Materials Needed

Tall, triangular or oval rock
Dark green acrylic paint
Medium green acrylic paint
Light green or yellow-green acrylic paint
Brown acrylic paint (for trunk)
White acrylic paint (for snow)
Dark blue or gray acrylic paint (for sky)
Medium flat brush
Fan brush or stiff-bristled brush (for tree texture)
Clear sealant spray
Pencil

Step-by-Step Instructions

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Step 1: Paint the winter sky background

Wash and dry your tall rock. Paint the entire surface with a cold blue-gray or deep blue to represent a winter sky. Let dry completely. The dark background will make the snow-covered pine tree stand out dramatically.

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Step 2: Sketch and paint the trunk

Sketch a narrow vertical trunk in the center-bottom. Paint it with brown. The pine tree trunk is typically straight and narrow. Add a few small stubby lower branches extending from the base of the triangle outline.

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Step 3: Build the layered branches

Using a fan brush or stiff brush, paint the pine tree in layers from bottom to top. Each layer is a wide horizontal sweep of brush that creates a fan of needles. Start with the widest layer at the bottom using dark green, then work upward making each layer progressively narrower and lighter green at the top.

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Step 4: Add snow on branches

Using white paint and your fan brush or a dabbing motion, add snow on the top of each branch layer. Focus the snow along the top edges of each green tier. For heavier snow, make thick white blobs that droop slightly over the edge of the branches.

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Step 5: Add stars and ground snow

Dot a few small white stars in the dark sky using your toothpick. Add a white snow mound at the base of the trunk. Once everything is fully dry, apply clear sealant to preserve your winter pine scene.

Step 6: Add RoxGeo Code

On the bottom or back of your rock, write ROXGEO.COM followed by a slash and your rock’s unique code (e.g. ROXGEO.COM/ABC123). This lets the finder go directly to your rock’s profile page and log their discovery. If the rock is too small for the full address, write #ROX followed by the code without spaces (e.g. #ROXABC123) — it’s short, easy to search on Google, and leads straight to your rock’s journey page. Use a fine-tip permanent marker or acrylic paint pen, and seal it with clear varnish so the code stays readable through rain, sun, and adventure.

Helpful Tips

A fan brush creates the most realistic pine needle texture in a single stroke.
Work bottom to top so each layer of branches slightly overlaps the one below.
White snow on top of green branches creates the most striking winter contrast.
A dark blue-gray sky background makes the snow-covered tree glow dramatically.
A triangular-shaped rock makes it easier — the pine shape is already suggested.
For the RoxGeo code on the bottom, use a waterproof permanent marker (like Sharpie) or an acrylic paint pen. Apply 2–3 coats of clear sealant over the code — this keeps it readable through rain, sun, and handling for months.
Writing #ROXCODE (e.g. #ROXABC123) on your rock makes it easy to find via Google search. We actively optimize for this hashtag, so anyone who searches for it will find your rock’s profile page quickly.
The full address ROXGEO.COM/CODE takes the finder directly to your rock’s card, where they can see its full travel history, previous finders, and photos from every stop on its journey.

Paint this rock and track its journey with RoxGeo!

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