Rock Art Handbook: Techniques and Projects for Painting, Coloring and Transforming Stones

I checked out this recently-published book: Rock Art Handbook: Techniques and Projects for Painting, Coloring and Transforming Stones by Samantha Sarles.

Note: When you click on certain links in this post, I may receive a commission for the purchase of products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This book is a great resource if you want to use a medium other than acrylic paint to decorate your rocks. There are over 30, step-by-step, how-to techniques using pens, paint, nail polish, glitter, fabric, paper, chalk and more.

The techniques and projects are easily explained and beautifully illustrated.

The topics covered are:

• Finding and Prepping Rocks
• Sealants
• Acrylic Paint
• Markers and Pens
• Drawing Mandala and Zentangle Designs
• Marbling
• Colored Pencils
• Decoupage
• Creating Unique Backgrounds
• Embellishments and Textures
• Rocks for Learning
• Rocks and Kids
• Possible Uses

These are rocks I decorated using just a few of the techniques and/or designs from Samantha Sarles' Rock Art Handbook.

Note: When you click on certain links in this post, I may receive a commission for the purchase of products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Sharpie Pens

Sharpies are notorious for blurring when sealed and I had several unused pens to experiment with. The technique: Draw various circles with Sharpies and then use alcohol and a Q-tip to intentionally blur the Sharpie pen lines.

Colored Pencils

The technique: Base coat a design with white acrylic paint prior to filling it in with the colored pencils. The book recommends Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, however, my Loew Cornell colored pencils seemed to work just fine. (Note: I used black acrylic paint to outline the flower.)

Note: When you click on certain links in this post, I may receive a commission for the purchase of products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Outlined and Filled-In Mandala Designs

This was my favorite project from the book. I used extra fine point Posca Paint Pens for both of these rocks. For details on the larger filled-in mandala design, I used a Sakura Pigma Micron pen.

Note: When you click on certain links in this post, I may receive a commission for the purchase of products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

With Christmas approaching, Rock Art Handbook: Techniques and Projects for Painting, Coloring and Transforming Stones by Samantha Sarles would be a great gift for the rock painter in your life.

OR

The stones you decorate using the techniques in this book would be wonderful, personalized presents to give and receive.

Note: When you click on certain links in this post, I may receive a commission for the purchase of products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.


Supplies mentioned in this blog post:

• Rock Art Handbook by Samantha Sarles
• Loew Cornell Colored Pencils
• Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils
• Extra Fine Point Posca Paint Marker Pens
• Sakura Pigma Micron Pen

   
© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

Before & After Painted Rocks: Dogs

Here are the rocks I used to paint various types dogs. Most often I chose a loaf-shaped rock for a reclining dog.

This is Max. He was a memorial stone and special request. Max was also used in my blog post about "How to Use a Wash and Tint Technique on Painted Rocks."

Say "hello" to Deuce. He was a special request for a birthday gift. (The brindle fur was quite a challenge for me.)

Meet Mr. Pug. He was painted using this tutorial by Ernestina Gallina.

This dog with puppies was painted using a tutorial from the e-book, "Artistry Set on Stone" by Suzi Chua.

Note: When you click on certain links in this post, I may receive a commission for the purchase of products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks 

Before & After Painted Rocks: Cats

Here are the rocks I used to paint various types of cats along with the sketches for the placement of the kitty's features.

Sleepy Kitty - A Flora Tan Design

White Persian Cat - A Suzi Chua Design

Orange Striped Tabby - A Suzi Chua Design

Black and White Cat - An Ernestina Gallina Design

Brown Persian Kitty - A Suzi Chua Design

How to Paint Cats on Rocks Tutorials:

• "Painting Pets on Rocks" by Lin Wellford
• "How to Paint on Rock a Black and White Cat" downloadable PDF by Ernestina Gallina
• "Let's Get Catty: Painting Realistic and Detailed Cats on Stone" downloadable ebook by Suzi Chua

Note: When you click on certain links in this post, I may receive a commission for the purchase of products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

There's More Than One Way to Paint a Cat Rock

I used how-to guides from 4 different artists to create these kitty cats painted rocks.

Lin Wellford's book, "Painting Pets on Rocks" was the inspiration for this Black Cat painted rock.

Design courtesy of Lin Wellford

I found Lin's instructions clear and easy to follow. Other cat designs included in Lin Wellford's "Painting Pets on Rocks" book are: Tabby Cat, White Cat, Siamese Cat.

Note: When you click on certain links in this post, I may receive a commission for the purchase of products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This Black and White Cat was painted using Ernestina Gallina's downloadable PDF tutorial - "How to Paint on Rock a Black and White Cat."

Design Courtesy of Ernestina Gallina

This Black and White Cat was more difficult to paint than Lin Wellford's version, however, by following Ernestina's detailed instructions, I was pleased with the result.

Suzi Chua's ebook "Let's Get Catty: Painting Realistic and Detailed Cats on Stone" inspired the Striped Orange Tabby and White Persian painted cats rocks.

 

Design Courtesy of Suzi Chua

Design Courtesy of Suzi Chua

I am always able to paint cute, whimsical designs using a Suzi Chua how-to guide. However, I find it necessary to study Suzi's included photos because her directions aren't as detailed as Lin Wellford's or Ernestina Gallina's and could be frustrating for beginners.


Flora Tan was a guest artist also featured in Suzi Chua's "Let's Get Catty" ebook who included instructions for painting this Sleepy Kitty.

Design Courtesy of Flora Tan

Of the five cats I painted using the how-to guides, I found the Sleepy Kitty to be the most challenging. The instructions were clear and detailed but all the fur strokes became frustrating for me.

