Double Rainbow inspiration for Rainbow Painted Rocks
Our family has discovered the joy of the road trip. We packed up and went to Colorado Springs a few years ago and we had a blast. It was the first real vacation we had been on in several years. We stayed with friends and saw lots of new things. The mountains were amazing, but I wanted the kids to see the ocean.
I asked my husband how he felt about a trip to Florida. It wasn’t as long of a drive as we thought it would be, so they plot the course and set off to drive through a total of nine states.
The morning we left for the trip, it started to pour. You could not see the lines on the highway or any of the other cars around you. The roads were covered in water and it was coming down quickly. We trudged through and made a very slow journey to Tulsa. A drive that would normally take about 90 minutes took over three hours. The storm finally cleared around lunchtime. We were delighted to find a double rainbow overhead in the clearing sky.
Designs for Rainbow Painted Rocks
We can take just about any design and turn it into a rainbow. You could use a simple sky background, rainbow color a shape, or use rainbow-colored lettering. As you can see from the amount of inspiration below, the possibilities are endless.
Alli at made with happy has a simple rainbow design on a yellow background, but it is fun and a great place to start.
https://www.madewithhappy.com/rainbow-painted-rocks/
Thena at Hellow Wonderful used the rainbow design to make several different kindness rocks. These are both fun and easy.
https://www.madewithhappy.com/rainbow-painted-rocks/
Sam at color me happy used a rainbow background for her black tree outline.
https://colormadehappy.com/rainbow-tree-painted-rock-tutorial/
Lily at Craft Learn and Play painted a series of rocks each a different color and stacked them to create a rainbow.
Supply List for Rainbow Painted Rocks
- Smooth, flat Rocks
- Acrylic paint, I used metallic blue
- Acrylic paint markers, assorted colors
- Paint brushes, thin flat point brush
- Acrylic sealer, spray or paint on
- Other supplies: table cloth, paper plate, cup of water
Choosing & Priming your rocks
Rocks are everywhere. But not all rocks are ideal for painting. You can go on a stroll through your neighborhood or park and pick up a few rocks. However, I have found that most of those can be too small or not have much of a flat surface. Purchasing rocks is also an option. You can find them at craft stores, home improvement stores, landscaping companies, or even order them online.
Each of the rocks that I used in this project is different. I looked for smooth flat rocks with a shape that would complement the design I was making. Each one had a different requirement as far as a background color went.
Here is some more information on priming rocks if you would like to read further.
Rainbow Painted Rocks Design 1: Rainbow Burst
This design is very simple, but a great way to start thinking about the use of negative space. I wanted a middle portion that I could use for words or a saying and then have a rainbow of colors going all the way around.
My rock was about 2 inches across and was already white. I decided not to put on a primer coat and just let the bright colors pop off of the rock. For the middle circle, I used a penny as a stencil, made an outline and marked off six equal sections.
Then, using acrylic paint markers, I made color-blocked lines of various lengths. I started with red, added orange, then yellow and green.
Finally, blue and violet.
Using a black paint marker, I outlined the circle shape and added the word Shine. And voilà, the first of my rainbow painted rocks is done.
Rainbow Painted Rocks Design 2: Rainbow Heart
Let’s try one with a little more difficulty. This rainbow heart was drawn freehand. The hardest part is getting the symmetry of the heart and then spacing the lines. Practice on lined paper if you need to work on a heart shape.
Then, in each section, I added a different coloring using acrylic paint markers. The first Color I added was red.
The next section is colored orange.
Then I added yellow.
Next was green.
Then some blue.
Purple came next.
And finally pink.
To finish the design on this rainbow painted rock, I outlined the image in black.
Rainbow Painted Rocks Design 3: Unicorn with Rainbow Hair
This design is not a traditional rainbow, but as stated above the possibilities are endless. This is a unicorn face with a color-blocked hair pattern. I decided to sketch this one first to practice the unicorn. Start with a cone-shaped horn, add a flowing mane, and then add the details.
I went ahead with a primer coat on this rock. I used Folk Art Metallic Acrylic Paint in Metallic Blue. I applied the paint with a flat brush and let it dry completely. Using a pencil, I sketched the unicorn design.
Then I added the colors with acrylic paint markers. I used a Peach color for the horn. I added different colors to each section of the hair. The beauty of a rainbow rock is it does not need to follow the traditional pattern of a rainbow. I mixed it up a bit on this rock. I started with red, then I added yellow.
Orange, Blue, and Green finished out the sections of the mane.
The ears were painted white, then I went back with a black paint marker to outline and add in the details.
Rainbow Painted Rocks Design 4: Rainbow Kindness Rock with Cloud
The final design for this project includes a quote from Maya Angelou and would be perfect for a kindness rocks project. I started by sketching out the cloud border and the spacing for the five sections of the rainbow.
For coloring with acrylic paint markers, I started with the top section of the rainbow and painted the individual sections red, orange, yellow, green and blue.
I added white for the cloud.
Then, I got to work on the details. I used a black marker for the eyes and mouth of the cloud. I added the rosy cheeks with light pink. And Finally, I colored the border between the cloud and the rainbow with gray.
The last step was to add the quote. I decided to use “Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud”.
Sealing the Rainbow Painted Rocks
I decided to seal the rainbow rocks using a spray acrylic sealer made by ModPodge. I made sure to do this step outside. Spray sealer can give off some strong fumes and you don’t want to have that linger inside the house. I set the rocks on a protective surface so I didn’t get the sealer everywhere. Using a paper plate or plastic table cloth works perfectly for this step. I sprayed a light coat of sealer and let it dry. Be sure to follow the package instructions on your sealer.
Day Brightened. Rainbow painted rocks are great for any occasion or when you need a splash of color. These projects are quick and easy. They are perfect for any age or skill level.
Top Take-Aways from my Rainbow Painted Rocks Project
- Rainbow rocks and bring a rainbow to your world without the actual rain.
- You do not have to follow the traditional rainbow pattern. Get creative.
- Paint markers are quick drying and allow you to move between different parts of your project quickly.
Have a wonderful and colorful day!