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 Zentangle Patterns on Rocks and Stones

Supplies 

• Smooth stones
• Acrylic paints
• Artist's pens (I used this set of pens which I like because it contains different pen tips and 3 colors of ink - black, brown and gray.) (Note: since the date of this post, I now prefer Pigma Micron pens for use on rocks.)

Pro Art Artists Pens - Set of 8

• Zentangle patterns (If you're new to the Zentangle method, "Joy of Zentangle" has simple explanations and step-by-step patterns.)

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.

How I Tangled the Stones

First, I primed the rocks with white, acrylic paint.

Stones primed with white, acrylic paint

Next, I thinned my turquoise blue paint with a little water and tinted the primed stone.

 

Based on the shape of this stone, I chose the Ammon Zentangle pattern from the "Joy of Zentangle" book and drew it with the black artist pen. I chose a darker blue acrylic to paint the shapes within the sections of the tangle.

To add a little dimension, I used the gray pen from the Artist Pens 8-piece set and outlined the black swirl.

I painted three more stones but this time I did not thin the acrylic paint with water.

I combined all four Zentangle patterns on one stone and used the black and gray artist pens on a white background.

I enjoy painting tangles on stones after I've painted a detailed rock. It's a relaxing way to prepare for my next rock painting project and allows me to be creative in a simple way.

Tips

• Smooth stones are best
• Micron pens are normally used when creating tangles on paper. I find the fine, metal tips of these pens can scratch the acrylic paint from the rock and the pen's tip can be damaged by the rock
• Use a pattern which works well with the shape of your stone
• Don't worry about being perfect. Incorporate any mistakes into the design
• Do not seal your rocks with brush-on sealers when using artists pens or Sharpies. Most times the ink will bleed and your beautiful creation will be ruined. Learn about my spray-on sealer preference

Useful Links

• Joy of Zentangle - Drawing Your Way to Increased Creativity, Focus, and Well-Being
• Zentangle® untangled 
• Doodles, Tangles and Patterns Pinterest Board
• Learn more about Zentangle®

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 Make a Melting Snowman with Painted Rocks

"Build" this snowman in the warmth of your home instead of braving the cold, frosty outdoors.

 

Supplies:

• One flat rock and a smaller round or oval rock

• White, black, red, orange acrylic paint
• Glue (I used E6000) 
• Protective sealer (optional)

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.

Step 1: Glue the smaller rock onto the larger, flat stone.

Step 2: Paint the stones white. (You may need to apply several coats of paint for good coverage.)

 Step 3: Paint the eyes, carrot nose, mouth, stick arms and buttons.

Ideas:

• Use 3-D fabric paint for the eyes and buttons
• Use buttons for the eyes and buttons
• Attach sticks for the arms instead of painting them
• Add glitter glue to give the snowman a glistening effect
• Attach small, painted stones for the eyes and buttons
• Attach a pretty ribbon to make a hanging tree ornament
• For an outdoor display, use a round garden paver for the melting body and a large stone for the head
• Melted snowman cookies were the inspiration for this project 

A melting snowman is an easy rock painting project and great for Christmas stocking stuffers.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

Rock Painting Ideas: Hearts Painted on Stones

You can paint all types of heart designs on triangular and heart-shaped rocks and they make great gifts for any occasion!

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For ideas and inspiration to paint on heart-shaped and triangular rocks and stones, I've started a new Pinterest board - Ideas: Hearts Painted Rocks.

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Here's a fun heart idea you can paint on a rock right now.

Click to learn more about this painted heart rock project

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Visit my Pinterest Rock Painting Ideas and Helps board to get inspiration for other painted rocks projects.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

How to Make Christmas Trees with Pine Cones and Painted Stones

I collected a few pine cones the other day with the idea to use them with small, painted rocks to create a Christmas tree.

Pine Cone and Painted Stone Christmas Tree

Step 1: I cleaned the dirt, pine needles, etc. from the pine cone. If you prefer, you can wash and preserve the pine cone before starting this project.

Step 2: I went through my small stones and chose the rounded or oval ones.

Step 3: I narrowed down my selection of stones by fitting them on the scales of the pine cone. Some stones were too big, some too thick, and others fit nicely to maintain the Christmas tree shape.

Step 4: I painted my chosen stones with white acrylic paint as a base to make the paint adhere better and my colors appear brighter.

Step 5: Metallic craft paint in various hues - gold, silver, copper, emerald, topaz, amethyst, rose - was applied to the primed stones.

