LESSON 2: Basically Basics
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WASHING AND DRYING ROCKS
Rocks are naturally dirty. (I feel a bit dumb for even saying that!). Even if they come from a river, they need to be scrubbed before you can paint them.
Soak heavily grimed rocks in hot water for several hours. I use a bucket in my utility sink dedicated to that purpose.
If your rocks are just a little dusty, they don’t need to be soaked for long.
Scrub your rocks using a rough sponge or scrubber.
Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry. I lay my wet rocks on an old towel to dry, turning them over once.
After the rocks are dry, they are ready for the base coat!
PAINTING THE BASE COAT
Watch the video above, or follow the steps below (hint: click the square in the bottom right corner of the video box to make it full-screen).
Why do I need to paint a base coat on my rock?
Most acrylic paints are not completely opaque on rocks. With just one layer of paint, you can often see through to the rock surface. Painting a base coat keeps you from having to add multiple layers of a background color. A base coat also helps to fill in any cracks or divots in the rock surface, making for a smoother finished product. NOTE: There ARE some paint colors that do not need a base coat. I will be sharing those colors and brands with you as we go along.
White paint as a base coat:
My “go-to” base coat color is white. It helps to make your background color “pop.” It’s also the easiest acrylic paint color to find in bigger jars. You will use white paint the most in your projects.
Gesso as a base coat:
Gesso is a surface preparation compound that can be used as a base coat for rough rocks. It’s slightly gritty and therefore fills in holes and cracks really well. It is painted on with a brush just like acrylics. It goes on white and dries clear, like glue.
STEPS FOR BASE COAT:
NOTE: For Lesson 3, we will need 2 medium-sized rocks, one small rock, and a set of 10-15 pebbles (1-1.5” rocks).
Gather your white paint or your Gesso, a rounded paint brush, a paint tray, and your rock.
“Load” the brush with paint or Gesso and brush evenly across the rock surface in a thin layer.
I like to leave a 1/4-inch “frame” of natural rock surface along the edge. You can do the same or paint the sides of the rock as well.
I don’t paint the backs of my rocks. This is because many of my rocks are used as “Kindness Rocks” for hiding in nature. It is not good for the environment to lay a painted surface down on soil. It’s up to you whether or not to paint the backs of your rocks. Keep in mind that drying time (and total project time) will double to allow for each side to dry. If you choose to paint both sides, you will need to paint a base coat on one side and then allow it to dry before turning it over to paint the other side.
Once you have added paint to your rock’s surface, smooth it out to minimize globs of paint or visible lines.
Place rock in a clean, dust-free area to dry. (Dust that gathers on a base coat will cause unsightly lumps on your finished project).
Complete these steps for all the rocks you will use for Lesson 3.
PAINTING THE BACKGROUND COLOR
Watch the video above and/or follow the steps below:
Gather your rocks that have been prepped with a base coat, a large round paint brush, and a paint tray. Also grab your paint (I use yellow for the larger rocks and tan for the smaller rocks, but you can use any background color you like; we will use these rocks for Lesson 3).
Squeeze some paint into your paint tray.
Load your brush with the paint and start covering the base coat. Carefully move your brush around the edges so that none of the base coat can be seen.
Continue adding paint until the base coat is covered. Smooth over any streaks. It’s normal see some brush strokes in the paint. These will settle down during the drying process.
Continue this process with all of the rocks you prepped earlier.
Set the rocks aside to dry.
CLEANING UP YOUR TOOLS
Acrylic brushes are almost useless if they aren't cleaned properly, which is why it's important to thoroughly wash your brushes after every use. Neglecting to clean your brushes can ruin them because it leaves bristles hard and crusted together, especially when using fast-drying acrylic paints. Luckily, cleaning acrylic brushes only takes a few minutes of work. Cleaning your brushes allows you to use them over and over and will help lengthen the lifespan of your paintbrushes.
Follow these steps to keep your brushes usable:
Keep a cup of water on your workspace while you are painting rocks.
I generally use a different brush for each new color during a project. When I’m done with one color, I use a paper towel to remove excess paint.
Then I put the brush in the water cup and swirl it around to rinse it. Then I lay the brush flat on a paper towel leave it there until I’m done with the rest of the project colors. Don’t leave the brushes in the cup for a long time, as this can bend the bristles.
When you are done with your project, rinse the brushes in lukewarm water. I have a utility sink in my laundry room where I wash my brushes and paint trays. Luckily, acrylics are water soluble, so if you get paint in the sink it’s easy to clean up with a sponge.
Put a small amount of gentle hand soap or shampoo on the bristles of the paint brush and use your fingers to work the soap into the bristles. Holding the bristles under running lukewarm water, separate the bristles and rinse the paint out of the brush. Be sure to work the soap into the place on the brush where the bristles meet the ring around the stem of the brush. If this area is not cleaned well, the bristles will eventually spread out, harden, and alter the shape of the brush.
If the brush still seems to contain paint, put a small amount of soap in your palm and swirl the brush around the soap in your palm.
Rinse the brush thoroughly in running water, squeezing the tip gently.
Gently squeeze out excess water with an old towel or paper towel.
Lay the brush down horizontally on a towel to dry, making sure the bristles are straight. You don’t want to let them dry vertically because this can bend the bristles.
Clean your paint trays by rinsing under running water. If paint has dried, use a small scrub brush to loosen the paint.
NOTE: If paint has dried on your brushes, they may be headed to the trash can (sadly). You don’t want to let paint dry on the bristles of a brush. You can try soaking the brushes in vinegar to loosen the paint. If this doesn’t work, you will have to discard it.
