How to Draw Mermaid Scales on Painted Rocks

Learning how to draw mermaid scales on painted rocks is such a fun rock painting activity that kids and tweens will love to do! We had a lot of fun painting our mermaid scale rocks. I love the blueish turquoise blended colors of these rocks and how the metallic scales look on top.

If you are looking for more rock painting ideas check out my collection of creative rock painting for kids!

These rocks would be a perfect craft for a mermaid or ocean-themed birthday party or summer camp. They would also make a great kid-made gift for family and friends and would look lovely in a garden. Or you could hide some of your mermaid rocks outside for people to find, which is always fun!

We love creating and exploring with different art supplies and techniques. If you are looking for more art projects to try, take a look at our ultimate collection of amazing art projects for kids!

How to Draw Mermaid Scales on Painted Rocks

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Supplies

River rocks
Acrylic paint in shades of blues and turquoise
Small paintbrushes
Fine tipped paint pens or metallic sharpies
Mod Podge

Instructions

1. First, you want to make sure your rocks are clean and dry, especially if you are collecting them from outside. Look for medium to larger smooth flat rocks. These types of rocks will make it easier for kids to draw on.

We collected river rocks, but most craft stores will also have rocks that would work for painting.

2. Get your paint ready in a palette or plastic lid. We used 3 different shades of blue. A light blue, dark blue and turquoise color. Using a small brush, paint all 3 colors onto your rock like in the photo above. Make sure to rinse your brush before applying each color.

Once you have your 3 colors on your rocks, blend them together to create a watery ocean look. I love the way the blues look when blended together! Let your rocks dry completely before moving on to the next step.

3. Now it’s time to draw on the mermaid scales. We tried gold, rose gold, silver and white mermaid scales and they all look great! You can use sharpies or paint pens for this step depending on what you have, both will work.

To create your scales, start at the top of your rock. Draw in the first row of your scales. When you start your second row, offset the row by half a scale like in the picture above. You always want to start your next row in the middle of a scale.

Learning how to draw mermaid scales can be a bit tricky for kids, so it’s a good idea to practice on some paper before they draw on their rocks. Once they get the hang of it, then it will go more smoothly.

4. To finish off your mermaid scale painted rocks you can add 2 coats of Mod Podge to seal everything in. This step is optional but will help preserve your rocks and keep the colors looking nice and bright.

** If you are going to leave your rocks outside, make sure your sealer is made for outdoor use.

I love how these mermaid scales on painted rocks turned out. They make such a wonderful craft activity for older kids and tweens and are a lovely handmade gift idea that would look beautiful as part of your decor or in your garden.