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.

Step 6: I thoughtfully placed each painted stone on the pine cone where the color and fit looked best, then attached them with white glue. (At times the stone wanted to slip from the pine cone's scale and it was necessary to hold it in place until set.)

Step 7: (Optional) Once all the painted rocks were in place and set, I sealed the pine cone/stone Christmas tree with a brush-on polyurethane sealer.

Painted Stones Become Ornaments on a Pine Cone Tree

Tips

• ALWAYS keep small stones away from children - they are a choking hazard!
• Use a toothbrush or bottle brush to clean the pine cones.
• Always test the placement of the stones to avoid the pine cone being tipsy.
• If using multiple colors, take care of the placement so you don't have the same colors bunched together.
• You may need to touch up the underside of the painted stones. Do it carefully so you don't get paint on the pine cone.
• E6000 or a similar glue should also work for this project.
• You can purchase small stones (in a bag) in the craft section of a dollar store.

Ideas

• Add glitter to the stones or edges of the pine cone. (I used glitter for the stone at the top to resemble a star.)

• Add a little white paint to the edge of the pine cone to resemble snow.
• Paint the pine cone instead of leaving it natural.
• Place the pine cone/stone Christmas tree in a painted clay pot (see photo above).
• Paint rectangular stones to resemble gifts under the tree.

• Switch up the colors for a Halloween, Thanksgiving, Easter, or other holiday/occasion.
• Use a pretty candle holder for a base. (I used a red, star-shaped candlestick.) 

Before/After

Useful Links

• How to clean and preserve pine cones
• Pine cones by the bag
• Small stones by the bag
• Metallic craft paint
• E600 Glue 
• Mini pine cone pot tutorial
• How to paint a pine cone Christmas tree

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

Christmas Ideas for Painted Rocks

Painted rocks are great gifts to make, give, and receive over the Christmas holidays.

Santa Ornaments Painted on Rocks

For Christmas rock painting inspiration, I have a new Pinterest board: Ideas: Christmas Painted Rocks.

Painted rocks can be more than ornaments, too. Larger rocks can be painted as indoor/outdoor holiday home and garden decor.

Large Painted Rock Santa with Detachable Head

Christmas will be here before you know it. Now is the time to start collecting rocks and stones (before they're covered by snow) and painting them.

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Visit my Pinterest Rock Painting Ideas and Helps board to get inspiration for other painted rocks projects.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

Rock Painting Ideas: Doodles, Patterns, Designs

I recently painted my first "Zen tangles" on stones and loved the process.

Learn how I painted these designs on stones

For repetitive-pattern drawing & painting inspiration, I have a new Pinterest board where I'll be collecting simple doodle, tangle and pattern ideas: Doodles, Tangles & Patterns.

Visit my Pinterest Rock Painting Ideas and Helps board to get inspiration for other painted rocks projects.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

How to Paint Designs on Rocks and Stones

Have you heard of tangle art, also known as Zen doodling? I first discovered it on Pinterest and it appeared very complicated.

Here's how I painted these simple, Zen doodle designs on rocks using three different techniques.

I used the book - "Zentangle® untangled" - to learn the process.

The book illustrated step by step how to draw repetitive patterns to create designs "that anyone can achieve regardless of age or artistic ability."

After practicing on paper, it was time to try it on smooth, flat stones.

My practice Zen doodles on paper

Zen doodle technique 1: I used a black Sharpie fine-tip, oil-based paint pen to draw the design directly on the stone.

I then used various hues of blue acrylic to paint the design carefully within the lines.

Zen doodle technique 2: I painted the stone turquoise blue first.

I drew my pattern onto the stone using a pencil, then outlined the design with a black Sharpie fine-tip, oil-based paint pen, and filled in the design with various shades of blue acrylic paint.

Zen doodle technique 3: I drew my design on an unpainted stone with pencil, then filled in the design with red and pink acrylic paint and added white dots. (I did not use the oil-based paint pen on this tangle art stone.)

