Fall Rock Painting Tutorial: Autumn Tree with Falling Leaves

Are you looking for easy painted rock ideas for fall? You'll love this one!

When I think about fall, I think immediately about all the beautiful leaves on the deciduous trees changing colors and falling to the ground.

To capture this quintessential fall scene on a painted rock, I created a tree outline and then filled it in with red, orange and yellow leaves.

To make it more interesting, I also painted leaves falling to the ground and covered the base of the tree with fallen leaves.

This is a great beginner project to learn how to use 3D paint on rocks. This rock painting project is also simple enough that older kids will be able to follow along and make it themselves. 

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How to Paint a Tree with Falling Leaves
an easy fall rock painting idea

Supplies:

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• Rock (find out where to get the best rocks to paint here)
• Black, extra fine tip Posca paint pen
• FolkArt 3D paint in these colors:
• Sunshine
• Red
• Orange
• Clear spray sealer

Video: Autumn Tree with Falling Leaves

This easy painted rock project uses two different types of painting mediums to achieve a pretty 3D effect featuring the autumn colored leaves falling from a bare tree.

If your browser is not displaying the video below, click here to view it on the I Love Painted Rocks Facebook page.  

Tree with Falling Leaves Painted Rock Step 1: Draw tree frame

Use the Black Posca paint pen to draw the main outline of the tree trunk, branches and roots and your rock. Color it in using the Posca pen.

Tree with Falling Leaves Painted Rock Step 2: Add smaller branches

Add small off shoot branches to the large ones you already painted on your rock and extended tree roots with your Posca pen.

Tree with Falling Leaves Painted Rock Step 3: Add leaves with 3D paint

Using the 3D Paint, start to add leaves to the tree.

To make the leaves, place the tip against the rock and gently squeeze.

Just as the paint starts to come out, move the paint tip away and stop squeezing to create a dot with a pointed end similar in shape to a leaf.

Pro tip: If you haven't worked with 3D paint before, do some practice on a piece of paper before using the paint on your rock!

Turn the rock or your hand as needed to create leaves pointing in different directions.

Repeat this process with the orange and red paint.

Tree with Falling Leaves Painted Rock Step 4: Add leaves to the ground

To add fallen leaves to the ground around the base of the tree, use the different colors 3D Paint to add dot and leaf shapes.

Continue alternating colors and adding dots until you are happy with how it looks.

Tree with Falling Leaves Painted Rock Step 5: Seal

The FolkArt 3D Paint is considered outdoor safe. For best results, allow the paint on the rock to cure for 24 hours and then seal with your favorite clear spray sealer.

If you love this painted rocks project, don't forget to share it!

About the Author:

Carissa is a lifelong crafter and mom of two creative boys. 

The owner and lead writer of both I Love Painted Rocks and Creative Green Living, she has won multiple awards for her craft writing including the Craftys Award for the "Best Craft Blogger" category in 2016 and the ShiftCon award for "Best DIY blogger" in 2018. 

Her projects have been featured in magazines like Kids Crafts 1-2-3, Country Sampler Farmhouse Style and more.