Spring & Easter Painted Rocks

When my mother-in-love sent me a text message asking me for some custom Spring & Easter painted rocks … I have to say I got a little bit excited. She needed these painted rocks as prizes for my brother-in-law’s upcoming springtime wedding! Apparently we will all be playing BINGO at their rehearsal dinner and these rocks will be a few of the prizes. I painted some St. Patrick’s stones and cartoon bunnies but these are my favorite. Nothing beats watercolor flowers on rocks!? Right?!

Watercolor paint on rocks, poppies, pansies, and delicate spring flowers all sealed with a shiny gloss.

I gathered a few things from my art arsenal and got to work! But how do you paint watercolor on rocks that you spray paint? Aren’t they too slick to have watercolor stay? YES, they were.

Supplies for painted spring time Easter rocks

Find some river rocks! A river or Lowe’s will work. Clean them, let them dry, then spray paint those stones the base color you want ( I chose Ivory paint and primer by Rust-o-leum.) After the spray paint has completely dried, I painted one layer of BASIC acrylic white gesso on the surface area I would be wanting to use watercolor paints on.

The gesso works like magic! That layer easily absorbs watercolor paint almost like a thin paper. Paint your design (I chose spring time flowers) and let them dry.

Once the watercolor is dry and you are completely happy with them it is time to apply the final sealant to help protect your hard work.

I use Krylon clear coat (triple thick gloss) as sealant for my rocks and the design has stayed on well. I’ve re-applied now and then on rocks that live outside and get weathered from the…weather …and all the little boys that live here! Of course nothing keeps your rocks in perfect condition like leaving them inside :)