Materials Needed

Tall, oval rock
Brown acrylic paint
Green acrylic paint (2-3 shades)
White acrylic paint (for background)
Medium flat brush
Fine detail brush or sponge piece
Clear sealant spray

Step-by-Step Instructions

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Step 1: Prepare and base coat

Wash and dry your rock. Paint the entire surface with white or light blue paint to create a sky background. Let it dry completely. A tall, oval rock works best for a tree shape.

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Step 2: Paint the trunk

Using brown paint, paint a trunk shape in the lower half of the rock. Start wider at the base and get narrower toward the top. Add a few small branch lines extending from the trunk.

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Step 3: Create the leafy crown

Dip a sponge or the flat side of your brush in green paint and dab it in the upper part of the rock to create a fluffy, round crown of leaves. Use a dabbing motion for a textured look.

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Step 4: Add depth with shading

Using a darker shade of green, add shadows on the lower and side areas of the crown. Then use a lighter green or yellow-green to dab highlights on the top. This makes the tree look three-dimensional.

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Step 5: Add details and seal

Add small details like grass at the base, tiny apples or flowers in the crown, or bark texture on the trunk with darker brown lines. Once dry, apply clear sealant spray.

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

Use a sponge for the easiest and most realistic leaf texture.
Tall, upright rocks make the best trees — look for rocks that can stand on their own.
Mix different greens for a more natural-looking crown.
Try painting seasonal trees: pink blossoms for spring, orange leaves for autumn.
Add tiny red dots as apples for an adorable apple tree variation.
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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