How to Draw on Stone

Painting on rocks is a fun way to preserve a stone you pick up while walking by the river. This is also a great and creative hobby. You don’t have to study or become an artist to paint on rocks. The only thing you need to do is find a stone, draw on it and finish the work. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Table of Contents

Select and clean stones

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Find a stone. If you want to find a pebble, the most suitable place is in the riverbed. You can also find similar stones in small streams, lakeshores, and beaches. Choose any stone you like, but smooth surface stones are ideal for painting. Stones that have been soaked in water for a long time are suitable for painting purposes because they have been worn down and become round and smooth. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Note, you should not pick up stones where it is not allowed.
Be careful when you look for rocks. Do not approach the water unless you are sure you will be safe or have someone to watch.

Stone cleaning. Make sure the stone is free of dirt and the surface of the stone is not chipped. To clean, you will place the stone in warm soapy water and use an old toothbrush to scrub the surface. Next, you need to rinse the soap off the stone and use a towel to dry the water. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

For hard-to-reach spots on the stone surface, use sandpaper with a roughness of 100, then move to 150 and finally 220.

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Place the stone on the table. Prepare a place to paint the rock. You can draw anywhere you like, but drawing at the table is best because there is a lot of space. Remember to protect the surface you use to paint. You can line the table with newspaper or paper towels to keep the paint from sticking to the table. Try using old paper boxes to save paper and to protect the environment. You just need to cut along the edge of the paper box and open it. The inside of the paper box has a gray surface that creates a contrast for your design and the material of the paper box is also stiffer than paper towels. In addition, when using a paper box, you do not have to worry about the ink on the paper being smeared on the table like when using newspaper. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Draw on the rock

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Select style. Choose any design you like. You can draw the entire stone in a certain shape like an animal or draw a (very) small scene on the rock. Some options when drawing animals are cats, dogs, fish or owls. For the scene template, you can draw a house or a tree branch with a bird perched on it. If the stone is large enough, you can write an inspirational word, like “Ring” or “Fu”. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

You can draw monsters on the rock, like the Frankenstein monster, to decorate for Halloween.

Joy Cho

Designer & Style Expert, Oh Joy!

Joy Cho is the founder and creative director of fashion label and design studio Oh Joy! founded by her 10 years ago. She is the author of three books and advises innovative businesses around the world. Joy has been named one of the 30 most influential people on the Internet by Times magazine for two years in a row. Her Pinterest account has more than 13 million followers.

Joy Cho
Designer & Style Expert, Oh Joy!

Our experts agree: Painting on rocks is a fun activity for kids and adults of all ages, and can make a great gift for kids. Try drawing textures, images, or messages that make sense.

Sketch pattern on stone. Once the stone has been cleaned, use a pencil to sketch the pattern on the stone. You can draw on paper first if that helps you develop a better idea when working on stone. Sketching ideas on stone will help you draw more accurately. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

H-type pencils are suitable for fuzzy sketching with clear lines.
Sketch with a pencil lightly so that it doesn’t show up on the pale paint.

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Prepare paint. Use tubes of acrylic paint such as Liquitex or Plaid paint that can be used outdoors. However, acrylic paint for outdoor use is most suitable because it is made for use on porous surfaces such as stone and is resistant to environmental agents. Regular acrylic paint is only effective when you place the stone indoors. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Paint with a birdhouse on the top of the package means it can be used outdoors.
Make sure you have a tray for tinting. If you don’t have one, you can use an old plate, stencils, or cover a cardboard with foil.

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Use a cheap brush. The brush will degrade when you use it to paint on stones, especially rocks with rough surfaces. You should choose an inexpensive brush set with different brush head sizes to suit many uses. Thus, you will have large brushes for painting on large surfaces and small brushes for drawing details. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

If you want to use a special brush, you should choose a brush for acrylic paint with moderate hardness.

Start drawing large surfaces. The problem that many people often have is wanting to draw the details first and then draw the large surface around. Actually you should draw large parts as foreground color. Once you’ve finished the large surface, you’ll let the paint dry before painting next to or on top of it. You can choose to paint one side or both sides of the stone. ^{[9] X Research Source}

If you are painting on both sides of the stone, you should wait a few hours to a day for the paint on the first side to dry completely before painting on the second side.

Draw details. Next, you will paint more layers of color, add textures, and draw details. You can also do this with non-erasable markers. This is also the time for you to fix the small mistake you made earlier. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Wait for the paint to dry before applying more colors. Don’t paint more bold colors on dark colors or light colors on light colors. Choose to paint only layers of contrasting colors so that the second color does not cover the first.
You can use foam to add leaf textures. You just need to take a small sponge, soak some paint and dab it on the stone.
To correct the mistake, you can paint over a certain color until the mistake is no longer visible, or turn the mistake into another pattern. For example, you can paint over the bird in the “sky” and create a texture like a cloud.

Finish your work

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Wait for the paint to dry. Place the stone somewhere safe to dry without being touched or moved. Once you’ve finished painting, you’ll need to wait for the paint to dry for at least a few hours or even a day. Check the stone when you think the paint is dry to make sure the entire surface is dry. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Sign and date. You can sign and date the stone to remember when you drew it. This is great with young children. Use a marker that cannot be erased so that the content does not fade, and it also works well on stone. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Spray a surface coating. Once the pellets have dried for at least a day, you will spray a clear layer of urethane waterproofing onto the surface of the stone. This will prevent the paint from cracking and peeling. However, be sure to do this outdoors or in a well-ventilated area to avoid inhaling odors. ^{[13] X Research Source}

This step should only be performed by adults or children with adult supervision.

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Stone display. You can put the stone somewhere to decorate or use. Place the ice cube on a tray or on a windowsill. In addition, the stone can also be used as a paperweight or, if the stone is large enough, you can use it as a garden step. You can also give the stone to your friends as a souvenir. ^{[14] X Research Source}

Advice

The palm trees must be washed with soap and water after use. While painting, you should not immerse the brush in water as this will damage the brush head. Simply wash and place the brush on a damp sponge or small towel.
You can find ideas for drawing by looking at samples online or choosing a stone that reminds you of something like a fish or flower.

Warning

Many places have regulations on nature conservation. Even the smallest negative action can affect the ecosystem. Therefore, make sure the stone you choose does not affect any living things (plants or animals).
Some paints are not suitable for use by children. You should check to see if the product packaging contains any warnings.

Things you need

The stone has a smooth, clean surface
Acrylic paint or paint for outdoor use
Rub
Color tray
Transparent surface spray product

Steps