5 Creative Rock Painting Ideas

I just can't stop painting the projects in "Rock Art! Painting and Crafting with the Humble Pebble" by Denise Scicluna.

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What could be simpler than white paint and repetitive strokes like these?

Keep It Simple: inspired by "Rock Art!" by Denise Scicluna

I love bright colors and this simple, colorful pop art design is one of my favorites from the book. The color and design possibilities are endless.

Color Pops: inspired by "Rock Art!" by Denise Scicluna

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Another favorite of mine are these decorative, stylized flowers painted with only 2 colors.

Flower Power: inspired by "Rock Art!" by Denise Scicluna

I used both smooth and pitted stones for stylized, leaf-inspired painted rocks.

Fall Leaves: inspired by "Rock Art!" by Denise Scicluna

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A study in opposites - lightweight feathers painted on heavy stones. 

Light as a Feather: inspired by "Rock Art!" by Denise Scicluna

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Useful Links

• "Rock Art! Painting and Crafting with the Humble Pebble"
• Pretty rock painting ideas from "Rock Art!"
• 5 imaginative rock painting ideas from "Rock Art"
• 5 fun 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 

5 Easy and Colorful Rock Painting Ideas

In my last post, I recommended a rock painting book for beginners called "Rock Art!" by Denise Scicluna.

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I found the projects so enjoyable (even for an experienced rock painter like myself), that I painted these 5 sets of colorful pebbles using the book as inspiration.

Color, pebble shape, and line drawings transform stones into a simple fruit combo.

Fruit Salad: inspired by "Rock Art!" by Denise Scicluna

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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Who can resist quirky owls painted on stones?

 Wise Owls: inspired by "Rock Art!" by Denise Scicluna

Criss-cross lines and dots can be painted on any shape of rock. Mix up the colors and designs for your own pebble crossing.

Let's Get Linear: inspired by "Rock Art!" by Denise Scicluna

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Your imagination can run wild with painted mushroom rocks.

Mushrooms: inspired by "Rock Art!" by Denise Scicluna

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The color and design possibilities are endless for painting fish fins and scales on rocks.

Fish Out of Water: inspired by "Rock Art!" by Denise Scicluna

Useful Links

• 5 Imaginative Rock Painting Ideas from "Rock Art"
• 5 Creative Rock Painting Ideas from "Rock Art!"
• 5 Fun Rock Painting Ideas from "Rock Art!" 
• Pretty rock painting ideas from "Rock Art!"
• A Rock Painting Book Perfect for Beginners (Blog Post of May 19, 2015)
• "Rock Art! Painting and Crafting with the Humble Pebble" 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.

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks

A Rock Painting Book Perfect for Beginners

If ...

You have ever:

• Wanted to try your hand at rock painting, or 
• Thought that making art is not for you, or 
• Needed fun projects for kids and grandkids, or
• Searched for easy art therapy projects for both children and adults, or
• Been at a loss for creative inspiration...

Then...

"Rock Art! Painting and Crafting with the Humble Pebble" by Denise Scicluna is the perfect resource for you!

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As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This recently-published rock painting book gives tips for getting started such as:

• Where to find rocks
• What to look for in a rock
• How to find inspiration
• Rock painting tools and supplies
• Preparation
• Finishing touches
• How to use your painted rocks

And includes:

• 40 Simple step-by-step projects with several variations
• 250 full-color illustrations

I'm not a newbie to rock painting but I found the projects in this book helpful for practicing my line strokes. And, it was a fun way to decompress between my detailed painted rock projects.

Here's a sample of 5 projects I painted using "Rock Art!" as inspiration:

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At the Zoo

Bicycle Wheels

Under the Sea

Rock Garden

Into the Woods

I had so much fun painting these simple and colorful rocks using "Rock Art!" as inspiration, I'm going to paint more!

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"
• See 5 easy and colorful ideas from "Rock Art!" 
• See 5 creative ideas from "Rock Art!"
• See 5 fun rock painting ideas from "Rock Art!" 
• See 5 imaginative rock painting ideas from "Rock Art!" 
• See pretty rock painting ideas from "Rock Art!" 

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks 

How I Transformed a Stone Bird Bath with Outdoor Acrylic Paints

A few years ago a dear friend gave me a bird bath which he primed with gray and black so I could paint it as I wished. This Spring I finally decided to add some color to the bird bath.

Since the shape of the bowl and base reminded me of a flower, I decided to use the "Ring of Fire" Sunflower as my inspiration.

Photo courtesy of All-America Selections

2001 AAS Flower Award Winner:
Sunflower 'Ring of Fire'
National Winner

I have used outdoor acrylic paints on my rocks and thought they would work just as well on this stone bird bath. Here are the paints I used. (My choice of brand was solely based on the color I desired and these are all 2 oz. bottles.)