Tips:

• Use smooth, flat stones
• For small stones, an extra-fine point Sharpie oil-based paint pen would probably be easier to use than a fine-point
• Some people use Micron pens to draw on stones. I tried the 02 size which did not work for me; the nib was too fine
• Don't worry about being perfect with your doodles
• Don't rush; a certain level of concentration is required  

Ideas:

• Experiment with color palettes using tangle art. As an added benefit you'll have a pretty, painted stone
• After painting a detailed rock, take a break and relax by painting some tangle art stones

Useful Links:

• Simple doodles, tangles and patterns Pinterest board
• Zentangle® untangled
• Zentangle® Basics
• About Zentangle® 

If you like to doodle and paint rocks, you'll love tangle art.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

How to Paint Simple, Two-Sided Critters on Stones

You can easily paint front/back and top/bottom critters on stones.

Supplies

• 3-inch, oval or round, flat stones

• Animal patterns

• graphite tracing paper
• acrylic paints
• sealer (optional)

How To

I found front/back and top/bottom animal patterns on this website and printed them out. The original size was perfect for tracing onto flat stones measuring approximately 3 inches. Tip: the front/back patterns are the easiest to start with.

I used this pattern tracing technique to transfer the animal pattern onto each side of a stone, then painted it. (You can also draw the animals instead of tracing them.)

Optional: As a final touch, you can add a sealer, either to the whole stone or just the painted portion, to extend the life of your painted creation.

These two-sided critter stones are a fun way to teach children the concepts of top/bottom and front/back.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

Rock Painting Kits

Not sure if rock painting is for you?

I was in my local Barnes & Noble today and discovered three rock painting kits with everything you need to get started. And they were on sale for the bargain price of $7.95.

I purchased this kit...

...which contained:

• Full-color booklet with project ideas (Note: the booklet does not provide step-by-step painting instructions)
• Smooth river stones
• Acrylic paints
• Paint brush

Items included in my rock painting kit

Each kit was a little different but they all contained a booklet, paints, stones and a brush or two. 

Rock painting kits are an inexpensive way to experiment with painted rocks and a great gift for kids.

Rock Painting Tip: Use Paint Pens Instead of a Brush for Detailing

Sometimes my rock is too small or my hand too unsteady to paint fine details with a brush. Regular Sharpie markers smeared and changed color when a sealer was applied. Micron pens scraped the paint off my rock and dried up quickly.

Update: Monday, October 24, 2016

Since the date of the original post, I have discovered the Uni Posca marker and consider it the best pen/marker for rock painting. This post has now been updated to include the Posca pen. (Click here to see my experiments with the Posca Pen.)


Four pens suitable for rock painting are the: 

• Uni Posca Marker (extra fine tip)
• Elmer's Painters Pen (fine tip)
• Sharpie Oil-Based Paint Marker (fine tip)
• Sakura Pigma Brush Pen (brush tip)

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.
 

While only one of these pens is my perfect solution, they all enable me to add details to my painted rocks without using a brush.

I drew a simple kitty using each pen to illustrate how they perform on a rock. (FYI: Smooth stones are easier to draw on than pitted stones.) 

Uni Posca Marker (water-based paint filled)

Uni Posca Marker - My Perfect Rock Painting Pen

 Pros

• Available in various colors
• Many tips available from extra fine point to extra broad
• Can be used on unpolished and polished stones
• Dries quickly
• Does not blur or change color when sealer is applied

Cons

• None

Elmer's Opaque Paint Marker (acrylic paint filled)

Elmer's Painters Pen

 Pros

• Available in various colors
• Fine tip available
• Dries quickly
• Doesn't smear or change color when sealer is applied

 Cons

• Fine tip is not as fine as I'd like

Sharpie Oil-Based Paint Pen

Sharpie Oil-Based Paint Pen

Pros

• Available in various colors
• Fine & extra fine tips available
• Dries quickly
• Glossy
• Doesn't smear or change color when sealer is applied

Cons

• Fine tip is not as fine as I'd like (I have not tried the extra-fine tip)

Sagura Pigma Brush (archival ink)

Sakura Pigma Brush

Pros

• Available in various colors
• Dries quickly
• You can control the thickness of the line by amount of pressure used when drawing

Cons

• The kitty drawn with the Pigma Brush smeared when I applied a polyurethane varnish (Delta Ceramcoat)

Polyurethane sealer smeared my kitty design

Tip

• After redrawing the kitty with the Sakura Pigma Brush, I carefully sealed the rock with a thin coat of Mod Podge first, then I applied the Delta Ceramcoat  

Apply Mod Podge first then polyurethane sealer when using Pigma Brush

I previously used three of these pens interchangeably but my new favorite is the Posca marker.

How to Prevent "Sharpie" Permanent Markers from Blurring When Sealed

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

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks