How to Prepare Rocks and Stones for Painting

Cleaning is the first thing I do to prepare my rocks for painting. 

• Use a little dish detergent and water
• Scrub the rocks to remove dirt
• Rinse well
• Allow the stones and rocks to dry completely

• CLEANING TIPS: 
• I like to do several stones at one time in a bucket
• Dirt from the stones may clog the pipes, so be sure to dispose of the cleaning water in a suitable place
• To sanitize the stones after washing and rinsing, I add a little bleach to a bucket of clean water, then rinse well 

Many rocks need just a good cleaning and no other preparation for painting.
 
Priming will make your project go much easier for certain types of rock and stones. 

Candidates for priming: 

• Smooth stones
• Dark-colored rocks and stones
• Rough, porous, and/or pitted rocks or bricks

SMOOTH STONES 

I purchased these landscaping stones in the garden department of a big box store. 
 

They are a great shape for rock painting, but the smooth surface makes it difficult for paint to adhere properly. Without priming the rocks first, my design and hard work can peel right off. 

To prime these stones (after they've been cleaned and dried), I just apply 1 or 2 coats of white (or light colored) acrylic or craft paint. 

The light primer not only helps subsequent paint layers adhere but also brightens subsequent colors.

Update August 2017: My preferred primer is gesso. Learn more about gesso and how it is used.

DARK-COLORED STONES 

A coat or two of white or light-colored paint applied to dark stones helps brighten subsequent paint colors as illustrated below.

Painted Rock Ladybug Color Counters

PITTED OR ROUGH STONES OR BRICKS

There are several ways to prime pitted or rough stones.

Acrylic paint can be used to fill the pits (if they aren't numerous or deep) by dabbing the paint into any little crevasses or holes. 


Landscaping bricks, edgers and pavers are very rough. I like to brush on a product called KILZ to prime them before painting.

 

Sometimes, I smooth wood filler over a rock's holes and cracks to fill them before applying a primer and/or painting. 

Update August 2017: For slightly pitted stones, I now use super heavy gesso. Learn more about gesso and how it is used.

To protect and seal my rocks once they are painted, I brush on Americana DuraClear Satin Varnish. 

 

These are the supplies and methods I prefer for painted rocks preparation and protection.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks 

Rock Painting Ideas Are All Around Us

Ideas and inspiration for painting rocks can be found in unexpected places.

Recently I took a day trip to Colorado Springs and while window shopping came across a shop which featured Mexican art crafts.

Bear Cave Imports, Colorado Springs, CO

The bright colors of the painted ceramic animals, pottery, wall hangings, dishes, light fixtures and tiles spoke to my artist's heart and drew me into the store. Inspiration called to me from every direction.

I want to paint a simple sun/moon face on either a rock or round pavestone and I found this hand-painted tile I could use for inspiration.

My inspiration for painting a sun/moon face

After purchasing my single tile, I realized Mexican ceramics would be a helpful resource for new color combinations and painting ideas because I love bright colors.

If you're unable to visit a Mexican pottery store in person, Talavera Ceramics is a great website for inspiration. I especially like the Tiles and Animals & Suns pages.

Talavera Ceramics

You can also click here to see more brightly colored Mexican hand-painted ceramics to use for rock painting ideas and inspiration.

If you keep your artist's eyes open to what speaks to your heart, ideas for painted rocks can be found all around you.


© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks