Rock Art Handbook: Techniques and Projects for Painting, Coloring and Transforming Stones

I checked out this recently-published book: Rock Art Handbook: Techniques and Projects for Painting, Coloring and Transforming Stones 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.

This book is a great resource if you want to use a medium other than acrylic paint to decorate your rocks. There are over 30, step-by-step, how-to techniques using pens, paint, nail polish, glitter, fabric, paper, chalk and more.

The techniques and projects are easily explained and beautifully illustrated.

The topics covered are:

• Finding and Prepping Rocks
• Sealants
• Acrylic Paint
• Markers and Pens
• Drawing Mandala and Zentangle Designs
• Marbling
• Colored Pencils
• Decoupage
• Creating Unique Backgrounds
• Embellishments and Textures
• Rocks for Learning
• Rocks and Kids
• Possible Uses

These are rocks I decorated using just a few of the techniques and/or designs from Samantha Sarles' Rock Art Handbook.

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.

Sharpie Pens

Sharpies are notorious for blurring when sealed and I had several unused pens to experiment with. The technique: Draw various circles with Sharpies and then use alcohol and a Q-tip to intentionally blur the Sharpie pen lines.

Colored Pencils

The technique: Base coat a design with white acrylic paint prior to filling it in with the colored pencils. The book recommends Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils, however, my Loew Cornell colored pencils seemed to work just fine. (Note: I used black acrylic paint to outline the flower.)

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Outlined and Filled-In Mandala Designs

This was my favorite project from the book. I used extra fine point Posca Paint Pens for both of these rocks. For details on the larger filled-in mandala design, I used a Sakura Pigma Micron pen.

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With Christmas approaching, Rock Art Handbook: Techniques and Projects for Painting, Coloring and Transforming Stones by Samantha Sarles would be a great gift for the rock painter in your life.

OR

The stones you decorate using the techniques in this book would be wonderful, personalized presents to give and receive.

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 mentioned in this blog post:

• Rock Art Handbook by Samantha Sarles
• Loew Cornell Colored Pencils
• Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils
• Extra Fine Point Posca Paint Marker Pens
• Sakura Pigma Micron Pen

   
© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

Helpful Rock Painting Tools and Supplies

To paint a rock, all that's required is a rock, paintbrush and paint.

These are the helpful tools and supplies I use to create painted rocks. These products are not necessary but they are nice to have.

(Most of my rock painting tools and supplies are purchased at Hobby Lobby or Amazon.com. Occasionally, I'll find something at Walmart, Michael's or JoAnn's.)

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.

Primers

Gesso

I recently discovered gesso and now it's my go-to primer. In the past, I used white acrylic paint as a primer. Now I prefer gesso for it's coverage and "tooth".  You can learn more about gesso here.

Regular gesso is what I use to prime smooth stones.

Regular gesso on a smooth stone

Super heavy gesso is what I use to prime pitted stones.

Super heavy gesso on a pitted rock

The following photo illustrates the difference gesso can make in paint color intensity when used as a primer.

Note the paint color intensity on each stone based on no primer, white paint, and gesso 

Specialty Brushes

Nail Art Brush Set

This set of nail art brushes is helpful for getting the paint into tight spaces. Fingernails are a tiny canvas, so it follows that tools used for nail art would be suitable for rocks too. Learn more about nail art brushes here.

Not only do the nail art brushes get into tight spaces but they're also perfect for painting very small stones.

Script Liner Brush

I paint thin lines and detailing with this script liner brush. It took a little practice to get used to this long, thin brush, but it became my favorite once I did. It's important the paint consistency isn't too thick when using this type of brush for lines and details.

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.

Pens/Markers

Paint Pens - I use the extra fine point Posca paint markers for adding details and filling in small areas of my painted rocks. (The Posca pens are also available in bold point, medium point and fine point if you'd like to use them for larger areas.)

0.35mm Black Pen - I use this Pigma Micron 03 pen to add thin details and write on my stones. The line is thinner than the 08 Micron pen.

0.50mm Black Pen - I also use this Pigma Micron 08 pen to add details and write on my stones. The line size is slightly thicker than the 03 Micron pen.

