Artificial rocks can come in a variety of materials, which will ultimately decide what can be used to paint them. They can be found in plastic, wood, metal and even paper and aluminum. Not all of these materials can take all kinds of paint, but there is almost always at least one type of paint that can be used.
Spray Paint
Spray paint is the most popular and the easiest to use since it doesn't involve brushes or pans. If done correctly the mess it makes is minimal as well. Spray paints come in a variety of colors from realistic rock colors to bright neon, shiny metallics and even textured and effects paints, like glow-in-the-dark paint. It can be used on all manner of objects from wood to metal to plastic.
Acrylic Paint
Acrylic paint can be artist's paint or house paint, although if using house paint make sure it is water proof. As a general rule acrylics are easy to use, have vibrant colors and are almost always water proof once dried. They tend to be long lasting and are easily applied with paint rollers or brushes and achieve even coverage with just a few applications. Acrylic paint must not be diluted if you plan to use it on a metal or plastic surface, since it may bead or drip if it is very wet. It can be easily used on wood, paper, canvas and almost any other textured material.
Oil Paint
Oil paint is not ideal for painting things like rocks, but it is still usable. The major difficulty with oil paint is how long it will take to dry. Another problem is that the oil base may eat through some substances like cheap plastic, over time. However for water-proofing wood, nothing beats oil paint. It can also be used on metal relatively easily.
Less Common Paints
There are a number of other types of paints you can use on your rocks, depending on the material it is made of. Egg paint, tempera, water colors and more are all paints that you can use on your rocks. They will each have a slightly different effect. Water colors have a subtle effect, usually just tinting the area. A typical water color painting would probably not show up well on your rock. Tempera is similar to acrylic but more transparent, so it makes for a nice paint to apply over a drawing as a sort of colored lacquer. Egg paint has a glazed effect. You can also use puffy (clothing paints), paint pens and craft paints.
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