In this rock painting 101 tutorial, Ill leave no stone unturned.
I kid you not.
If youre looking for even more inspiration check out this141 rock painting ideaspost.
For all you Disney fans out there check out this inspiring list of90+ Disney rock painting ideas.
Where to buy rocks to paint you ask?
Then lay them flat to dry on some newspaper.
Its usually done with white paint or any light colored paint.
Rock Painting Supplies
The beauty with rock painting is you need very few supplies.
All you generally need is paint and a paintbrush!
Ill list the most popular ones that rock painting connoisseurs use, as well as some cheaper options.
Essentially it makes it easier to paint versus using a paint brush , which is perfect for beginners.
Many rock artists and crafters use thesePOSCA paint penswhich are very popular and work really well.
I personally use these and I love my Posca markers.
Its also a less messier option than paints.
No setup and no cleanup of brushes, palettes are required.
Just grab your paint pens and start doodling, designing, and painting away.
You might be wondering what kind of paint do you use on rocks?
Any acrylic (water-based)craft paintwill work for rock painting.
I find the higher quality paints like Liquitex, provide better color and coverage with fewer layers needed.
This is because higher quality paints have more pigment in them (hence them costing a bit more).
So you might be thinking now: does acrylic paint wash off rocks?
No, it does not wash off.
Which is why you should seal your rocks if you plan on keeping them outdoors.
Ill go into detail about how to seal your rocks further down.
If you are using acrylic paints to paint your rocks, then any synthetic small sized paintbrushes will work.
You probably want to have a variety in size, I.e.
Thisbrush setis inexpensive and has a variety of sizes that would work well for rock painting.
then a brush setlike thiswould be your best bet.
I think tools like the ones below would really help and make the process more enjoyable.
Heres aMandala rock painting toolseton Amazon.
This will double-check your painted design doesnt chip, scratch-off or fade and can resist moisture.
First check that your paint is fully dried before using a sealer.
ThisKrylon Clear Coating Aerosolcan be used to coat your rocks and it dries in minutes.
Youll also get to see a time lapse of each step to see how easy rock painting is.
Hope these ideas further inspire you.
Paint this gorgeous cherry blossom tree on a rock using simple Q-tips technique.
Learnhow to paint a cherry blossom treein this tutorial.
This easy butterfly rock painting is both beautiful and relaxing to paint.
I followed the step by step tutorial onhow to paint a monarch butterflyhere.
I usedPosca pensto paint in the detailed wings and dots on the butterfly.
This rock painting was inspired by this
Another flower rock painting idea for all you flower lovers out there!
Paint some relaxing and soothing purple lavender flowers using basic paints and q-tips!
Check out my fulllavender flower tutorialon how to make this easy design!
I used turquoise paint for the background and used q-tips to dab on the yellow polkadots.
The Hope word was painted on with black paint.
And finally sealed with clear nail polish!
If youre a macrame-hanging, indoor-plant enthusiast (yes, join the club!
), youre gonna love this punny but inspiring design.
I squealed with delight when I found this design on Pinterest!
I wrote Hand in there with black acrylic paint and a fine-tipped paintbrush.
Another inspirational rock painting idea!
This design was one of my favorites.
I found this perfect mountain-shaped rock and knew I wanted to paint a mountain-inspired rock with it!
Found some inspiration and ideas on Pinterest and was excited to transform my rock!
I painted the snow with white.
Use your rock as a blank canvas for your favorite inspiring quote or mantra!
you might use it as a daily reminder of what vibe you want to feel.
To paint this rock I painted the background with yellow.
The q-tips make it easy to create small dots (for the flower petals and center).
This design is very easy to create.
There is something very inspiring, energetic, and powerful about the sun.
Pair it with a powerful quote and you got yourself an easy motivational rock and daily reminder.
Rainbows are always a joy to paint and color.
Pair it with a happy cloud and this rock painting would make even Bob Ross proud!
My 8 year old was super excited to paint rocks.
She went with the inspirational theme and added words of kindness and positivity to hers.
Her fave was the rainbow Be you rock.
This design is super easy to paint.
Paint the background white.
I then traced the design on with a pencil until I was happy with it.
Then I use a fine-tipped paintbrush to paint on the heart/stethoscope, and the words.
I realized after the fact that I spelled Heroes wrong (face-palm).
If youre recreating this one-dont make the same mistake as me
Here is another thank you design for nurses/doctors.
I used a blue which I mixed in with some white to make the medical scrub color.
I used a fine-tipped paintbrush and then painted on the details and words.
As above, I used a fine tipped brush to paint on the design.
Use it for this funny eaten m & m candy rock painting.
Who doesnt get instantly happier when they see the magic of a rainbow?
This rainbow inspired quote rock is easy and fun to recreate for all ages.
This pizza looks almost good enough to eat!
Customize your toppings like you would a real pizza and have fun painting in this cute rock.
Paint a cute bunny for an animal inspired rock painting idea.
Fun and easy for kids and adults and makes a fun easter craft too!
Roses are a fun and easy flower to paint on rocks.
A single rose with some leaves is all you need for this rock design.
This rose shape was inspired byhow to paint roses tutorial.
This project inspired my family to paint some rocks and place them around our neighbourhood.
And it empowered us to feel like we were potentially putting a smile on someones face.
Check out thisleave no tracepage to learn some best practices when it comes to placing rocks in nature.
Did you make this project?
Hope you enjoyed this rock painting 101 post, and have fun finding and painting your very own rock!