(This 10-piece Micron pen set features a variety of sizes and shows the line width of each size.)

I used acrylic paint, Posca paint pens and the 03 and 08 Pigma Micron pens to create this owl.

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.

Miscellaneous Tools & Supplies

Paint Eraser/Clay Shaper Tool 

I use this two-sided, rubber nib paint eraser tool to wipe away mistakes while my acrylic paint is fresh. It's very handy when the area I've messed up is in a tight or small spot. Just remember, you have to be quick and erase the mistake before the paint dries. Learn more about correcting rock painting mistakes here.

Embossing-Stylus Set

I originally purchased this 3-piece stylus set for tracing a design onto a rock with graphite transfer paper. Now the set does double duty as my dotting tools.

All of the dots on this heart were painted with the 3-piece stylus set.

Graphite Transfer Paper

I use graphite transfer paper to trace a design onto a stone.

For dark stones, white graphite transfer paper is used. And gray graphite transfer paper is used for light-colored stones.

Adhesive Glue

People often ask "what's the best glue for attaching rocks together." I have found E6000 glue to be the best-holding glue to secure painted/unpainted rocks to each other.

E6000 glue was used to attach the snowman's head to his melting body. Learn how to make a melting snowman painted rock here.

How to make a melting snowman painted rock

Brush Conditioner

Painting rocks can be tough on brushes. I clean my brushes with soap and water then condition them with Pink Soap to extend their life. A little goes a long way and a bottle lasts for quite awhile.

When you have the right tool, the task is easier. These are my helpful, rock painting tools and supplies which assist in the creation of unique, painted rocks art.

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.

Helpful Links

Regular gesso
Super heavy gesso
15-Piece nail art brush set
Script liner brush
Posca paint pens (extra fine point)
Posca paint pens (fine point)
Posca paint pens (medium point)
Posca paint pens (bold point)
Pigma micron 03 pen
Pigma micron 08 pen
10-piece Pigma micron pen set
Paint eraser
3-Piece stylus set
Gray graphite transfer paper
White graphite transfer paper
E6000 glue
Pink soap

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

Is Gesso a Good Primer for Painted Rocks?

Yes, in my opinion gesso is an excellent primer for painted rocks.

Gesso (pronounced jes-oh) is used to prepare a canvas for painting. (If you would like to know more about gesso, this article "What is Gesso and How is it Used in Painting?" is very informative.) 

I've been hearing about gesso used to prime rocks (my canvas) and thought I'd give it a try instead of the usual white, acrylic paint.

For my experiment, I purchased two types of gesso from the Michaels.com website...

• Regular - Folk Art brand
• Super Heavy - Liquitex brand

...and selected a smooth stone for the regular gesso and a pitted stone for the super heavy gesso.

My process:

• Brush one coat of each type of gesso on a stone (regular gesso on the smooth stone, super heavy gesso on the pitted rock)
• Paint the same design on each stone using one coat of various brands of acrylic or acrylic craft paint
• Use an art pen for thin details
• Seal the stones

Gesso features and performance:

• Folk Art - regular gesso
• Consistency of toothpaste
• Applied with a brush easily and smoothly
• A little went a long way
• Covers well
• Can be mixed with acrylic paint for a colored base coat
• Soap and water clean up
• Quick drying

Regular gesso applied to a smooth stone

• Liquitex Super Heavy gesso
• Consistency of cake icing or spackling compound
• Somewhat messy
• Applied with a brush and required smoothing in different directions
• Can be tinted with acrylic paint
• Soap and water clean up
• 24 hours to dry
• Brighter white than the regular gesso

Super heavy gesso applied to a pitted rock

Paint colors and brands used:

• Craft Acrylic (craft acrylic is a thinner consistency than regular acrylic paint)
• Anita's Orange
• Anita's Christmas Green
• DecoArt Cherry Blossom Pink

• Acrylic
• Americana Snow (Titanium) White
• Apple Barrel Bimini Blue (turquoise)
• Apple Barrel Red
• Apple Barrel Lime Tree
• Apple Barrel Black
• Folk Art Sky Mist (light blue)

 
The acrylic and acrylic craft paint colors adhered very well with both types of gesso. The brush moved smoothly across each rock's surface.

Results of one coat of paint applied over each type of gesso

There were no problems using the art pen on the gessoed and painted stones. In fact, the pen drew especially well on the pitted stone primed with super heavy gesso.

Results of art pen used on gessoed and painted stones (Sehnaz Bac design with permission)

My final photo clearly illustrates the benefits of using white acrylic paint or gesso as a primer for a stone. The paint colors on all three primed stones are brighter than the unprimed stone. The difference is most apparent when you compare the orange hue on each painted rock.

Results of no primer vs. acrylic paint and gesso primers (Sehnaz Bac design with permission)

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

How Waverly Semi-Gloss Paints Performed on a Rock

I learned about Waverly paints from a fellow rock painter and thought I'd give them a try. They're available exclusively at Walmart in 2 oz. plastic bottles for less than $1.50 per bottle.

Plaid (the manufacturer) describes the paint as:

• Semi-gloss
• Highly pigmented
• High-performance
• Durable
• Fade-resistant
• Ideal for indoor and outdoor DIY craft projects
• Works on decorative glass, wood, paper mache, terra cotta, concrete, and plastic

The hues I purchased were: Plaster (off white), Agave (blue), Rhubarb (coral), and Ink (black). (I was tempted to purchase more because all the colors were so pretty.)

For my test, I applied the plaster (off white) to one side of my stone as a base coat. I then painted small squares using the other 3 colors on both sides of the stone.

The results:

• The coverage was good on both sides of the stone (although it took 2 applications of paint)
• The paints had an ammonia odor which I did not like
• The size of the bottle's opening made it messy to pour onto a palette
• The paint is thick and would need to be thinned for detail painting
• This paint formula would have worked well for my bird bath project

Here are the Waverly Inspirations Super Premium Semi-Gloss Acrylic Paint hues, however, some shades may not be available at your local Walmart.

Waverly Inspirations Super Premium Semi-Gloss Acrylic Paint Hues

Have you used these paints? Let me know what you think of them or how you've used them on rocks. 

Helpful Link: Waverly Inspirations Super Premium Semi-Gloss Acrylic Paints web page

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

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

After I found my perfect paint pen for rocks (which did not blur when sealed), I received a blog post comment which suggested "applying a layer of Elmer's Glue on the Sharpie Art, allowing to dry, before applying spray sealant."

I decided to try this out for myself but instead of using a spray sealer, I used two of my preferred brush-on sealers.

My first test used a Sharpie ultra fine point black permanent marker. I printed the words "Sharpie test" on my stone and followed it with a thin coat of white glue. After the glue dried, I applied a thin coat of Delta Ceramcoat brush-on sealer.

White glue applied over a Sharpie marker before Delta Ceramcoat sealer

Result: Neither the glue nor my sealer blurred the words written on the stone with a Sharpie permanent marker pen.

For my second test, I used colored Sharpie permanent markers and drew a simple design on a pitted stone. Once again, a first coat of white glue was thinly brushed over the design. Then after the glue dried, I used Americana Duraclear brush-on sealer.

White glue applied over Sharpie markers before Duraclear Satin Varnish

Result: Neither the glue nor my sealer blurred the design drawn on the stone with various colors of Sharpie permanent marker pens.

I'm happy to report that white glue (e.g., Elmer's) used over Sharpie permanent marker pens did indeed prevent blurs when applied prior to both formulas of my clear sealers. (Note: I used this trick on small stones and cannot say how well it works with large painted rocks.)

Give this tip a try for yourself and let me know what you think.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

The Perfect Paint Pen for Rocks

I finally found a pen to use on rocks that doesn't blur with sealer!

For awhile I've been searching for the perfect paint pen (marker) to use on rocks. The problem has been the ink smears and blurs when a sealer is applied and the nib has been too thick for a nice, thin line.

It's been suggested I try a Posca pen so I purchased a brown Uni Posca Extra Fine Marker. I was looking specifically for a pen which could make a thin line in a brown color. (Most Posca pens I've seen come in sets of various colors and I didn't want to spend money on an entire set until I knew how they would perform on rocks and 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.

