5 Tips and Tools you need for Drawing on Rocks

What is the first question you get asked when you meet someone new?

There are plenty of questions that people usually ask to get to know you better, and one of them is definitely the question about your hobbies.

Your hobbies are a great topic because they tell a lot about you, what you care about, what you like or don’t like, and more importantly – how you love spending your free time. Oftentimes, people turn their hobbies into jobs and into streams of income, which is the best thing that can happen. Connecting your passion with your profession is what many people dream about. On the other hand, hobbies are all about relieving stress, spending quality time with your friends and family, doing something useful for yourself or for society and simply enjoying the process.

There are thousands of hobbies that people like to indulge in, but one of them has become more and more popular, and it’s now more popular than it was 5, 10 or 15 years ago, and that is – rock painting.

Have you ever heard about rock painting and do you know what the fuss is all about? In case you didn’t know, this fun hobby is all about creativity, sharing positive messages and socializing with others.

That being said, rock painters are artists that don’t have to be professionals, as long as they are having fun and enjoying the process. The fact that there are no requirements, age limits or special criteria you have to meet in order to create your own small pieces of artwork, is what makes this discipline as wonderful as it is.

Simply put, painting on rocks can vary from simply writing messages and drawing letters on rocks to creating small pieces of art with a lot of details – real artworks. But that’s not all. There is a fun thing people started doing and that is leaving these rocks in places for people to find them and gifting them to strangers as small acts of kindness.

Who doesn’t want to find a cute painted rock which says, for example ‘you rock it’? It will most certainly make your day a bit better. As you can see, there are several aspects of stone painting and not only would you enjoy the very process of creating small artworks and having fun with your friends and family, but you would also be able to put a smile on a stranger’s face if you decide to leave your rocks in certain places in public.

Finally, the best thing about this hobby is the fact that you don’t need special equipment. First of all, you need rocks. You can either find them in nature, collect them and then prepare them for painting, or you can even purchase rocks in any retail shop. It’s a very affordable hobby and therefore your budget doesn’t have to be that big for you to enjoy the process. Next, it’s not only affordable, but it’s also easy to do. Let’s dive into some of the best tips and tricks if you’re a beginner and you wanna try rock painting:

1. Get only the essentials

The best thing you can do if you’re first getting started is not to overdo things. What does that mean in reality? If you want to try the rock painting technique, there is one thing you should know: the best paint for stone painting is acrylic paint.

However, if you’re not an experienced artist and you’ve never painted before, we wouldn’t suggest purchasing any acrylic paint you can find on the market. The fact that stones are quite small, is why you need precise tools in order for your sketches and drawings. That said, the best tool for rock painting are paint pens for rocks. You can choose different pen sizes that will allow you to both paint larger surfaces (backgrounds on your rocks) or draw small details. They are the best option because they’re convenient, fun to use and long lasting. Finally, you won’t have to worry about getting the paint all over you, or dripping the paint somewhere in your house. Check out this article for more info about paint pens.

2. Do a good prep

Before you start drawing on the surface of your rocks, you first need to prime them a bit. If you haven’t bought them and you rather found them in nature, the first thing you need to do is to wash them from dirt, dust or anything that could ruin your artwork. After you’ve washed them, you need to make sure they are dry and then you can sand them if necessary and also apply a layer of rock prep – a sealer, which will make all the colours stand out and the surface more smooth for painting. Just like any other artwork, you need to make sure that the surface is ready for painting, since it will make your creations more aesthetically pleasing.

3. Relax

One of the best tips you can hear when it comes to this hobby is to relax. What’s the reason behind this? It’s not a competition. There are no winners nor should you compete with anyone or compare your artworks. If you make a mistake, you can simply throw away your rock and start over again or you can wash it and do the same thing. This is pretty good to know, because painting on rocks should make you more relaxed – not more anxious. It’s even good for you to make mistakes because over time, you will learn how not to worry about them.

4. Don’t forget to coat them

After you finish your little artwork, there is one step left. You can either leave your rocks like that or you can coat them with a good spray. This is important because it makes your rock paintings last, and they can even survive all the weather conditions if you decide to leave them outside. Just keep in mind that there are different types of coatings for outdoors and indoors, so pick the one that you need, depending on your plans.

5. Inspire others

Try this hobby if you like making other people smile. This is one of the biggest reasons people are usually interested in stone painting. One thing is sure – by spreading kindness, beauty and positive messages, you will inspire more people to join you and do the same thing. It’s also a fantastic activity for your kids, who will both be creative and learn how to communicate with others through art.