I am a fabulous and famous painter. NOT. I like to paint, but I’ll admit it’s just a hobby. That’s why I’m so excited about these floral rocks. I’ve figured out a way that almost anyone can paint these flowers. If you can paint dots and color in the lines you can definitely do this! I wanted to find a way to make this doable because painted rocks are hot right now, they’re a perfect favor and table setting for your guests, and they have so many possibilities. With this technique and a will, there’s a way to paint flowers on rocks. Okay you get the picture. Here’s what you’ll need.
Supplies:
- A rock (with a flat surface)
- Acrylic paints
- Paint brushes (tiny to medium size)
- Water
- Containers for paint ( I use recycled caps)
- Paper towel (to wipe paint brushes with)
- Mod Podge
- Acrylic coating spray (optional)
- A visual aid
Step 1: Pick your flower and paint dots in the basic outline of your chosen flower. Use the appropriate paint color for that part of your flower.
I’ve traced two outlines to map out the parts that will include color. Your flower may not need this. I’ve chosen a pansy, but you can pick pretty much any flower. However I will say, it will be much easier to paint if you find a picture where the flower is front-facing. If the angle is odd it will be a bit harder to capture and may not turn out right.
Step 2: Wherever there are different colors on your flower mimic those patterns with dots on your rock. I’ve begun filling in the purple at the edges of my flower making sure to follow my picture exactly to ensure I’m putting the colors in the right places.
Step 3: Continue filling in the shapes and colors that mark your flower. I’m dotting the middle yellow part of my pansy and the purple line pattern that stems from the middle.
So now you’ve got your flower pretty much mapped out. This will help so much later as these dot patterns will be your guide to where the different colors need to be.
Step 4: Continue by filling in your outline with dots. Once I filled in my pansy’s purple patterns and yellow middle, all that was left was to fill in the white that made up the rest of the flower.
At this point you should have a mosaic-ish looking flower that is completely filled in, with all colors and dots in the correct place. Make sure now that your flower looks like the picture. If it doesn’t, fix the issue by painting over the incorrect dots with new ones and try to mess with it until you like it. But! Don’t be too perfectionist on this. I kept having to remind myself that it doesn’t matter if there are a few flubs. A few mistakes is the mark of true art and also, flowers are not perfect.
Step 5: Add your last dots and whatever else you want to add. (Initials, stems, leaves, etc.) I’ve finished the top part of my pansy to complete the shape.
Next comes the part where your filling-in skills are put to the test. You’re going to fill in the dots with their corresponding color. Think of it as paint by number type deal.
Step 6: Begin connecting the dots and filling in each section, following the dots as a guide to where each color goes.
Step 7: Finish up every section and repaint sections if the dots are visible underneath. I had to repaint my white sections because the dots were clearly visible and I’m not going to lie, it looked weird.
Step 8: After the paint dries completely, paint with a thin layer of Mod Podge, covering all the paint. After the Mod Podge dries, you could also spray your rock with an acrylic clear coat for extra protection. I would recommend this if you want them to last outside long-term.
After filling in all sections with the appropriate colors and sealing your art, you should be finished. Hopefully I haven’t lost you and your flower looks like it does in your picture. I feel mine turned out pretty well. I even did another one to prove this method can work on different types of flowers!
So, what do you think? Cool huh? I think these are super fun and honestly I would love to get something unique and fun like this as a favor. I have so many ideas for these too. Like, you could use these to map out a seating chart; all the petunias are at table 7 and all daffodils are at table 2. People could find their stone at their seat or at a table which has a map to direct them. You could simply give them out as part of a summer or springtime theme as favors. Or use them as decoration and keep them for yourself. Hey, it’s your day; keep your rocks if you want to!
