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Santa Claus painted rocks

Santa Claus painted rocks make people smile, and a round stone already has his shape. Here are four Santa rocks, from a simple face to a belly-and-belt rock any child can paint, plus how to paint a white beard that covers and how to turn Santa rocks into gifts and decorations.

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Updated

Santa Claus painted rocks: illustration of a painted rock with a dotted flower design and a paint marker

Short answer

For a Santa face, paint the top third of a round stone red for the hat with a white fur band, a peach face in the middle, and a big white beard around the bottom, then add eyes, rosy cheeks and a mustache. For the easiest Santa, paint the whole stone red with a black belt and a gold buckle. Plan two coats of white for the beard and fur.

Choosing a stone for Santa

A round or slightly tall stone fits a Santa face; a squat, wide stone makes a jolly belly. For a Santa stack, collect three stones of decreasing size: a big flat one for the body, a medium one for the head and a small pointed one for the hat. Smooth stones take white beard paint more evenly than rough ones.

Santa Claus painted rocks, step by step

  1. No. 01MediumSanta face: painted rock design sketch, a Santa face with a red hat, white beard and rosy cheeks

    Santa face

    Level
    Medium
    Tips
    Medium, extra fine
    Colors
    Red, white, peach, pink, black
    Rock
    Round
    1. Base coat the whole stone white and let it dry.
    2. Paint a red hat across the top third, curving down to a point at one side with a white pompom.
    3. Add a white fur band along the hat edge.
    4. Paint a peach face in the middle, leaving white beard below.
    5. Add small black eyes, pink cheeks, a round nose and a white mustache.

    Markers for this design: rock painting markers in color, plus a white paint marker for highlights.

  2. No. 02EasySanta belly and belt: painted rock design sketch, a red Christmas ornament with gold cap and white stripes

    Santa belly and belt

    The simplest Santa: no face at all, just his suit.

    Level
    Easy
    Tips
    Medium, fine
    Colors
    Red, black, gold or yellow, white
    Rock
    Wide, squat
    1. Paint the whole stone red.
    2. Paint a wide black belt across the middle.
    3. Add a gold or yellow square buckle in the center, with a black square inside.
    4. Paint a white fur strip down the front above and below the belt.

    Markers for this design: a medium and an extra fine marker from the paint pens for rock painting list.

  3. No. 03MediumReindeer for the sleigh: painted rock design sketch, a brown deer face with antlers, big eyes and a black nose

    Reindeer for the sleigh

    Paint the deer from the sketch, then give one a red nose.

    Level
    Medium
    Tips
    Medium, extra fine
    Colors
    Tan, brown, cream, red, black
    Rock
    Tall oval
    1. Base coat tan.
    2. Paint a brown face with leaf-shaped ears and a cream muzzle.
    3. Add eyes and branching antlers.
    4. Paint a bright red nose for the lead reindeer.

    Markers for this design: an extra fine 0.7 mm tip from our fine tip paint markers page, plus a medium tip for the base. More deer are on deer painted rocks.

  4. No. 04AdvancedSanta’s night sky scene: painted rock design sketch, a green Christmas tree with a yellow star and colored ornaments

    Santa’s night sky scene

    Combine a tree like the sketch with a sky and a sleigh silhouette.

    Level
    Advanced
    Tips
    Medium, extra fine
    Colors
    Navy, yellow, black, white, green
    Rock
    Wide, flat
    1. Base coat navy.
    2. Paint a big yellow moon near the top.
    3. Paint a black sleigh and a line of reindeer silhouettes across the moon.
    4. Add a green tree and white snowy ground at the bottom.
    5. Dot white stars and snowflakes.

    Markers for this design: rock painting markers in color, plus a white paint marker for highlights.

Painting Santa’s beard and fur

Santa is mostly white, and white is the hardest paint pen color to make cover. Shake the pen hard, prime it on scrap until the line is solid, paint one thin coat, let it dry fully and paint a second. On a dark stone, base coat the beard area with white acrylic paint first. For texture, add curly C shapes or short wavy lines in light grey over the dry white. More on white coverage is on white paint markers.

PartColorTip
Hat and suitRed, two coatsMedium
Fur, beard, pompomWhite, two coatsMedium
FacePeach, tan or brownMedium
Cheeks and nosePink or redFine
EyesBlack with a white highlightExtra fine
Belt and buckleBlack and gold or yellowFine

Santa rocks as gifts and decorations

Supplies for Santa painted rocks

Red, white and fine tips, each listing checked by hand. More on paint pens for rock painting.

Each pick links to an Amazon listing we checked by hand. Prices, colors and pack sizes change on Amazon, so check the listing before you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

More Christmas rock ideas

Trees, ornaments and candy canes are on Christmas rock painting, and winter faces on snowman painted rocks. Every theme is on the rock painting ideas hub.

Questions people ask

How do you paint Santa on a rock?

Base coat a round stone white. Paint a red hat across the top third with a white fur band and a pompom, a peach or light brown face below it, and a white beard around the lower half. Add two small eyes, pink cheeks, a round nose and a white mustache over the beard. Let each area dry before painting next to it.

What colors do you need for Santa rocks?

Red, white and black do most of it. Add a skin tone for the face (peach, tan or brown, so Santa can look like anyone in the family), pink for cheeks, gold or yellow for the belt buckle, and green for holly. White is the color you use most, so have a spare.

How do you make a white beard cover on a rock?

Shake a white paint pen well and prime it on scrap paper until the line is solid. Paint one thin coat, let it dry fully, then a second. Base coating the beard area white with acrylic paint first, or painting over a white base, gives the most solid result. Add curly lines in light grey for texture.

Can painted rocks be Christmas ornaments?

Small flat stones can. Glue a ribbon loop to the back with strong craft glue, or tie twine around the stone, and hang it from a sturdy branch, since stones are heavier than glass baubles. Larger Santa rocks work better as table decorations, gift tags tied to presents or a stocking surprise.

Sources

  1. Sarah Renae Clark, The Best Pump Action Acrylic Paint Markers

Last reviewed 2026-10-14. Specs and availability change; check the listing before you buy.

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