Can something as simple as painting an angel rock really energize your creative spirit and motivation?! I have found that “Yes! It can and it feels like magic!
Sometimes when work and family demands get so busy, I feel like my creative spirit has been sucked out of me. Has this ever happened to you too? It’s not that life is not going well…it’s just going so fast! When busy “creatives” stop creating sometimes depression sets in. Depression spirals into a weird uncreative lethargy and the idea of creating, at least for me, leads to more feelings of exhaustion.
When this happens it’s important to carve out just a little time to heal, nurture and restore my creative spirit!
I have found that creating even the simplest of things can shine a creative light back into my soul and start to lift me up. What to create? For me, I usually choose to paint a rock. Yes…just paint a rock! Just try it if you haven’t yet. More than likely you will end up painting a bunch of rocks!
I go through phases as far as subject matter. I started with fish and suns, during Christmas it was elves and kids in hats and scarves. All through Covid quarantine, I was into painting angels. This summer placing gnomes in the woods for people to find has been on my mind.
If you would like to try painting an angel rock I’ll show you how. (However, if you decide to paint angel rocks to sell, please don’t use this angel body and face design as your own. Thanks!) Now let’s have some fun!
STEP 1: Start with 3 smooth rocks on a paper plate
- Find some smooth flat rocks to purchase. Buy your rocks at craft stores or a Home Hardware store like Home Depot.
- Select your 3 favorite rocks from all the rocks you have. Study the shapes and turn it all around to view it from many positions and both sides..
- Let the rock “speak to you” about where to place the body. (For example, if it is a wide rock make a pudgy angel or a side view of a flying angel. If it is a long and narrow rock, make a tall skinny angel.
- Envision different ways you could fit a body on the rocks you are studying.
STEP 2: Have your rock painting supplies ready.
- Paper plates to set rocks on, transport rocks, and protect work surface
- Paint palette for mixing colors or use a paper plate
- Paper towels
- Water container
- Acrylic paint
- Paint markers
- Pencil
- Clear sealer (Brush on kind if for indoor use, spray sealer in a can if using for outdoors)
- flat, round, and detail brushes. (For example sizes: 00,01,1,2,4)
- I like to paint on paper plates because I can move my drying rocks easily and work on more than one rock at a time while other rocks are drying.
- Use acrylic paints and also assorted paint markers that have fine and ultrafine tips for detail work.
- Use quality brushes… but you don’t have to buy the most expensive brushes either. However, it is worth it to have at least one or two quality brushes if you can afford them.
STEP 3: Create your own unique angel design for your painted rock
- Sketch 3 different angels on your 3 rocks.
- Choose your favorite design.
STEP 4: Trace over your design
- Use an ultra-fine point black paint marker to trace over all the pencil lines.
- If you mess up, don’t worry! Use the acrylic paint to cover it later on!
STEP 5: Mix a skin tone to paint over the rock color
- Mix your desired skin tone with acrylic paint.
- I find that adding a very tiny bit of blue into a peach color paint makes it look more natural.
- If using brown, keep it lighter so the eyes, nose, and mouth show up.
- Paint the face, hands, and feet. Paint 2 coats to cover the rock surface completely.
STEP 6: Paint the wings and dress white
- The dress can be any color! However, painting it white first will block out the dull color of the rock and result in brighter colors.
STEP 7: Draw facial features and paint the hair
- Use an ultra-thin marker to draw on the face.
- If your lines seem too thick, go back with some skin-toned paint and your smallest detail brush to thin the lines down.
- Use a paint marker or acrylic paint to paint your angel’s hair the desired color.
STEP 8: Select a contrasting background-color
- Use acrylic paints to neatly paint around your angel. A flat brush works well for this.
STEP 9: Get creative while decorating your angel’s dress and background!
- Layer smaller patterns
- Outline a border
- blend colors
- add dots
- add clouds
- add a landscape
- Make it daytime or nighttime
- add a rainbow
- add flowers, doves, ribbons, vines, or words!
STEP 10: Paint the back of the rock too!
- Sometimes I add a lot of paint and design work and sometimes I just paint a red heart on the back.
- It’s fun to leave some of the original rock showings!
- Sign and date your beautiful rock!
Painting Rocks is Good For Everyone!
Kids love to paint rocks! The paints and bright colors intrigue my boys and sometimes they start painting rocks with me!
There’s no doubt about it…something magical and healing seems to occur when I sit down to paint rocks. Other people have noticed this magic too! Krissy Brady wrote an interesting article about painting rocks as a wellness ritual. You probably also have heard about Megan Murphy’s community kindness rocks! You can join rock painting groups on Facebook. (Try entering your city or town name followed by the word “rocks” in Facebook’s search bar). Here’s a great “Do’s and Don’ts” article about hiding rocks for people to find by Sandy Wallace. The magic of rock painting is infectious and leads people to become kinder to others and to share their creative artwork with their community! Rock painting parties are becoming a social event that people of all ages enjoy! Friends and family gather together and bond while painting rocks! Now that really is magical!
I would love to see the painted angel rocks you create! ♥
You can find me on Facebook at SparkleGal’s Art Magic!
If you would like to try painting a gnome instead of an angel, you might find this POST helpful!
