A piggyback ride: a small round pebble on a tall one's shouldersOne long pebble, one small round one resting on top. Draw the arms reaching up to hold on.
A big pebble and a little one holding drawn handsTwo smooth ovals, one half the height of the other. One short pen line joins them at hand height.
Dad fishing off a driftwood jetty with a small helperA tall flat pebble and a short one on a strip of bark. Rods, lines and one fish are pen lines.
A big pebble and a little one holding drawn handsTwo smooth ovals, one half the height of the other. One short pen line joins them at hand height.
A kite flown together from a windy hilltopA tall and a small pebble at the bottom corner. The hill, the string and a diamond kite are pen lines.
A line of pebbles in height order, the tallest labeled DadFlat ovals from tall to tiny along a ruled line. Letter one word under each in small capitals.
A piggyback ride: a small round pebble on a tall one's shouldersOne long pebble, one small round one resting on top. Draw the arms reaching up to hold on.
A workshop scene with a twig workbench and drawn toolsOne tall pebble, one short. A twig across two small stones is the bench. Hammer and saw in pen.
Dad and two children as three pebbles on a twig benchOne tall oval and two small rounds, sitting on a twig. Pen in the legs, hanging down, and the ground.
Dad fishing off a driftwood jetty with a small helperA tall flat pebble and a short one on a strip of bark. Rods, lines and one fish are pen lines.
Dad lifting a small pebble high overheadA long pebble below, a round one set well above it. Two straight pen arms join them.
Dad pushing a wheelbarrow with a child riding in itOne tall pebble, one tiny round one. The barrow, its wheel and the path are drawn in.
Story time: a wide pebble, a small one and a drawn open bookA broad flat pebble with a small round one leaning on it. Draw the book across both and a lamp above.
Two cyclists, one tall, one small, on pen-line bikesTwo oval pebbles tilted forward. Wheels, frames and a dotted road are drawn underneath.
Two stargazers sharing a drawn telescopeA tall pebble and a small one, both tilted back. Tripod, telescope and a scatter of stars in pen.
Families and friends 12
A camping trip: a triangle-stone tent and round heads by a pen fireOne three-cornered pebble and a few small rounds. Smoke, stars and a pan on the fire are drawn.
A day at the beach under a drawn parasolPebbles lying down on a strip of sand-colored card. Parasol, bucket and waves in pen.
A family of five on a driftwood logFive flat ovals in mixed heights along a piece of bark. Draw every pair of legs dangling.
A family of ovals on a ground line under a round pebble sunThe sun goes in the top corner with pen rays. Give each oval a pen shadow pointing away from it.
A family of three ovals walking a two-stone dog on a drawn leashThree ovals and two small stones for the dog's body and head. Leash, tail and ears are drawn.
A family portrait inside a pen-drawn frameOvals packed close, tallest at the back. Rule a frame around them and write the year under it.
A forked-stick family tree: eldest pebbles highest, smallest lowestA forked twig glued flat with the fork pointing down. Two gray pebbles at the top, small ones on each arm.
A new baby in a drawn stroller with two tall pebbles behindTwo long ovals and one tiny round pebble. The stroller, its wheels and a blanket are pen lines.
Brothers and sisters holding up a string of flagsA row of small ovals in height order. One sagging pen line of triangles runs above their heads.
Twins with a balloon eachTwo matching ovals. Two small round pebbles float above on long pen strings.
Two friends as matching round pebbles sitting on a stone wallTwo round pebbles of the same size on a strip of flat stones. Draw four legs kicking.
Two gray grandparent pebbles with a small grandchild between themTwo gray-white pebbles and one small dark one. Pen in a walking stick, glasses and joined hands.
Birds and animals 16
A fox curled up asleep: a reddish oval with a pointed chip for a tailThe chip of stone is the tail, laid along the body. Closed eye, ear and nose in pen.
A frog on a lily pad: a round pebble on a wide flat dark oneOne round pebble on a wide flat one. Eyes on top, legs folded at the sides and ripples in pen.
A hedgehog from one brown pebble, with pen spines and a dot eyeOne brown oval, pointed at one end if you can find it. The point is the hedgehog's nose.
A ladybug from one reddish round pebble, spots and legs in penEverything but the pebble is pen: the line down the back, the spots, six legs and two feelers.
A mouse from one small gray oval, with a long looping pen tailOne small gray oval, pointed at one end. Two round ears, whiskers and a tail that loops across the card.
A pebble cat on the ground gazing up at oval birds on a twigA round body and a smaller round head, low on the card. Small oval birds on a twig above. Ears and tail in pen.
A row of birds on a twig, one facing the other waySmall ovals, all tilted the same, except one. Beaks, tail ticks and wire-thin legs in pen.
A shoal of fish with one swimming against the restSmall pointed ovals all aimed left, one aimed right. Tails, eyes and bubbles are pen lines.
