I thought painting on rocks was just a pre-school art activity until one day when I was standing in line at Hobby Lobby or Michaels or some equivalent store that has art books instead of candy (lollies) at the checkout. I saw a two inch thick book about painting on rocks. The photo on the front cover was amazing - beautiful pictures painted onto rocks. I browsed through, I'm sure my mouth dropped open in amazement at the quality of the work. I was motivated! I returned home and collected rocks from the nearby gravel road with my children and we painted on them. It was not the same....I should have bought the book....But the kids had an absolute ball, just from the novelty of painting on a rock instead of a piece of paper. They would ask me at semi-regular intervals if we could do rock painting. Once we used watercolors and hosed off the end product just for fun.
If you want your painting to stay on the rocks permanently then either use oils, exterior house paint or varnish over the top OR keep your rocks inside!
I saw some great ideas of paintings of pets to put as headstones on pet graves. These pet memorial rock paintings are by Patty Donathon, if you want your very own pet imortalized on rock you can find her here. She also has some free patterns for simple bug rocks.
Ernestina Gallina has a great valentine days craft using a round rock and a bug design - a love bug. Of course this conjures to mind visions of various responses if your valentine says no when you ask them "Will you be my Valentine?" your painting doubles as a projectile.... She has a page with free rock painting lessons here.
Lee Wismer is another amazing rock artist, One of my favorites of his are these cottages painted on rocks. He also did an amazing rock painting which doubles as a fake fish pond. The shadows and water color give it the necessary depth to make it look real. This photo is from his website and was published in Lin Wellford's "Painting On Rocks" magazine, July. Lin Wellford is a rock painter who has published many books on the topic, including one for kids. You can find this at her website.
For me, the hardest part of all this is finding the round smooth stones....
Aussie Kim
Wow, that is cool, I love the cottages! Wish I had an artistic bone somewhere in my body.
Posted by: Marie | January 31, 2008 at 05:23 PM
Looks to me like your blog takes some creative effort! I believe the more effort you work on something the better you get at it. I think this goes for art skills as well as raising children (I hope).
Posted by: Aussie Kim | February 02, 2008 at 12:06 AM
nice blog. nice art pictures
Posted by: black lava rock | May 20, 2011 at 02:14 AM