• Anita's Yard & Garden Durable Outdoor Paint - Marigold Garden
• DecoArt Crafter's Acrylic All-Purpose Acrylic Paint - Burnt Umber (not pictured)
• Anita's All Purpose Acrylic Craft Paint - Brick Red
• DecoArt Patio Paint Outdoor - Orange Poppy
• DecoArt Patio Paint Outdoor - Splendid Gold
• DecoArt Patio Paint Outdoor - Sweet Pea
• Anita's Yard & Garden Durable Outdoor Paint - Garden Gate White

Step 1

I did not want to take the time to re-prime the bird bath bowl. So, I first sanded the rough areas where the gray primer had worn away.

Step 2

I applied 4 coats of "Marigold Garden" (yellow) outdoor paint to cover the gray primer and added a brown center using "Burnt Umber" Crafter's Acrylic.

Step 3

To add a little pizazz, I painted a line of "Splendid Gold" Patio Paint around each petal shape.

Step 4

To paint the "ring of fire" around the brown center, I mixed "Orange Poppy" Patio Paint with "Brick Red" Acrylic Craft Paint and brushed strokes out from the center toward the petal shapes.

Next, I stroked lines over the reddish-orange "ring of fire" using the "Splendid Gold" and "Brick Red" paint.

Step 5

To finish up the bird bath bowl, I painted "Splendid Gold" around the brown center and dabbed the same color inside the brown circle. Lastly, I painted "Splendid Gold" ovals inside the petal shapes.

Step 6

Because the base was primed with black, I primed the petal shapes around the lower portion of the base with white outdoor paint. 

Next, I used the "Sweet Pea" (green) patio paint to cover the stem and leaf section of the base. Once I painted the light green hue over the base, the leaves sculpted in the stone base became more visible and I decided to leave them "as is" rather than detail them any further. 

"Splendid Gold" was painted around the top portion. (The very bottom remained the existing gray color.)

Step 7

Although I used paint formulated specifically for outdoor projects, I also sealed the bird bath base and bowl with 3 coats of Delta Ceramcoat Satin Exterior/Interior Varnish (a polyurethane sealer).

Here's a bird's eye view of the brightly-painted bird bath in the garden.

Tips & Ideas

One, 2-oz. bottle of paint (in the colors mentioned above) was enough to cover the bird bath with plenty left over for other projects.

Bird bath bowls can become slimy and icky. I've been told hydrogen peroxide can be used to clean the bowl. In addition, salt or baking soda can be used to scrub off the slime.

My solution to a slimy bird bath bowl is to place a plastic coffee can lid in the center. The lid is easily removed to toss the old water into the garden and add fresh water for the birds.

I also surround the plastic lid with stones as a perch for the birds. I have noticed my visiting birds prefer drinking over bathing. 

Useful Link

• FAQs for DecoArt Patio Paint

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks 

What's the Best Drapery Hook to Use for a Painted Rock Display Stand?

I have tried 3 types (brands) of slip-in drapery hooks and learned they are not created equal when it comes to shaping them into stands for painted rocks.

The slip-in hooks are described below in the order of my preference.

The most expensive set was $3.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond for 14 Slip-In Hooks...

 
...and it was the easiest to shape into a good-looking stand for a painted rock.

Painted Rock Display Stand Using Bed Bath & Beyond Slip-In Drapery Hook

 

The medium-priced set was $2.49 at Hobby Lobby for 14 Pleater Hooks. (Four hooks were end hooks and could not be used as stands.)

It took a little more time to create a stand because of the 4 "legs" but it was fairly easy to bend and shape into a nice looking painted rock display stand.

Painted Rock Display Stand Using Hobby Lobby Pleater Hook

The lowest-priced set was $1.97 at Lowe's for 14 Slip-In Curtain Hooks. 

The piece used as a back support (soldered to the "legs") would snap off if I was not careful. 

 
The metal was thicker and harder to bend (even with pliers) and it was difficult to shape the hook into an acceptable-looking stand. 

Painted Rock Display Stand Using Lowe's Slip-In Curtain Hook

I am sure each type of slip-in hook works well for hanging curtains and drapes but for display stands, my preference is the Bed Bath & Beyond or the Hobby Lobby hooks.

Helpful Links:

• Blog Post with Drapery Hook Stand How-To Instructions
• Slip-in Drapery Hooks at Bed Bath and Beyond
• Pleater Hooks at Hobby Lobby
• Slip-in Curtain Hooks at Lowes
• Hobby Lobby Wood Display Stands 
• Hobby Lobby Metal Display Stands  
• How to Make Rocks Stand Upright  

© Cindy Thomas Painted Rocks