Pet rocks

November 25, 2016 • 2:30 pm

Because about 40% of my Facebook feed consists of complaints about Donald Trump, and because I can’t brain today, I’m proffering cats as a palliative.

Italian artist Roberto Rizzo Pittore specializes in painting animals on rocks; what’s amazing is the lifelike job he does. Here’s a video, along with a picture of the animal he’s painting.

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Surprisingly, these thing are not nearly as pricey as I thought: they go for around $100 at Pittore’s Etsy shop. It’s a nice gift for an animal lover. He does foxes, ducks, and other stuff, too.

h/t: Debby

14 thoughts on “Pet rocks”

    1. Well, printers have been printing on eggs at around 30dpi for a good number of years, so the basic technology works.
      I’d look to the packaging/ labelling industry. I’m pretty sure that I’ve seen serial numbers, inspection codes etc printed onto complex surfaces in the not too distant past, so I suspect you’re pushing towards an open door there.

    1. It took some looking, but I found his prices for one rock which is based on painting area [see below]. After email discussions with him re your exact requirements he expects full payment up front & then it’s two weeks, but he is away from Malaga a lot visiting exhibitions around Europe:

      “Prices may vary and depends on the size of the rocks (for a perfect likeness I suggest a portrait of at least 13 cm or largest).
      Sizes available & prices:
      – 10 cm (4 in ) — 70 €
      – 13 cm (5 in) — 100 €
      – 15 cm (6 in) — 150 €
      – 18 cm (7 in) — 200 €
      – 20 cm (8 in) — 250 €”

  8. He seems to specialise in what he calls “sea rocks”, which seem to be well-rounded cobbles-to-boulders (around the 256mm technical grain size boundary). I’d guess he’d also be choosing ones with a fine, even grain to get a smooth surface for painting on. You’d probably want something with low permeability, otherwise he’d run into problems with the colours running into each other. Depending on where he is, a lava would be high on my list of suspects.
    He also does painting on discs of [something] for wearing as pendants. I’ve seen that done with waste sate from both Welsh and Lake district slates quarries in the last few years.

    1. Soon as I saw the heading I was just waiting for ya to happen along.

      No particular reason…

      What I do find intriguing is how the sea carefully sorts pebbles/shingle/sand into separate categories. This thought inspired by a recent visit to Hastings, where I was born but hadn’t seen for 60 years – the beach was still exactly the same as I remembered, large rounded pebbles.

      cr

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