How To Paint Pebbles And Rocks

Every time I visit the beach, field, or river, I always pick up some flat, or interesting shaped stones to paint. I have been doing this since I was a kid, and have always enjoyed using the stones as a canvas.

The picture shows a bowl of stones that I have painted up to look like cacti. This was a really fun project to do, and made a fantastic gift for my mother.

She loves unique items in her home, and has placed this cacti bowl in her bathroom, where it is too dark to keep a plant.


















Some times the stones will tell their own story and make painting them very easy, some may have definite shape like my chicken stone for example. See picture. I have not bought myself to paint the chicken stone yet, as I like it's natural form, but it is a good example of a shaped stone.

Some stones may be shaped like candies, some like eggs, some like little houses....it's all down to a bit of imagination which kids happen to have in buckets. Painting a shaped stone is also easier than thinking of a picture to paint onto a flat stone, and dare I say it, more fun!

When painted the stones make great gifts, they can be used around the home as decor items, and can be used a fun garden accessory too. The smaller flatter stones (like the ones in the picture below) can even be painted and used to make games counters, kids could create their own stone based games.

This activity gets kids out and about hunting for stones to paint, you can do this by streams, in fields, at the beach. The best type of stones to paint are those with a smooth but not shiny surface, you don't want to try painting on the shiny part of flint for example, and you don't want to be painting on a crusty rock either.

When they have their stones all collected, then it's time to get creative and paint them.

This can be done outdoors on location, in the garden at home, or of course back indoors. I would suggest outdoors as the best place, kids don't have to worry too much about mess. Just make sure there are sheets of newspaper to lay the stones on while they are being painted, a few cups for brush water, a small pack of acrylics, lots of wipes and a bottle of water on hand to clean brushes and hands.

A picnic could be supplied for when the stones are drying in the sun.

Stone Painting Tips

• Use small brushes, (or larger stones.) Small pointed brushes are ideal for tiny details and can be bought cheaply from places like The Works.

• Let each layer dry out before adding more details, otherwise colours will smudge and the stone will get messy.

• If you get in a mess take the whole stone and wash it with some washing up liquid, this will remove the paint and you can start again.

• Draw out a design. Sometimes it can be nice to draw out a design before you begin. On light coloured stones a design can be drawn straight onto the stone.

• Use coloured markers like Sharpies. There's no reason not to make some cool designs on stones with marker pens. I have used a Sharpie in the past, they come in different colours, and stick to most surfaces. This method may be easier for kids than using paints.

I used a sharpie to make these really simple plant markers out of beach pebbles.

Painting a Lady Bug stone...

I found this stone down by the river that I thought looked just like a lady bug or beetle. I am going to paint it and show step by step pictures of the progress. Just to give an idea how to paint stones...

Step 1 wash and clean the stone, dry it too.

Step 2 I have given the stone a coating of white paint, which makes it easier to work on when it's dry.

Step 3 I have started to color the lady bugs head area. I am leaving the white parts white, and will give them another coating of white later.

Step 4 Now I'm coloring the body red. It looks a little streaky so I have given it two coats.

Step 5 A black line painted down the middle of the stone, makes the lady bugs shell.

Step 6 Adding the spots!

Step 7 Another coating of white on the eyes and face.

Find more fun outdoor activities for kids here...