Painting Rocks!: ROCK PAINTING TUTORIAL #7 - "Beach Bunnies Family Rock"

Beach Bunnies Family Rock

Hi and welcome to my rock painting blog! Thank you for joining me for this rock painting tutorial, it is my hope that you will find it fun and informative.

Before we begin I would like to mention that in this tutorial we will be using wax paper, not freezer paper. In some of the videos you may hear me say that I am using freezer paper, however I made a mistake when filming.

As a sidenote to the above paragraph, both freezer paper and wax paper work extremely well for image transfer. You may find that you like one over the other. I like both for different reasons.

In any case, you will set up the wax paper in the printer the same way as freezer paper. To do this you will cut a piece of wax paper or freezer paper about an inch smaller than a piece of 8.5 x 11 computer paper and then attach it with Scotch tape to the piece of computer paper.

Next you will manually feed your secured wax paper/computer paper into your computer by placing it in the back tray and set up the print command from your WP document to print from the rear tray.*

If you have any questions about anything in this tutorial, please leave them in the 'Comments' below and I will be happy to answer them.

*All the information about how to do this is linked below on this blog post in the section entitled REFERENCE ARTICLES & VIDEOS.

Before you begin

with the detailed Step #’s below, you should do the following…

1. Find a rock you want to paint, making sure it's the right size and shape for your image. Wash and dry your rock.

2. Paint the rock with two coats of white acrylic paint with a foam paint brush, drying in between coats.

3. Select a picture you would like on your rock and print it out onto wax paper.

You may want to watch the videos and read the articles in the section entitled 'REFERENCE ARTICLES & VIDEOS' below for more information about these pre-steps...

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REFERENCE ARTICLES & VIDEOS

for more detailed information on the steps above

To learn how to find and download any image into a word processing document, resize it and print it out refer to the following article:

“Learn How to Find and Print Pictures after Downloading into Word Processing Documents” https://www.craftygirlsrock.net/2020/07/learn-how-to-find-and-print-pictures.html

Learn how to make your own freezer paper sheets (from a large roll of Reynolds Kitchen Freezer Paper) to print on, watch this video: “How To Make Freezer Paper Sheets for Your Inkjet Printer” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EYCIbkP9lo

How to Transfer an Image Using Freezer Paper - "Making Freezer Paper Sheets" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tD2YLpSrsaY

Learn how to print an inkjet image onto freezer paper, after which the image can be transferred onto a smooth surface: "Printing Commands Tutorial for Printing onto Freezer Paper" https://youtu.be/E1F_Bo_z0LM

Print command screen in WP, Paper Source can be

changed here to 'Rear Tray' and you will manually feed

“How to Transfer an Image to a Rock Using White Acrylic Paint and Mod Podge” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkw4RLWs_sk

*Please note the following:

- The video links above may also be linked below in the STEPS, however, I just wanted to group them together in the beginning of this post so that you can get a general idea of what the procedure is and to make it an easy reference point.

- Also noteworthy, the video links above in this section will most likely be from different rock painting tutorials so the image or the paper used may be different but the procedure will be the same.

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So, now that you have a general idea of what is involved and you have watched some of the above videos or read some of the articles, you are ready to begin!

Are you ready to paint a beautiful rock??? Let’s go…

STEP #1:

Deciding on an image and designing the rock in your mind

There are so many pictures available on the Internet that this may very well be the hardest part of your rock painting!

You can find an abundance of pictures and illustrations on Pinterest...

Simple search for 'bunny illustrations' results on Pinterest

I love painting flowers and fairies on my rocks, you may like to paint cats or dogs or birds. There is no right or wrong thing to paint because there are no mistakes in crafts!

Whatever you want to paint on your rock, using the method outlined in this blog post will require finding an image to transfer first.

In order to do that, I have included a link to an article entitled “Learn How to Find and Print Pictures after Downloading into Word Processing Documents” which you can access by clicking here... https://www.craftygirlsrock.net/2020/07/learn-how-to-find-and-print-pictures.html (you may have already read this because it is included in the pre-steps section)

After you have found the image you are going to transfer, you will print it out onto freezer paper or in the case of this tutorial, wax paper (see STEP #2).

