5 Imaginative Rock Painting Ideas

"Rock Art! Painting and Crafting with the Humble Pebble" by Denise Scicluna inspired me for a 5th week of rock painting.

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.

An imaginative idea is painting a colorful circle first and then adding the mandala design. (I need more patience & practice to make mandalas on rocks! They always end up lopsided and become doodles instead.)

Making Mandalas: inspired by "Rock Art!" by Denise Scicluna

Your imagination can run wild because colorful ladybugs are one of the simplest designs to paint on any shape or size of rock.

Brilliant Bugs: inspired by "Rock Art!" by Denise Scicluna

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.

These pebble messages are tokens of faith, peace, and love and can be carried in a pocket. Any meaningful words, names or quotes can be painted on pebbles.

From Me to You: inspired by "Rock Art!" by Denise Scicluna

Black and white paint gives this imaginative owl design a clean, graphic look and complements the pebbles' natural colors.

Hoot Your Pebbles: inspired by "Rock Art!" by Denise Scicluna

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.

These colorful fish rocks used two of my favorite things - dots and metallic paint.

Fish Tails: inspired by "Rock Art!" by Denise Scicluna

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.

Useful Links

• "Rock Art! Painting and Crafting with the Humble Pebble"
• Pretty rock painting ideas from "Rock Art!"
• 5 fun rock painting ideas from "Rock Art!"
• 5 creative rock painting ideas from "Rock Art!"
• 5 easy and colorful ideas from "Rock Art!" 
• A Rock Painting Book Perfect for Beginners (Blog Post of May 19, 2015) 

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks 

Rock Painting Ideas: Slimy Critters Painted on Rocks

To get my creative juices flowing, I have a new Pinterest inspiration board. It features ideas and patterns for painting fish, frogs, turtles, snakes, lizards, snails and other slimy critters on rocks, stones and pavers.

 
Ideas: Slimy Painted Rocks

Not only can you transform a rock into a critter but you can also paint a fish pond on a piece of slate.

* * * * *

Visit my Pinterest Rock Painting Ideas and Helps board for more tips, tricks, ideas, and patterns to use for painting rocks, stones and pebbles.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

How to Paint Flying Bugs, Pigs, and Fish on Rocks Using Free Tutorials

Today's FREE lessons are provided by Ernestina Gallina.

I would categorize Ernestina's how-to guides as intermediate skill level. My feeling is "practice makes perfect" and even if you're a beginner rock painter, you can improve your skills by trying these free, rock painting projects.

These free tutorials (in PDF format) include:

• A list of the materials you'll need
• Guidance on the type of rocks suitable for the project
• Detailed step-by-step instructions and illustrations for painting cute flying bug rocks, baby pig rocks, and little Nemo rocks

Flying Bugs

Here's my first attempt at using the flying bug rocks tutorial

Once you learn a technique for painting rocks, you can change up the colors and add your own special touch and creative ideas to differentiate your painted rocks from those of other artists.

I altered this project by using metallic acrylic paint for the flying bugs in the photo below.

Metallic flying bugs painted rocks

Baby Pig

Two pigs I painted using the free Baby Pig tutorial

I learned the importance of choosing smooth rocks when I painted these two baby pigs. Smooth rocks allow paint to be applied and lines to be drawn easily. Pitted rocks are definitely more challenging to paint. Doesn't my little piggy look like he's been in a barnyard fight or just escaped the meat grinder? 

Little Nemo

Little Nemo I painted using this free tutorial

I had the perfect rock for painting a Little Nemo. By varying the acrylic paint colors, it's possible to create an aquarium full of unique, painted fish rocks. One of Ernestina's clever ideas for this project was to add gold glitter paint to "simulate sparkling scales on the body."

Thank you, Ernestina Gallina, for generously sharing your creative, rock painting how-to-guides.


The free projects mentioned in this post along with their links were viewable on the date of this post. I cannot guarantee how long the projects will remain free and available online. 


© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks