Interview with the FMS Spirit Rock Painter

***What do you need to start?

Well, if you are painting the entire rock front and back, you will need a minimum of 4 cans of spray paint. Spray paint dries fast so you can cover the current design and start working on yours.

***When you rent the rock, do you just show up and start painting?

You will need to come up with a rough sketch & submit it for review beforehand. You want to be able to execute your design in about 2 hours. If you try to wing it, it will take too long. Remember, you can start painting the rock around 4 pm after school lets out and the buses are gone.

***What is the ground area like around the Spirit Rock?

You should bring a blanket or large towel to set down on the ground and lay out your painting supplies, otherwise you will be sitting in a patch of dirt.

***When executing your design and starting the painting process, what did you use?

You can bring several different types of mediums: Spray paint, acrylic paint, random colors of house paint you have laying around or acrylic paint pens. You can also use Sharpie markers for fine details.

***Do you have any other tips you can share that will be helpful to those renting the rock?

The rock does have some texture to it. Keep that in mind when coming up with your design and how detailed you want it to be. It is flat, but not necessarily smooth.

***What else should be brought with you to paint the rock?

I brought a roll of paper towels and water in containers to clean my brushes and keep them wet. The sun can dry them up fast. I also brought different size paint brushes (both foam and regular) along with small bowls to mix paint colors. Don’t forget to bring a paint can opener and something to stir if need be. Bring a small bag to keep your trash from blowing around.