Free Rock Painting Projects - Love Bugs, Cactus, Stone Tablet, Pansies

This week's free rock painting lessons and tutorials are brought to you courtesy of  the Creativity Portal together with Ernestina Gallina.

The Creativity Portal is a great website for inspiring creativity. All types of arts and crafts are featured on the site including rock painting ideas and inspiration.

Ernestina Gallina (featured on my blog in an earlier post) has shared these additional lessons on the Creativity Portal website.

These free, how-to rock painting guides include:

• Supplies you'll need
• Illustrated step-by-step instructions for creating your very own painted rocks

Valentine Love Bugs

Valentine Love Bugs I painted on rocks using a free how-to lesson

These little, painted Love Bug stones make really cute Valentine's Day gifts. I took the idea a little further by arranging the painted Love Bug rocks in a Valentine basket and also found a valentine handkerchief to use as padding. Of course, Love Bug rocks aren't just for holidays. You can also show that special someone how much you love them by hand painting a Love Bug for them.

Stone Cactus Project

A stone cactus I made using this free, how-to lesson

My friend said my cactus looked like a pickle. Her daughter loved it and wanted it for her own. I definitely need more practice painting rock cacti but that's the beauty of trying out rock painting using free tutorials.

I modified Ernestina's project with my own ideas. I did not feel comfortable using moulding powder (plaster of Paris) due to the safety precaution warnings. Instead I made my own version using flour and water. It was very messy and next time I will just anchor the painted rock in a pot with pea gravel or small pebbles instead of permanently anchoring it.

As a finishing touch, I glued pea gravel to the top of the pot instead of colored sand as suggested in the project.

Written in Stone

My painted rock using the Written in Stone tutorial

This project was a little more challenging and I have only painted one rock using this free how-to guide. I chose one of my favorite scripture verses: "A happy heart makes the face cheerful" from Proverbs 15:13. It's a clever idea for painting all those favorite quotes, sayings, and personalized messages on rocks for those special people in your life.

Painting a Basket of Pansies

My pansies in a basket from this free tutorial

Of these four, free, how-to lessons, I think this pansy tutorial is the most challenging. However, the end product is just beautiful and once you have the pattern, you can vary the colors of the pansies. (This project was on my rock painting "to do" list and I finally painted it in June 2017.)


Thank you Creativity Portal and Ernestina Gallina for giving us more rock painting inspiration and nudging our creativity.



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

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 

3 Free Rock Painting Lessons - Bees, Ladybugs, and Frogs

Today's 3 FREE lessons are courtesy of Patty Donathan.

All of Patty's free PDF rock painting tutorials include:

• A list of the supplies you'll need
• How to select the rocks
• Detailed illustrations and instructions for painting both simple and detailed bee, ladybug, and frog rocks

How to Paint a Bee

I painted this rock bee using Patty Donathan's free how-to guide

Every artist has their own style and you'll see a slight difference between my painted rock and those in Patty's lesson. I also added something extra to my painted rock bee - a toothpick painted gold became the bee's stinger.



How to Paint a Ladybug

This simple, ladybug how-to guide is perfect for those round rocks in your yard and easy enough for children to do. At the time I painted the ladybug, I did not think to take a photograph of my finished product.


How to Paint a Tic Tac Toe Frog & Koi Pond Game

This tic tac toe painted rock project is more involved, however, it's a very clever idea. Instead of playing tic tac toe with X’s and O’s on paper, two sets of frogs are painted on rocks - one set of frogs with orange spots and the other set with yellow spots. Patty also includes instructions for painting the pond tic tac toe board. One day I hope to complete this tutorial for myself. 

Thank you, Patty Donathan for generously sharing your free rock painting instructions and giving us rock painting ideas and inspiration.

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