Tips and Tools for Drawing on Rocks

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The pictures of my rock doodles are some of my most popular pictures on my Instagram page. The first question I get asked is where do I find such smooth rocks? I’m lucky enough to live near a beach filled with them, but if you’re having trouble finding your own, I see some places below where you can buy rocks online! (This post contains affiliate links for convenience)

ROCKS – Amazon has some great rocks for painting:

MARKERS AND PENS

For clean, white designs, my favorite pen to use is this uni-ball signo gel pen.

For bright, detailed designs, I love the Moonlight Series gelly roll pens by Sakura America. Be sure the gelly roll pens you purchase are the bold point. The tip is actually quite small. I’ve tried the fine point tips and the ink doesn’t flow as well.

These gelly roll pens not only look beautiful directly on the rock, but they are also work great if you first paint a black acrylic base.

For a smooth, paint-like effect, I use extra-fine point posca paint pens. These pens also work great on wood and other surfaces.

Another great paint marker option are these extra fine point paint markers by Artistro.

I’m also a huge fan of TOOLI-ART paint pens and have both the extra fine set and medium point set.

For younger children, I really like these neon liquid chalk pens by OOLY. You can also use them on glass, chalkboards and other surfaces. The chunky tip makes drawing designs and letters easy for kids.

SEALANTS FOR ROCKS

When it comes to sealing your finished doodle rocks, you can either seal with a glossy or matte finish. For a glossy glass like finish, I love this gloss spray sealant. If you prefer a more matte finish, my favorite sealant is this matte clear finish. I almost always use a spray sealant when using markers or pens on rocks so that the designs don’t get smeared (I’ve learned from personal experience).

GET MY BOOK

I’m excited to announce that you can now order my latest book, The Rock Art Handbook on Amazon. It has over 30 different rock art tutorials featuring dot painting, marbling, embellishments, decoupaging and much more. In the book I go in-depth on different art supplies that you can use on rocks and provide a ton of tutorials to get your creativity flowing.

For more fun ideas for decorating rocks check out my other rock posts:

–Best Suoplies for Painting on Rocks

–4 Creative Rock Decorating Ideas

–Galaxy Painted Rocks

Remember, there’s no wrong way to doodle on rocks. If you’re unsure of what you want to do for your design, sketch it out on paper first. But really, the best way to create fun, unique designs is to just start drawing.

If you get a chance, head over to my Instagram page or Facebook page and let me know what you think about the guide. Next in the works is a guide for painting on rocks. I’ll announce it on my Instagram page when it’s finished.

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Tips and Tools for Drawing on Rocks