Painted Rock Cornucopia

Go outside into nature, paint and play!  

Materials

• Rocks
• Water
• Dish soap
• Brush
• Drying rack
• Paint pens (We used POSCA)
• Fine, permanent markers (We used micron)
• Scissors
• Large brown bag

We always find these items helpful too:

• Smock
• Craft tray

Directions

• Go out for a walk with an adult and collect rocks that you think represent the shapes of the harvest vegetables.

• Wash the dust off your rocks.  (This allows the paint to adhere better.)  Allow your rocks to dry overnight.  Popping them on a cooling rack allows the underside to dry as well.

• Don your smock.  Follow the directions on your paint pens.  (The majority of brands instruct you to shake them before use and detail how to get the paint into the nib).  Outline the shape of the vegetable you want to paint and then colour it in.  The outline creates almost a dam of sorts, preventing the paint from escaping.  The brand that we used had excellent flow, so this wasn’t an issue.

• Once your general shape is completely dry, add details, reflective highlights etc. with other colours and follow this with your thin permanent marker.

• We experimented with a few different techniques to explore with the paints which might help you to create shapes to work with.  We applied the paint to the bubbles on bubble wrap and punched holes in an office label, applying to a rock and painting in the holes to create kernels on the cobs of corn.  We used strips of the labels to create ribs on the pumpkins. See what you can come up with!

• Now to create the cornucopia:  Remove the handles from your bag and open the bottom of it carefully.  On the one end, roll the bag down and on the other end twist it together.  You may need a little bit of help from an adult for this.  Once you are done, enjoy putting your harvest vegetables inside and playing with them!

• If you give this project a try, please tag us!  We love to see how you “made it your own”!

Pin this idea for later:

Looking for tips on rock painting supplies, elaborate ideas? 

Here are a few of our favourite sites and a young girl using rock painting to help change homelessness! 

Color Made Happy: https://colormadehappy.com/2017/07/best-painting-rocks-supplies-guide/

Adventure in a Box: https://www.adventure-in-a-box.com/magical-halloween-silhouette-painted-rocks/

Alia’s Rainbow Rock Project: http://www.rainbowrockproject.com/

Purpose

• Creating with nature.
• Recognizing common elements of various seasons and celebrations.

Safety Notes

• We suggest that you wear a smock and use a craft tray to protect your clothing and surfaces.
• Use scissors with care and adult supervision.