The World Is Your Canvas: A Guide To Rock Painting
During sunny summer months we spend much of our time outdoors, until the weather brings a chill that sends us back inside, where, all too often, time is spent staring at a screen or being counter-productive. Arts and craft projects are a fun way to entertain and keep your child’s brain active no matter what the weather brings.
Your little ones will be able to have fun in the sun or keep busy during a rainy day spent indoors while creating their very own special pieces.
You will need:
An intriguing rock, big or small
Small bottle of Matte Varnish (Americana’s “DuraClear” works great!)
Colorful acrylic paints
Paint brushes
Apply a dime-sized amount of the varnish to your rock, using a paintbrush to disperse it evenly on the area you intend to paint. This step will fill the porous areas and create a smooth surface for painting.
After the varnish dries, begin your masterpiece! You can use as many colors and create as many shapes as you want. Tip: Create fun dot-designs using the back of your paintbrush!
When you are finished with your design and the paint is dry, be sure to apply another layer of varnish to the rock. This will seal your creation to prevent any injury to your beautiful work.
Taking your kids out in the yard or on a walk through the forest to hunt down a special rock for decorating is a wonderful way to spend the day. You can even pack a bag with your painting supplies and a snack to have an outdoor painting picnic!
Each finished piece can be used for something special. Use your painted rocks to decorate a garden or walkway, label planted herbs, or give Grandma and Grandpa a one-of-a-kind gift. The possibilities are endless.
Audrianna Thompson is a 25-year-old artist and photographer living in Mt Shasta. She is motivated by her love for children and teaching them different ways to stay creative.
Comment Policy: All viewpoints are welcome, but comments should remain relevant. Personal attacks, profanity, and aggressive behavior are not allowed. No spam, advertising, or promoting of products/services. Please, only use your real name and limit the amount of links submitted in your comment.
There’s a quote from me in the Red Bluff High School yearbook from 1993: “I owe everything to my time in the Gold Show!” I was being a snarky teenager […]
Give Dance A Chance: 21 Reasons To Try Consistent Classes
Don’t be fooled by glittery costumes and false eyelashes – competitive dancers are athletes who deserve to be taken just as seriously as participants in any other sport. Dance at […]
It’s late spring, almost summer … a great time of the year to celebrate with some “fiesta flowers.” These are so easy to make even little kids can make gorgeous […]
The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Music: Chico Community Choirs to Perform in Salzburg, Vienna and Prague this Summer
Some of Chico’s best vocalists are heading for the hills – the Alps, that is – on an 11-day tour of Prague, Salzburg and Vienna this summer that will include […]
Does your child love to sing? Love plunking on the piano or pounding on the drum? Do you think you might have a future musician in your home? The average […]
Who’s Behind the Magic? A deeper look at three North State holiday productions
The North State offers numerous holiday productions, as evidenced in our Going Places events calendar. We took the time to find out about the creative force behind three of them: […]
Session expired
Please log in again.
The login page will open in a new tab. After logging in you can close it and return to this page.
wonderful article….great tips!