Easy Rock Mandalas with Posca Paint Pens

Rock mandalas are easy to create when you use Posca Paint pens.

(Inspiration for this project is from the Rock Art Handbook 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.
 
There are two types of mandalas you can create on rocks with Posca paint pens  - an outline mandala and a filled-in mandala.

As you can see in the photo below, the outline mandala on the left is the simpler of the two designs. You start in the center and add concentric circles of varying designs/dots/colors using the Posca paint pens.

Outline Mandala (L) - Filled-In Mandala (R)

The filled-in design on the right looks more complicated, however, Posca paint pens make the process easy - as I'll show you.

I started with a smooth, round stone which I base coated with white, acrylic paint.

A yellow dot in the center of the rock started my mandala. I then surrounded the yellow dot by adding petal and leaf shapes in pink, green, and purple using the Posca paint pens. (Note: my paint pens are the extra fine point tip.)

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The fun of mandalas is that you can choose any colors and designs you wish to surround your starting dot.

This is what my mandala rock looked like after I finished my design around the center dot using the Posca paint pens. It's a simple, colorful, filled-in mandala. I could have stopped here but the next step is what makes the rock mandala "pop."

I used my black, Sakura Pigma Micron Pen (03 tip) to outline the colorful shapes and add various doodles. In the photo below you can see where I started with the outlining in the center of the stone.

Observe how adding fine, black details (lines, dots, doodles) with the Pigma Micron pen adds a look of complexity to the mandala without being difficult to accomplish.

Reference Links
Rock Art Handbook by Samantha Sarles
Posca Paint Pens
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.

 
© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

4 Rock Painting Projects - No Drawing Skill Required

You don't have to be an artist to create colorful rocks.

No drawing or painting skills are needed for these 4 techniques:

• Mod Podge a design
• Fingerprint stones
• Graphic stones
• Pattern tracing 

How to Mod Podge a Design onto Rocks

For this technique, all you'll need is a smooth rock, your design (I used a napkin) and some Mod Podge.

Click here for my tips on how to Mod Podge a design onto a rock.

How to Paint Fingerprint Stones

For this technique, you'll need some stones, acrylic paint, a marker and your finger (or thumb). The idea is to use your fingerprint to create a body and then add simple features with a marker.

Click here for my instructions and tips to create fingerprint stones.

How To Paint Graphic Stones

The secret to this "no drawing skill" painted stone is to portion off parts of the rock with masking tape. The only supplies needed are stones, paint, a brush and masking tape.

Click here for step-by-step instructions for easy, graphic stones.

How To Trace a Pattern onto a Stone

Graphite transfer paper is the special item you'll need for this technique. Although drawing skills aren't required, this technique is more involved than the other three mentioned in this post.

Click here for step-by-step instructions for transferring a pattern onto a rock.

No drawing skills? No problem! You can create colorful rock and stone art using these 4 techniques.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

10 Rock Painting Projects for Kids

If you're new to rock painting, a helpful resource is Lin Wellford's "Painting on Rocks for Kids."

Whether you're a kid, parent or grandparent, you'll find all the information you need to get started with rock painting.


You'll Learn About

• Tips for painting rocks
• Types of brushes, paint, and other recommended supplies
• Where to find rocks

 Each Easy-to-Follow Project

• Lists the supplies you'll need
• Illustrates the shape of rock to use
• Guides you step-by-step with clear, color photos, drawings, and written instructions
• Gives you ideas for variations of the project

Project How-To's Included in "Painting on Rocks for Kids"

1. Go Fish
2. Rocky Roadsters
3. Lazy Lizards
4. Flower Power
5. Rockosaurs
6. Go Buggy!
7. Sandbox City
8. Playful Food
9. Mystery Eggs
10. Bookend Bears

Find out more about Painting on Rocks for Kids

Other Rock Painting Guides by Lin Wellford

• Painting Zoo Animals on Rocks (Paperback)
• Lin Wellford's Painted Garden Art Anyone Can Do (Paperback)
• Painting Pets on Rocks (Paperback)
• The Art of Painting Animals on Rocks (Paperback)

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 Paint Shabby-Chic Rocks and Stones

Pretty, shabby-chic painted stones are an easy rock-painting project for both Easter and year-round display.

Supplies

• Smooth stones - any shape (oval rocks will look like painted eggs)
• Acrylic paint in a muted color (I used "Light Buttermilk")
• Black 3D fabric paint (also known as puffy paint)
• Brush
• Pencil
• Sandpaper

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 used for shabby-chic painted rocks

How To Make Shabby-Chic Painted Rocks

Cover your stone with acrylic paint and allow it to dry.

Cover the stone with acrylic

Using a pencil, draw a swirly design on your painted stone. You can go around the edges, down the middle, whatever you like.

Draw a swirly design

Use the black 3D fabric paint to outline your sketched swirls. (You want the line to be raised.) Allow the fabric paint to dry for 4 hours.
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Outline the swirls with 3D paint

Once the black 3D fabric paint is dry, cover it with your original color and allow it dry.

Cover the swirls with the original color

Use sandpaper to carefully scrape off some of the paint on the raised design so the black shows through.

Scrape off some paint from swirls

Ideas

Paint different, muted colors and vary the placement of the swirl design.

"Mod Podge" flowers or other vintage images onto the stone.

Display your shabby-chic painted stones in a pretty dish or bowl.