I watched this helpful YouTube video to learn about my Posca pen before using it - "Getting Started with Posca Pens - Part 1":

This is what the tip of my Posca extra fine marker looks like:

To test the pen, I painted a small, slightly pitted stone with acrylic paint. I then used the brown Posca marker to draw some simple facial features on the rock.

So far so good. I was happy with the light brown color and the thin lines the marker created.

Next, I brushed on Mod Podge as a first coat of sealer and the Posca marker lines held up beautifully on the rock - no blurring/smearing.

(Note: I prefer to use Mod Podge as a first coat sealer because there seems to be less of a reaction with paints. The Mod Podge is then followed up with Americana DuraClear Satin Varnish. Click here to learn more about how I seal my painted rocks.)

I then experimented by using the pen to add lettering to a rock. Because I'm a left-handed writer, I push the pen rather than pull it across the rock. The result was little dots of ink where the nib "dragged" against the rock. However, I was able to paint over the ink dots and sealed the stone with no adverse effects.

Another experiment involved using the Posca pen on a polished stone. Usually paint and pens will not adhere to polished stones, however, the Posca marker performed beautifully and did not smear with the application of Americana DuraClear Satin Varnish.

I'm hoping the Posca marker is the answer to my search for the perfect paint pen (marker) for rocks. However, using the Posca pen on three stones is not enough to declare it a success. I question how long the pen will last, will it leak, will the texture of rocks and stones affect the nib.

As I continue to use the Posca pen, I will update this post with any additional positive or negative aspects about the marker.

11/12/18 Update: Yes, Posca pens are wonderful to use on rocks. In fact, Posca pens and mandalas are meant for each other.

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.

Please leave a comment with any tips, praises or problems you've had with Posca pens. I'd love to hear what you think about this product.

Helpful Links:
Posca Instructions for Use
Brown Extra Fine Point Posca Pen
Individual Posca Pens for Sale in Various Colors
Set of 12 Extra Fine Point Posca Pens in Various Colors
Use Paint Pens Instead of a Brush for Detailing

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

Nail Art Brushes - A Great Set of Tools for Painting Details on Rocks

It has been suggested to me that nail art brushes are wonderful when painting details on rocks. You know what? It makes sense! Fingernails are a tiny canvas, so it follows that brushes used for nail art would work on rocks too.

I purchased this inexpensive, 15-piece nail art brush set to give them a try.

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 were other sets available but they shipped from China and I was willing to pay the extra shipping cost to have it originate in the U.S.

(I've been told that nail art brushes purchased on Ebay and shipped from China take approximately 10 days to receive and you're able to track the package (if it states the item is shipped via "epacket"). I have not verified this information for myself.)

Contents of My Nail Art Brush Set

• 3 Drawing Tools
• 7 Painting Tools
• 2 Liners
• 1 Dotting Tool
• 2 Fan brushes
• Plastic storage case

The Tests

I started off with this small rock for my first test of the brushes...

...and used a design from "The Chinese Brush Painting Bible" and 3 of the brushes - a liner, flat painter, and pointed drawing tool. I was quite happy with the results.

  

Design Painted with 3 Nail Art Brushes Only

For my second test, I used an even smaller rock...

 
...and chose another design from "The Chinese Brush Painting Bible." This time I used only 2 brushes - the flat painter and a longer drawing brush. Once again, I was quite pleased with the nail art brush results.

Design Painted with 2 Nail Art Brushes Only

Here's a side-by-side look at the two rocks I painted using only 4 of the nail art brushes.

Alternative Use for the Nail Art Dotting Tool

I already have several dotting tools and the one included in the set is quite tiny. Instead of dots, I use this tool to secure small rocks when they're being sealed. (In the past I would use toothpicks to hold the stone in place while I was sealing it.)

Dotting Tool Used to Secure Rock While Sealing

My Conclusion

Nail art brushes ARE a great tool for rock painting details. Even if I never use all the brushes in the set, the price is low enough to justify the purchase based on my results. And, you can never have enough brushes. Right? 

  
Videos - How to Use Nail Art Brushes

I found these two videos very helpful explaining how each nail art brush/tool can be used.

Click here to purchase this nail art brush set

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