure embellishments can also be used.  The finished project is  4" X 6".

Sailboat Quilted Postcard Pattern

About Art Nouveau

~ blog about getting to know art nouveau.

A Sea of Glass

10 Thursday Apr 2014

Posted by Olga Harmsen in 7. Exhibitions, Museums , Amsterdam

≈ 10 Comments

Art Nouveau , Berlage , Catharine Coleman , Copier , Ernst Haeckel , Jugendstil , Lanooy , Nature , Scheepvaarthuis , Sea Creatures , stained glass , Wallpaper

According to his Wikipage, Ernst Heinrich Philipp August Haeckel (1834–1919) was a German biologist, naturalist, philosopher, physician, professor and artist who discovered, described and named thousands of new species, mapped a genealogical tree relating all life forms, and coined many terms in biology.

The exhibition A Sea of Glass at the National Glass Museum includes a lot of large Haeckel posters as well as artworks inspired by these posters. A prominent example is Het Scheepvaarthuis , currently known as the  Grand Hotel Amrath  Amsterdam, that  served as a modern office complex for six shipping companies. In 1912/1913 Johan Melchior van der Meij  was asked to design the complex with references to the rich maritime tradition of the Netherlands.

Wallpaper Nieuwenhuis

With the idea of a ‘ Gesamtkunstwerk’ in mind, Van der Meij invited many like-minded artists . Interior designer Theo Nieuwenhuis (1866-1951) used Haeckel’s forms almost literally when he designed a wallpaper with sea creatures.   Willem Bogtman (1882-1955) designed the stained glass windows with seahorses, jellyfish and starfish, also inspired by Kunstformen illustrations. And Michel de Klerk (1884-1923) let Haeckels spiny brittle stars inspire him when he designed the pendant lights .

Other beautiful works of art featured in the exhibition are for instance below designs by Berlage  (1856-1934). Berlage owned a copy of Kunstformen der Natur and saw endless possibilities for jewellery, tilepanels, wallpapers and lamps. Unfortunately none of his designs were executed until, in 1927, the Amsterdam wallpaper manufacturer ‘Rath & Doodeheefver’ got permission to take four of Berlage’s 1905 wallpaper  designs into production. The Ciliata design for example was available in five colorways and also the Ophiodea was realised.

Of course the exhibition wouldn’t be complete without the world famous  Andries Dirk Copier (1901-1991) and Christiaan Johannes (Chris) Lanooy  (1881-1948), but also contemporary artists like Catharine Coleman, Paula Arntzen and Eibert Draisma – who have clearly been inspired by Haeckel – contributed some interesting pieces.

I´ll say it one more time. If you have the opportunity, you must go see this exhibition! Haeckel’s posters are beautiful, fascinating and inspiring. And the artifacts based on his posters are just amazing!

Source Architectenweb – Het Scheepvaarthuis De architect Behang & Berlage Kunstformen der Natur – download the complete book in PDF! Kunstformen der Natur – view posters as zoomable images National Glassmuseum Leerdam Wikipage Ernst Haeckel Wikipage Het Scheepvaarthuis Rath en Doodeheefver

Click to share:

10 thoughts on “a sea of glass”.

April 10, 2014 at 10:37 pm

What a tempting review! I have always been a fan of Haeckel, and it is impressive to see how far-reaching his influence was…

April 10, 2014 at 10:52 pm

Dear Anita,

I didn’t even show all objects; It was indeed very impressive. There was a lot more! I thought the stained glass windows of the ‘Scheepvaarthuis’ and the Berlage wallpapers were the best. What do you like most? Thanks for reading!

April 11, 2014 at 12:32 am

As usual a very, very informative post! Thank you.

April 11, 2014 at 6:28 am

You’re welcome! And thanks for reading Jalf.

April 11, 2014 at 8:33 am

I suggest you read the article about this exhibition in the dutch 2-annual magazine ART DECO nr. 8. You can find it easy on Google. On the site all issues are integral published. In the same issue nr. 8 you will find interesting articles about HENRY VAN DE VELDE and BERLAGE St. Hubertushouse.

I suggest you make a link on the blog to the website of this magnificent full color magazine about ART NOUVEAU and ART DECO.

Fred Westen – The Hague – Netherlands.

April 12, 2014 at 10:38 pm

Dear Fred, thank you for the information. ( http://www.artdecomagazine.nl/magazine08.html ) and thanks for reading!

Pingback: Living in the Amsterdam School | Art Nouveau

Pingback: 2021 First Quarter Challenge….. | Lincs In Stitches

Pingback: Hexagons and Holes – Felting and Fiber Studio

Pingback: Te Koop: Kunstformen der Natur, Ernst Haeckel 1904 - Maison l'Art Nouveau

Please let me know what you think! Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

• Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• Subscribe Subscribed
• Copy shortlink
• Report this content
• View post in Reader
• Manage subscriptions
• Collapse this bar