 

Tips

• Vintage paint colors are pale and muted - good colors to use are dusty rose, pale green, yellow ochre, cream, etc.
• Practice with your 3D fabric paint first; it can be tricky if you've never used it before 
• Matte 3D fabric paint works better than shiny but you can use either one as long as it's black
• For a raised line, hold the 3D fabric paint bottle like a pencil and angle the tip while outlining your design
• I did not use a sealer on these rocks because I wanted them to look "old" and the sealer would add shine
• When you Mod Podge a design onto the rock, tear around the design's edges rather than cutting; the design will blend better into the stone. It also helps to add some of your paint around the design to camouflage the edges   

Helpful resources

• 3D Fabric Paint
• How to use 3D fabric paint
• 10 Tips for Using Mod Podge

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.

The inspiration for this project was a DIY idea for Shabby Chic Easter Eggs by Sylwia Serwin.


© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

How to Make a No-Sew Bed for Painted Rock Pets

You can easily make a bed for your dogs and cats painted on stones and rocks without sewing a stitch!

Tips & Ideas

• A bag with a round or oval bottom works best
• The canvas bag used for these pet rock beds measures 4-1/2 inches in diameter by 7 inches tall and fits painted rock pets measuring up to 3 inches wide
• Remove the drawstring before folding the bag inward
• A thin, knit sock (men's or women's) can be used instead of the canvas bag

• Felt or fleece are cozy liners for the bed 

Keep your painted rock pets comfy in a cute, cozy bed.

Canvas bag - no-sew pet rock bed

Knit sock - no-sew pet rock beds

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

Rock Painting Idea: Animal Prints

A fun, easy rock painting project is animal prints.

Animal prints painted on stones

The easiest animal print to start with is a black and white cow. Just base coat a stone with white acrylic paint then add black splotches of various sizes and shapes.

A tiger print is easily painted also. Base coat the stone with orange acrylic paint then add long, black squiggly or wavy shapes. Make sure the black squiggles go in the same general direction. (Switch the orange paint to white and you'd have a zebra print.)

Click here to see a size comparison for this stone

A fun variation of an animal print is to paint hearts on a stone base coated with pale pink.

For an animal print that shines, use metallic craft paint.

Click here to see a size comparison for this stone

You can paint various sizes of paw prints on a stone too and stay within the animal print theme.

Click here to see a size comparison for this stone

With practice you can paint more detailed animal prints on stones.

Have fun and get creative with painted rock animal prints. Small stones can be used for paper weights and larger rocks make colorful door stops.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

Painted Rocks: No Drawing Skills Required

I needed a break from detailed rock painting and created these colorful stones using an easy, no-drawing technique.

  
The only items required were a brush, some paint, masking tape, and, of course, stones.

I love to collect color palettes to inspire future rock painting projects. However, I often don't have the opportunity to try out the color combinations. (You can find beautiful color palettes here.) 

This simple, rock painting technique serves many purposes:

• Method for trying out new color palettes
• Easy project to undertake after time-consuming, detailed rock painting
• Use for stones with no definitive subject in mind
• Adds colorful stones to a give-away collection

You'll need:

• Smooth, flat stones
• Flat brush
• Masking tape
• Acrylic paint

Step 1: Use masking tape to section off a portion of the stone 

Step 2: Apply acrylic paint in your choice of color. 

Step 3: Once the paint is dry (you may need 1-3 coats), carefully remove the tape.

Repeat the process for each section you wish to cover with paint.

2 Sections have been completed

Geometric-painted stone with unpainted center section

Tips

• Smooth, flat stones work best

• Limit paint colors to 2-4 hues.
• Make sure the masking tape is firmly pressed onto the stone so no paint leaks underneath.
• Pull the tape off carefully after the paint has dried.
• You may need to touch up some areas when tape is pulled off.
• When painting between sections, a thin piece of masking tape can be used to section off the area. This will minimize the risk of removing paint from a dried section.

Ideas

• Embellish your geometric stones with dots, dashes, floral vines, etc.
• Leave a section of the stone unpainted
• Paint stones in flag colors of your country, sports team, etc.
• Use metallic, glitter, or other specialty paints for a different effect
• Mod Podge a saying, pretty flower, etc. onto the stone

No drawing skills. No problem. You can still have fun painting colorful rocks and stones.

Embellished geometric-painted stones

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

How to Make Paint Palettes Using Everyday Household Items

Here's how to easily make paint palettes from items you use every day around the house. And you're reusing an item that was headed for the trash anyway.

Use plastic lids from margarine tubs, yogurt cups, coffee cans, etc.

Lid from a 32 ounce yogurt container

Use plastic bottles - any size works. In some cases this may not be cost-free, as you're losing the bottle deposit. I used a 2-liter seltzer bottle.

2-Liter Seltzer Bottle

Cut the bottom off the plastic bottle. (I was able to use regular scissors to cut around the bottom of my seltzer bottle.)

You now have a paint palette which is best for using individual colors without mixing. This works especially well when painting with children.

Soda Bottle Paint Palette

I drink more water than soda and found my favorite palette is made from plastic 1-gallon water jugs.

Plastic 1-Gallon Water Jug

Similar to the soda bottle, just cut the bottom off the jug.

I love these paint palettes made from plastic water jugs because the colors can be mixed yet there's a divider if you want to keep them separated.

Water Jug Paint Palette - My Favorite

If you have ideas for other inexpensive, DIY paint palettes, please leave a comment.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks