Dots On Rocks : A Tutorial Roundup and Tip-Sheet

Hello! 

If you are reading this, there's a good chance you are at Women's Retreat, either hanging out at The Nest, or attending my class on dot painting.

Dots On Rocks can range from the dead simple to the highly complex. The good news is that even some very simple techniques can yield impressive results.

What I have here for you all is a round-up of videos, photos, and tips that will put you on your way to a fun, satisfying rock painting.

This is a choose-your-own-adventure style "class." You decide how much guidance you want. But everyone should start by 

Gathering Supplies

• Something to paint on. There should be lots of rocks from the beach in various colors and shapes, or smaller and glossier ones from the store available. There may be a few ceramic or wood items too. 

• Paint : ordinary acrylic paint is great on rocks. If you are going to paint on a ceramic object, the Gloss Enamels are better. 
  
• Dot Tools : either purpose-made ball-point dotters, or quick-and-dirty options like pencils, toothpicks, and Q-tips. 
• Mandala templates and chalk (very optional, and can be challenging to use, especially on non-flat surfaces)
  
• Pens, brushes, and other miscellaneous tools for those of you who wish to get outside of the box.
  

Option 1:

Annette, I just want to pick my own project, but I'd like to look over some ideas!

I feel you! Please pop on over to my "Dotty" Pinterest board.  All of the videos and links below also live here, and you can pick something that appeals to you. Please ignore the rest of this page!

Option 2: 

Help, I'm entirely overwhelmed. Where should I start? 

I will begin by sharing this longer video from Lydia May, who demonstrates clearly how to use pencils, Q-tips, toothpicks, and even the bottom of your paint bottle as tools for placing dots.

I suggest you watch the first 2 minutes of this video even if you don't want to paint along with Lydia, just to get an idea of how to prepare your tools.

(Note: You really do not need the sound. Really. And if you try to hear it, you will go nuts, because it's just that soft.)

Now let's go back a level or two with this very basic idea of randomly placing dots of a few colors and sizes all over your object:

See how easy that is and how neat it looks? This is a great place for you to play all day if you don't have a lot of patience or faith in your ability to follow the lines!

Here is a very nicely done tutorial of a simple dot mandala on stone in still images over at Colorful Crafts. I love still images when I'm trying to duplicate a technique!

 

 

 Back in video-land, let's move on to a more intricate, planned-out mandala pattern: 

 

 

 

 

This next option relies on eye-balling the placement of your dots without first chalking in a template. I can't decide if this is harder or easier in the long run, so you decide whether you're going to mess with guidelines or not!

 

And one final example of a no-template design

 

Finally, here are a bunch of other ideas on my "Dotty" Pinterest board.