Lin Wellford - Rock Painting for Kids: Painting Projects for Rocks of Any Kind You Can Find

For Skye, Erika, and Kira Copyright 2002, 2018 by Lin Wellford First Racehorse for Young Readers Edition 2019. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without the express written consent of the publisher, except in the case of brief excerpts in critical reviews or articles. All inquiries should be addressed to Racehorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018. Racehorse Publishing books may be purchased in bulk at special discounts for sales promotion, corporate gifts, fund-raising, or educational purposes. Special editions can also be created to specifications.

For details, contact the Special Sales Department, Skyhorse Publishing, 307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018 or . Racehorse Publishing and Racehorse for Young Readers are registered trademarks of Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., a Delaware corporation. Visit our website at www.skyhorsepublishing.com. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file. Cover Designer: Michael Short Editor: Maggie Moschell Interior Designer: Brian Roeth Production Coordinator: Mark Griffin Production Artist: Kath Bergstrom Photographers: Lin Wellford and Christine Polomsky Print ISBN: 978-1-63158-295-0 E-Book ISBN: 978-1-63158-297-4 Printed in China Portions of the book were previously published Painting on Rocks for Kids (978-1-58180-255-9) by North Light Books in 2002. About the Author The author at age 10 Do you know the fairy tale about the person who learns to spin straw into gold? Thats what it feels like to turn plain old rocks into art! When I was younger, I liked to draw and practiced so much that I became pretty good at it, but the first time I painted a rock, I knew that I had found something really special.

It feels almost like magic to take a rock and change it into a little house, a bunch of flowers or a cuddly teddy bear. I have always loved writing, so I am very happy to have found a career that allows me to do my two most favorite things. As you try painting your own rocks, I hope youll remember that part of the fun is seeing how much better your results will be with time and effort. Every rock can be a stepping stone that takes you farther along the path to becoming an artist yourself! So, keep rockin! Acknowledgments Special thanks to Erin Robertson for helping to paint many of these projects as well as providing lots of inspiration and advice. Erin is proof that you can be a real artist at any age! Contents tips
for painting rocks A clean paintbrush is a happy paintbrush. Rocks are a great natural art material.

They come in many different shapes and sizes. By adding details with paint, you can turn rocks into all kinds of amazing things. Pick up a rock and ask yourself what it looks like. Not all rocks are good for painting. Some are too bumpy or rough, or they soak up paint like a sponge. Look for rocks that are smooth.

Rocks that have been tumbled in water, such as in a river or creek, are the easiest to paint, but you can also use chunky rocks and pieces of fieldstone as long as the sides are not too rough. You can even paint pieces of broken concrete. Always scrub your rocks before you begin painting. Paint wont stick to a dirty rock. Youll need a paper plate, plastic lid or plastic artists palette for mixing your paint. Never let paint dry on your brushes.

It turns them all stiff and yucky. Always rinse your brush between colors. Have paper towels handy for wiping your brush. Pour paint in little puddles, about the size of your thumbnail. Big puddles dry up before you can use them. Wear old clothes and push up your sleeves when you paint.

If you get acrylic paint on your clothes, scrub it off with an old toothbrush, soap and plenty of water before it dries. Dried acrylic paint may never come out of fabric. Spread newspaper over your work area. You can wipe your brush and make test strokes on it. Also it will slow down a spill if you tip over your water. And the most important thing to remember is You cant ruin a rock! If you make a mistake, just wipe off the paint before it dries, or let it dry and then paint over it. brushes, paint
and more Paint tempera paint For the projects in this book, youll need a set of basic colors of acrylic paint. brushes, paint
and more Paint