The steps for painting a cat on a rock are basically the same in each how-to guide. I often refer to and adapt various steps/features from each guide to paint my own version of a cat rock.


How to Paint Cats tutorials mentioned in this post:

• "Painting Pets on Rocks" by Lin Wellford
• "How to Paint on Rock a Black and White Cat" downloadable PDF by Ernestina Gallina
• "Let's Get Catty: Painting Realistic and Detailed Cats on Stone" downloadable ebook by Suzi Chua

Note: When you click on certain links in this post, I may receive a commission for the purchase of products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

Classic Design Ideas for Painted Rocks

Don't only rely on rock painting books for design ideas. Classic designs from books published years ago can easily be painted on rocks also.

For instance, the book "Pat Olson's Holiday Classics 1" (published in 1994) contains 37 designs (mostly bunnies) but also includes several patterns for Valentine's, St. Patrick's, and Patriotic-themed paint projects.

Note: When you click on certain links in this post, I may receive a commission for the purchase of products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

In addition to the 37 patterns, "Pat Olson's Holiday Classics 1" also includes general info about acrylic painting, painting terms, fabric painting, "watercoloring" with acrylics and an acrylic paint color comparison chart.

Each design pattern lists the brand of paint and colors to use, step-by-step, written instructions and indicates the page where the painted, finished design appears in the book.

Look at what I painted on a rock using two of the design patterns from Pat Olson's book!

I used these designs from the book - "Chunkie Bunny with a Heart" and "Sending My Love" - to paint this rock. One side featured the cute bunny and I took advantage of the reverse, heart-shaped side to paint a plaid heart.

"Chunkie Bunny with a Heart" and "Sending My Love"

For a St. Patrick's Day rock, I used the "Irish Children Chunkies" design and painted the girl on one side of the rock and painted the boy on the rock's reverse side.

"Irish Children Chunkies"

So, don't ignore out-of-print design and pattern books. They can be a valuable source of inspiration for your rock painting projects.

Helpful Links

• Additional Pat Olson Books
• Rock Painting Tips for Beginners
• Helpful Rock Painting Tools and Supplies

Note: When you click on certain links in this post, I may receive a commission for the purchase of products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

How to Tackle a Rock Painting Challenge

Have you ever agreed to paint a rock then asked yourself, "How am I going to paint THAT?!"

A request for Noah's Ark was my rock painting challenge because:

• It was a complex design
• I had not painted it on a rock in the past.

I learned (and now apply) these lessons to painted rock designs which seem more ambitious than my skill allows.

Lesson 1: Don't rush to paint. Keep the project in the back of your mind and ideas will start coming to you.

Instead of rushing to paint the Noah's Ark, I spent time:

• Thinking about and finding suitable rocks for the project
• Looking at pictures of animals and Noah's Ark
• Gathering reference materials.

Before I could envision how to paint Noah's Ark, I needed a rock to paint on. I was fortunate to find 3 rocks of a suitable shape in varying sizes - small, medium, and large.

Lesson 2: Paint a practice rock. Test the design and try techniques on one or more practice rocks before tackling the "keeper."

I painted Noah's Ark on the smallest rock first. From this practice rock, I learned:

• The paint color for the wood portion was too dark and did not feature enough interest
• The wood-painted portion could have been lower to allow more room at the top for the animals
• Something should be featured in the windows of the ark
• It was best to paint the largest animal(s) first then select the remaining animals based on the space available.

Lesson 3: Test Designs and Colors. Try out colors and designs on paper before committing to the rock. Record the steps and paint colors you used.

Before continuing to paint on the medium-sized rock, I sketched a simple ark on paper and played with various paint color combinations for the wood portion of the ark. Noting the colors I used helped me recreate it on the rock.

The 2nd Noah's Ark I painted (medium-size rock) incorporated what I learned from painting the practice rock:

• The painted wood portion was a lighter color and more interesting
• More room was allowed at the top portion of the rock for the animals
• The windows of the ark and the roof now featured animals
• The animal selection and placement process was easier.

The Noah's Ark challenge wasn't daunting by the time I painted the 3rd and largest rock (which would be gifted to my friend).

Lesson 4: Use reference materials for inspiration and guidance. Don't feel you have to paint from memory.

I referred to photos and these how-to guides to paint the animals:

• Artistry Set on Stone by Suzi Chua 
• Painting Zoo Animals on Rocks by Lin Wellford
• Painting More Animals on Rocks by Lin Wellford
• Noah's Touch by Linda Jordan

Note: When you click on certain links in this post, I may receive a commission for the purchase of products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

When you accept a challenge and push yourself to paint a complex design which you've never done before, the sense of accomplishment makes your spirit soar.

Have you been asked to paint a complex or challenging design on a rock? 

Try these tips.

Please leave a comment about your experience painting complex, challenging designs on rocks.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

Before & After Painted Rocks: Adorned Elephants

The rock shapes I chose for these adorned, painted elephants were:

• Round, roly-poly stone (left)
• Loaf shape (center)
• Triangular (right) 

My first step was to paint the elephants without any colorful garments. To help with the proportions and shading I referred to Lin Wellford's book - Painting Zoo Animals on Rocks.

Note: When you click on certain links in this post, I may receive a commission for the purchase of products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Elephant features sketched on the stones

The rock elephants are brought to life with shading and details

I then chose a different head covering and blanket design for each elephant.

Painted rock elephants adorned in festive apparel

Rocks are enlivened by paint to become adorned, decorated elephants.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

Helpful Links

• Painting Zoo Animals on Rocks by Lin Wellford
• Helpful Rock Painting Tools and Supplies
• Rock Painting Tips for Beginners

Note: When you click on certain links in this post, I may receive a commission for the purchase of products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.