Let's return to a bit of a classic! Rock painting has always held a special place in many people's hearts whether we've made them ourselves or made them with our kids. Something about finding a good rock in nature, bringing it home and painting our own designs on it, gives us those warm nostalgic feelings.
Whether you're a seasoned pro, a returning painter or completely new to rock painting the very first step is picking a rock.
Avoid rocks with extremely rough and porous textures. Instead look for smooth rocks with minimal pits and chips. Getting a lighter colour rock will be important if you're planning on using a lot of lighter colours. You can also go with darker rocks you'll just need to layer your paint more.
Whether you're a seasoned pro, a returning painter or completely new to rock painting the very first step is picking a rock.
Avoid rocks with extremely rough and porous textures. Instead look for smooth rocks with minimal pits and chips. Getting a lighter colour rock will be important if you're planning on using a lot of lighter colours. You can also go with darker rocks you'll just need to layer your paint more.
Once you've picked out your rock it's time to prep it. Make sure to wash your rocks in soapy water to get rid of any dirt and debris and let dry completely. When dry we recommend applying a base coat of paint to your rocks, this can be any colour you like! You can, of course, paint directly onto the rock too.
Now that you're all prepped it's time to paint! You can paint whatever you like on your rock, it's yours after all!
While this stage is the most fun, it can also be the most intimidating for artists. You're looking at a blank slack, a tabula rasa. Where do we even begin?
Well, that's very subjective, if you're a planner you can go in with a light pencil, or white charcoal pencil and draw a design to follow.
You can practice making gradients! pick at least two colours, apply to the stone and while the paint is still wet (be prepared to work fast) use a sponge to dab at the paint where the two colors meet to begin blending them together. Do NOT wipe to blend, this can muddy the colours. Be patient and keep dabbing with your sponge until the colours are blended to your desired affect.
HOT TIP: if you're going to do a gradient, have a base coat of white that's fully dried first. This will make those colours pop!
Acrylic paint is the most common to use with rock painting but you can also explore with alcohol inks.
You can use Posca Acrylic Paint Markers to have more control over the finer details of your designs.
After you're finished painting, let your rock dry for 24-48 hours before using a clear sealing spray. If you are planning on placing this rock outside make sure your spray is made for it. Not all sprays are made equal and some may only be good for indoor projects, make sure to always read and follow the label. Let the spray dry for the recommended amount of time (usually 24 hours).
Now that you're all prepped it's time to paint! You can paint whatever you like on your rock, it's yours after all!
While this stage is the most fun, it can also be the most intimidating for artists. You're looking at a blank slack, a tabula rasa. Where do we even begin?
Well, that's very subjective, if you're a planner you can go in with a light pencil, or white charcoal pencil and draw a design to follow.
You can practice making gradients! pick at least two colours, apply to the stone and while the paint is still wet (be prepared to work fast) use a sponge to dab at the paint where the two colors meet to begin blending them together. Do NOT wipe to blend, this can muddy the colours. Be patient and keep dabbing with your sponge until the colours are blended to your desired affect.
HOT TIP: if you're going to do a gradient, have a base coat of white that's fully dried first. This will make those colours pop!
Acrylic paint is the most common to use with rock painting but you can also explore with alcohol inks.
You can use Posca Acrylic Paint Markers to have more control over the finer details of your designs.
After you're finished painting, let your rock dry for 24-48 hours before using a clear sealing spray. If you are planning on placing this rock outside make sure your spray is made for it. Not all sprays are made equal and some may only be good for indoor projects, make sure to always read and follow the label. Let the spray dry for the recommended amount of time (usually 24 hours).