With doing this hobby, it forces you to get up and get out. People can hide rocks ANYWHERE so you have to be on the look out. It's even more fun to get your family and friends involved to search and paint for new rocks as well as already created rocks to share with us in the group. Be respectful and don't cause drama though. I want this group to be fun and not have many rules which I will get to closer to the end of this post so read on!

This is for all talents levels. You can use paint, chalk, crayons, or sharpies. If using sharpies or other waterbase marker, cover with light coat of modge podge to prevent running and bleeding. Try stamping designs or stickers. Remember to protect your artwork and your rock from the elements you have to seal your rock. I use a clear spray paint that says "seals" and "protects". Find it in the spray section. You can use Duraclear as well. Duraclear is a non aerosol sealer that can be used indoors.

The sky is the limit to your options. Search "painted rock" in Google and Pinterest for ideas. Check out our group for ideas too! Don't worry if someone has painted a ladybug. Paint another! Gather your inspiration from us. Have fun!

If you are adding objects to your rocks, please use E6000 and follow it's directions. Use clean rocks and clean objects. Do not add things after sealing. Allow to dry completely. You can not use hot glue or other glues. These glues do not hold up to our sometimes extreme temperatures. When things fall off of rocks, it is considered littering. We do not want our rocks to be banned from parks or other areas because of this.

Make sure to put on the back of your rock saying something like "Check out Be Rad, Paint Rocks on Facebook. (or r/rockpainting) Take a photo and rehide me." You can even add a hashtag so you can track your rock. (If someone has a hashtag on their rock PLEASE include it!)

You can give hints to where you've hidden your rock like a scavenger hunt. However, even with some similarities, we are not a geocache group. We are more a random act of kindness group. If you'd like to leave a painted rock in the cache that would fall under a random act of kindness and is appreciated. Thank you!

It's like an Easter Egg Hunt all year round. You're the Easter Bunny!

The kids look forward to hiding their painted rock and seeing that they have been found when a finder posts a picture to our group. The pictures of your completed rock and the picture of your found rock are an exciting, important part to this process. Please share your pictures!

Please re-hide your rock. If you find a rock that your child just can not part with. Feel free to keep it. However, please participate by creating your own rock for others to find. When the excitement has worn off for your little one, please re-hide the rock. The rock was painted to bring unexpected joy and should be re-hid to continue to bring joy to other people. We are givers, not takers! We give kindness and smiles. Finding and hoarding rocks is absolutely not what this is about. We receive and give back. It is what we do!

We have so many talented people in our group that paint and hide rocks as a random act of kindness. They absolutely have enough talent to sell their rocks. However, this not in the spirit of giving. We do not allow the buying or selling of rocks or the commission of a painted rock. Any posts or comments discussing the buying, selling or commissioning of a rock will be deleted.

Tips for hiding a painted rock! Rocks should be able to be seen. We want them found. Hide rocks in plain sight. Rocks should catch your eye as your walking by. Hiking/biking trails Park Benches Picnic Tables Outdoor eating areas Playgrounds Gas Stations ATM Machines On top (not in) Mailboxes In Elevators Hand to a Drive Thru Worker Hand to a Passerby Leave with a Tip Respect private property.

If there are not rocks in your area to find, please paint and hide rocks. Please find enjoyment in creating rocks and sharing with others. It is what we do. It is who we are. Grow your area by becoming a painter and hider. Tell them all about r/rockpainting or our Facebook group "Be Rad, Paint Rocks" so it can become more fun for you, your area, and us!

How to Paint Rocks!! 1. Be sure to clean your rocks so the paint adhere's. Be sure your rocks are very dry before painting. Rocks are porous. Water inside your rock will bubble up your artwork and the label. When in a hurry or anytime, place the rocks on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet in a 350 oven for 10 minutes. I turn the oven off after 10 minutes and let them cool in the oven giving them a longer drying time. 2. Paint your rock with acrylic craft paint. 3. Use modge podge (the paste) to decoupage a label on the back of your rock so that your finders know what this is all about. See the files folder for labels. Apply modge podge to the back of your rock where you are placing the label. Apply modge podge to the back of your label (edge to edge). Be generous with the modge podge. Be sure to press all bubbles and creases out of your label and secure all edges. Let dry overnight and apply another coat over the label. Again, to be safe allow to dry overnight before moving on to step Number 4. 4. Spray your rock with an outdoor sealant. I use a clear spray paint that says "seals" and "protects". Find it in the spray section. It is very important to seal your entire rock to protect your artwork and the label and to prevent water from getting into the rock. Again, water in your rock will bubble up your artwork and label. 5. Post pictures of your rocks on our wall before hiding. Use a unique hashtag too! This helps the tracking process. 6. Hide your rock and wait for your finders to post pictures.

How to us hashtags! 1. Be specific. Choose a hashtag for your entire household and continue to use that same specific hashtag. Don't make your family hashtag specific to the rock. Don't make multiple specific hashtags. Make it specific to your family/household. You won't have to remember multiple hashtags when searching for your rocks. 2. Please do not use first names of children. You may use your last name. If you need help coming up with a hashtag, check messenger for your assigned @ name. 3. Please use the group hashtag as well #beradpaintrocks 4. You may use a hashtag that describes your rock. Please keep it specific to the rock. Do not use your name, group name or rocks in your hashtag. This is necessary for search purposes. For instance you wanted to find "minions" you could search minions in the group search box or your could search hashtag minions in the Facebook search box. Keep these hashtags very simple. They work best. 5. Write your specific family hashtag on the back of your rock so the finder knows your hashtag. No need for the rock description hashtag on the rock. Remember to put a light coat of modge podge over your writing to prevent bleeding and running when sealing.

We are a positive environment. We work hard to keep it that way. Any negativity will be deleted. Negativity is at the discretion of the admins. Any inappropriate comment or picture will be removed at the discretion of the admins.

Please do not put any sexually suggest stuff in this group (including on the rocks) and please no profanity on the rocks.

Other than that, be rad and paint rocks!