Painted rocks bring whimsy and quirky beauty to any garden or landscape. On top of that, they are easy to make at home with just a few simple supplies. Here’s how:
Supplies:
Smooth, flat rocks (river rocks work well and are often available at garden centers or online)
Pencil
Acrylic paint
Brushes (make sure you have one for each color and plenty of the smallest size for detail work)
Black markers to outline designs (optional)
Spray sealant, either matte or gloss finish
Directions:
1. Wash the rocks well in water and let them dry completely before starting to paint.
2. Plan out your design on scratch paper ahead of time. Sketch it on your rock with pencil.
3. Paint in the design with your acrylic paints. After the paint has completely dried, if you would like, use a black permanent marker to outline the design and add depth to the artwork.
4. Again, after the paint is completely dry, apply your sealant, spraying evenly. A matte sealant will give a more natural finish while a gloss sealant will make the rock shiny.
5. Check below for ideas on how to use your masterpieces in your garden.
Ideas and Uses for Painted Rocks
Create miniature or fairy gardens
Painted rocks are perfect mushroom caps, stepping stones, or even cottages in a magical tiny garden, created in pots, as shown here, or tucked in garden beds or at a forest edge.
Grow your own rock-solid cacti
These rocks painted to look like exotic cacti would be darling placed in with your houseplants or alongside living succulents.
Put a smile on a face
Imagine this cheerful chap greeting you by the side of the garden path every morning!
Not your typical garden
Who said rock gardens have to be all grays and browns? This swirl of color and pattern shows just one way to wake up the traditional rock garden with painted rocks.
Provide inspiration
Make your rocks sing, like this one, with inspirational messages and hopeful sayings.
Broaden your garden’s color palette
Painted rocks like these allow you to bring new patterns and colors to your garden beds and potted plants.
Bring some eye-catching wildlife into your garden
Coming on these delightful creatures among the flowers can’t help but make you hop for joy.
This curled-up cutie will bring a taste of the wild to your landscaping.
A painted ladybug adds charm wherever you find it – be it on a path, among the green beans, or next to a pot of geraniums on your deck.
A few simple steps and you too can have painted rocks to add to your garden and potted plants. Just a little effort and a little creativity and you’ll open a world of opportunities for enhancing the beauty and fun of your green spaces.
If you enjoy painting, here are more garden art projects for you to try.