STEP #2:

Print your image onto wax paper and transfer picture to your rock

Paint your rock’s surface with two coats of white acrylic paint, allowing each coat to dry in between.

You can use freezer paper if you don't have wax paper. Both papers work well and creating them is the same process. Just cut the sheet of wax or freezer paper about 1/2" smaller than a regular piece of computer paper and attach it to the computer paper with scotch tape.

You will load the scotch tape secured wax or freezer paper which has been attached to a standard piece of 8.5 x 11" computer paper into the rear tray of your printer. Then using your print commands from your WP program, send the picture to print from the 'Rear Tray'.

It should look something like this before you print it from the rear tray...

8.5 x 11" wax paper sheet in rear tray
of printer before sending print command from WP

The reason I wrote "WAX PAPER" with an arrow is because sometimes I reprint the image two or three times to get more ink on the wax paper. This is just a little tip, it's not necessary. However, the more ink that transfers in my opinion, the better! ☺

First printing

To print again to add more ink, just reinsert the picture already printed on wax paper into the back tray again in the same position and direction and hit the print commands one more time...

Here is information on how to make your own freezer (or wax) paper sheets. You will make them from a roll of Reynold’s Kitchen Freezer Paper or Reynold's Cut-Rite Wax Paper. Follow the instructions in the video linked here to do that…“How to Make Freezer Paper Sheets for an Inkjet Printer."

If you don’t want to make your sheets of freezer paper or wax paper, then you can buy pre-made sheets of freezer paper to print on. They are 8.5 x 11" and will fit in your computer's paper tray. I do not think they make pre-made sheets of wax paper for printing though so you can only buy pre-made if you are using freezer paper for your rock painting project.

After you make your wax paper sheets (or purchase pre-made freezer paper) you will be ready to print your picture onto wax paper by following the instructions in the video linked here... "Printing Commands Tutorial for Printing onto Freezer (or Wax) Paper".

Remember to print the image in reverse because it will be dried into the Mod Podge face down. You could also reverse the image in the 'Format Picture' commands on your computer while the picture is still in the WP document before printing...

Picture of my bunny family in WP before printing...
'Right click' on the picture while it's still in the WP document and you should see the commands to change the picture under 'Format' at the top of your screen; the word 'Format' is highlighted in pink in the picture above (I know it's hard to see).

Or you can use your 'Flip Horizontal' in your print commands when you send it off to print, either way works well. Remember, you don't have to flip it at all but your transferred image will be opposite from whatever you decide to print so keep it in mind especially if you are using words or letters in your rock painting.

Here is a picture of the image printed on wax paper that I used for this rock painting before I transferred it. Also shown in the picture are some of the supplies I used for this project. The 'Supply List' is included below in this post.

After you print the image out and the ink printed on the wax (or freezer) paper has thoroughly dried (wait 24 hours), use a paint brush to coat the face of the image (inked side) with Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium. Let the Mod Podge dry (it will dry clear so don’t worry if it looks white upon application).

Paint another coat of white acrylic paint onto your rock surface. Do NOT let this coat dry before the next step (see STEP #3).

STEP #3:

Place the Freezer Paper Image onto Rock’s Surface to Dry

Place another coat of Mod Podge Photo Ima ge Transfer Medium onto your picture that already has one coat of Mod Podge dried to it. Do NOT let this second coat dry before the next step either…

While both the rock’s surface and the picture are wet with their respective coats of white paint and Mod Podge, turn the image printed on the freezer paper upside down and position the inked side (which is currently wet with the Mod Podge) face down onto the rock’s surface (which is currently wet with white paint).

Try not to move the paper at all because this will smudge the ink. Once it is in place, secure the paper to the rock using scotch tape to hold it steady so that it won’t slip.

Rub the back side of the paper gently with your fingertips and smooth out the paper. Make sure every part of the inked surface of the picture is touching the rock’s surface. This is called burnishing and you can watch the video linked here to get a better idea on the exact process.

Let it dry overnight.

After the image is thoroughly dried onto the rock’s surface you are ready to reveal your image (see STEP #4)...

STEP #4:

Reveal the Image by Peeling off the Paper

As I stated above in the last paragraph of STEP #3, you should now be at the point where the ink from your image has dried into the paint on the rock's surface.

Now we have to get the paper off which can be a bit time consuming. However, if this step is done correctly, you will have a great image to work on so take your time and be patient with this step.

Interestingly, one sheet of computer paper has seven layers! So we will have to take it off layer by layer.

To start this process you will need a paint brush and some clean water. Dip your paint brush in the clean water and then apply the water to the back side of the image (which has dried ink side down).

Watch this video entitled "Making the Image Pop" to see the actual process. (Please note that this video is from a different rock painting tutotial that I did, so the picture is not of the beach bunny family)

Did you see the image start to appear once it is wet with water? Isn't that fun?? I think it is anyway, lol!

As you can see, the paper has been peeled
away on the right hand side of the picture.

This wetting/drying process has to be done at least 5 times because this is the process that is loosening the top layers of paper and at the same time leaving the ink on the rock's surface for you to use as a base image for your painting.

So repeat the process above at least five more times. Make sure you let the water dry in between applying it. Around the sixth time you coat the back with water you should start to see little pills of the paper come off.

Let it dry once this 'pilling' starts. Continue to rub the paper off gently with your index finger until most of it comes off and you have a good base image.

Once the image is easy to see and most of the paper is off, you are ready to color it in with your art markers or paints!

SUPPLIES:

8.5 "x 11" Freezer Paper Sheets https://amzn.to/39zebEZ (*optional)

Reynolds Kitchen Freezer Paper https://amzn.to/2TTT1M6

Double-Sided Scotch Tape https://amzn.to/3bQM1Xw

Rocks for Painting https://amzn.to/2YmClyT

Inkjet Printer https://amzn.to/391bXx7

Computer Paper https://amzn.to/3ir89L1

Mod Podge Matte Gel Medium https://amzn.to/2Xh1idD

Painting Flowers on Rocks https://amzn.to/2Zwl87g

White acrylic paint https://amzn.to/3b4d00G

Paintbrushes https://amzn.to/3d6uScL

Arteza Paint Pens https://amzn.to/3cqpEYt

Sharpie Permanent Markers https://amzn.to/3eStQ4a

Sharpie Ultra Fine Black Marker (for outlines) https://amzn.to/2DOIkot

Art Markers https://amzn.to/30waJIX

Shuttle Art Markers https://amzn.to/31p8SoI

Peel and Stick Flower Stencil https://amzn.to/2C83JZo

Leaf and Ivy Stencil https://amzn.to/3km2vv7

Deco Art White Paint Pen https://amzn.to/2DzQX6D

Paint Markers https://amzn.to/2XGYzep

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Supplies Sidenote: Not all of the above products will be needed for this particular tutorial. I have linked to some supplies that I use in my rock paintings so that you can have access to some of my favorite products, but you can find most of these in your local craft store.

Here are the links to other rock painting tutorials on this blog:

ROCK PAINTING TUTORIAL #1 A Basket of Pansies

ROCK PAINTING TUTORIAL #2 Gardening Animals

ROCK PAINTING TUTORIAL #3 Red & Orange Poppy Flowers

ROCK PAINTING TUTORIAL #4 Little Boy in a Bunny Costume

ROCK PAINTING TUTORIAL #5 Mama Bird & Chicks

ROCK PAINTING TUTORIAL #6 Fairies & Bunny Spring Rock

ROCK PAINTING TUTORIAL #7 Beach Bunnies Family Rock

Some of my PINTEREST boards that may interest my crafty friends:

Hand Painted Rocks by nancymaggielee

Stained Glass Painting & Glass Crafts

Looking for a fun gift for someone in your life? Check out my Zazzle store... I have t-shirts, coffee mugs, Christmas ornaments, phone cases, office accessories, just to name a few!

Please visit my WEBSITES for more information about ROCK PAINTING:

Crafty Girls Rock

Hand-Painted Flower & Fairy Rocks

Hand-Painted Rocks

Painting Rocks!

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