Testing Folk Art Crackle Medium for Rock Painting

In today's video I test out Folk Art's Crackle Medium as a potential background/base coat for your painted rocks. Through trial and error, we see what happens when we follow the directions, and when we DON'T! Check it out and let me know in the comments if this is something you might want to try!

❓Do you have a question about how to paint rocks? Have an idea about a future rock painting tutorial? Drop a comment below!

Find me on
and

🎨Here are the supplies I used in this video:

💡Creator Tools I Use💡

**I only recommend products and services I have used myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This description may contain affiliate links that I may earn a small commission from if you make a purchase. There is no additional cost to you, but it helps support bringing you free content every week!**

Chapters for Testing Folk Art Crackle Medium for Rock Painting:
00:00 Folk Art Crackle Medium
00:21 Crackle Medium: Test Rock #1
01:41 Crackle Medium: Test Rocks #2 and #3
03:19 Breaking the Rules with Rocks #4 and #5!
05:10 Crackle Medium: Test Rock #6
06:16 Takeaways From My Trial

[lisapupillo]

This was the such a perfect straight-forward video. I've watched so many that I just keep clicking through to try to get to a part with info that I actually need while they're blah blah'ing away. Thank you!

[logowatchman]

Great job. A valuable technique for my miniature diorama buildings. I love how you just got right to it without five minutes of blah, blah blah. Thanks for taking the time and effort required to put this video together.!

[littleboober]

as a miniature wargame painter i recommend applying a coat of pva glue and let dry before applying the crackle medium, it will allow for the crackling to stretch more and peel upwards adding texture.

[terrisyoutube]

I received a container of the crackle medium a while ago and tried it my results were not as good as yours for sure I tried it both ways waiting and not waiting but I misread the label and thought you had to do another layer of crackle over top so perhaps that is why mine did not turn out good maybe I'll play around with it again if I have something that I think would call for crackle. Thanks for all you do and all you show it's very educational.

[karenthurber]

Great job experimenting so many ways. You are always a joy to listen to and to watch paint. I really don’t like the effect of crackle—to me it looked like using old paint that dried and cracked. Just my take on it. Maybe in person it looks better. Thank you for sharing!

[mikegrant]

Great tips Jessica. I've used crackle several times following the rules. Results were marginal. Your tips changed the game...way better results, especial just waiting for "Touch dry", Thank you.

[katbruno]

Hi Jessica, I'm so glad you posted this video. I did exactly what the instructions said on the crackle medium, and mine did not work on my project. I'm going to try what you did, and I'll keep my fingers crossed. I was hoping to use this on a bigger project, but I will try again on a smaller one for now. 🙂

[oceanchicns]

Thank you so much. I can now get a nice crackle look with this medium.

[evacohen]

I tried it and it didn't work at all. I did let it dry as per the instructions. I am going to try your method. Thanks for sharing!

[lisaann]

I tried the Crackle Medium on 3 or 4 stones so far. I did let them dry overnight. What I found was that you need a thinner top coat, or it turns into mush. I wound up washing off my rocks to get rid of it, because it was such a mushy mess. The gold is just too thick. I also found that although a lot of artists get it to "Crackle" my paint jobs tended to look more like 'Crapple." I did finally get a couple of rocks to turn out, but this stuff is not as easy as it looks.

[laurachesvick]

Ed it on some flat wood Easter eggs and is pretty cool!

[kaymad]

Now I have to go get some Folk Art Crackle Medium!

[imaginations_by_ash]

I wonder if it would work if you used an airbrush for the top coat 🤔 Definitely a cool medium!

[Caninecancersucksrocks]

Just one little tip - I’ve found that it works better with gold & black using gold for the base, black for the crackle.

Success with this is all about the paint - multi surface semi-gloss only works IF you make sure to use the same type/brand (for the most part).

I’ve actually found Matte finish paints to work the best for the Folkart crackle medium :)

Appreciate the video, always happy to watch the videos of fellow rock painting artists.
😃👍

[attilanagy]

Thank you! I tried to make a miniature rustic door and waited an hour after I applied the medium. Unfortunately, nothing happened to the contrast paint. I'll try with your method next time. I usually wait around 15-20 minutes with other crackle mediums. I wonder if there's a way to make he crackles smaller to fit them to scale. Maybe a touch less medium?

[elionamorales]

What is the little turn table called and where do you get them from and what is the black net under the rock? Thank you ~💛🌻

[michelemejia]

What is the round black mesh that you put over the rock?