A sitting cat from a big round body and a small round headTwo rounds, the small one on top. Two triangle ears, whiskers and a curled tail in pen.
A small bird from an oval body pebble and a round head pebbleAn oval with a smaller round one at its top corner. Beak, eye, tail tick and two legs in pen.
A turtle from above: a domed pebble with five tiny ones at its edgeThe five small ones are head and feet. Shell plates are drawn in pen.
An elephant from one big gray round and a smaller head pebbleA large gray round for the body, a smaller one for the head. Trunk, ears, tail and legs in pen.
Penguins in a huddle: tall dark pebbles on a drawn snow lineChoose stones with a pale patch for the belly if you can. Beaks, feet and flippers in pen.
Rabbits in a row: oval pebbles with tall pen ears in drawn grassOvals in a row along a ground line. Two tall ears on each, whiskers, and grass blades in front.
Sheep on a hillside, pale and roundWhite or cream round pebbles scattered on a drawn slope. Four stick legs and a dark face each.
Three squat owl pebbles on a twig, with ringed pen eyesThree squat ovals on a twig. Two rings and a V beak on each. Wing lines down the sides.
Christmas and other dates 14
A Christmas tree of pebble rows, widest at the base, on a twig trunkSmall pebbles in rows, one at the top, widest at the base, on a twig trunk. Draw a star above.
A Christmas wreath of small pebbles with a drawn bowTiny pebbles in a ring, touching. A pen bow at the bottom and the year lettered in the middle.
A family walking home through drawn snowOvals in height order along a sloping line. Footprints behind them and big flakes all around.
A graduate with a drawn cap and scrollOne tall oval. A flat square cap with a tassel and a rolled scroll in pen, the year alongside.
A Mother's Day flower with flat oval pebbles for petalsOne round center, flat ovals fanned around it. Stem and two leaves in pen, a short message below.
A reindeer with twig antlers: an oval body and a smaller head pebbleOne oval body, one smaller head pebble, forked twig scraps for antlers. Legs and harness bells in pen.
A robin on a snowy twig beside a drawn holly sprigOne round brown pebble on a twig. Legs, beak and holly in pen, and dots of falling snow.
A row of pebble guests in drawn party hats under a name bannerFor a birthday. Ovals in a row along the bottom. A cone hat on each and a banner with the name above.
A snowman of three white pebbles with twig armsThree pale rounds, largest at the bottom. Two twig scraps for arms. Hat, eyes and buttons in pen.
A thank-you owl for a teacher, perched on drawn booksOne squat oval on a pen-drawn stack of three books. Round glasses and the words Thank you.
Christmas presents: flat square pebbles stacked under pen branchesDraw a ribbon cross and a bow on each pebble, and the tree's lowest branches above.
Egg-shaped pebbles in drawn spring grass, one with a chickSmooth ovals on a line of pen grass. One has a zigzag crack and a beak drawn peeking out.
Round pebbles as pumpkins on a wall with a drawn batThree orange-brown rounds on a strip of flat stones. Stalks, ribs and one bat in pen.
Three carolers with drawn scarves and songbooksThree ovals in a row, the middle one smallest. Open mouths, scarves and a lantern on a pole.
Easy: a few pebbles 7
A found heart-shaped stone above a single lettered wordOne pebble that happens to be heart-shaped. Letter Home or a name beneath in your neatest capitals.
A hot-air balloon: one big round pebble roped to a drawn basketFour pen ropes run down to a square basket. Draw stripes down the pebble and clouds if there is room.
A mushroom: a domed pebble cap on a short upright stalk pebbleSpots on the cap, gills under it and tufts of grass are drawn in.
A sailboat: one long flat pebble under a pen mast and sailOne long flat pebble for the hull. Mast and triangle sail in pen, three wave lines below.
Balanced stones, largest at the bottomFlat pebbles glued in a stack up the card, each smaller than the last. One pen line of ground.
One round pebble as a balloon on a long, wandering pen stringOne round pebble near the top of the card. The string wanders down to a small pen hand.
Stepping stones: flat pebbles wandering across wavy pen waterThree flat pebbles in a wandering line. Wavy pen lines for water and reeds at both banks.
How it works
Pebble art arranges unpainted pebbles on card or in a box frame and adds a few pen lines. The list opens on the Father's Day group; choose another group for families, animals or Christmas.
Read the full guide
Pebble art ideas for Father's Day
The page opens on the Father's Day pictures, most of them a tall pebble and a small one: a piggyback ride, fishing off a driftwood jetty, two stargazers sharing a drawn telescope. Letter Dad, a name or a date under the picture before the glue goes on.
Christmas pebble art ideas and other dates
Christmas and other dates holds a Christmas tree of pebble rows, a snowman of three white pebbles, a reindeer with twig antlers and carolers, then pictures for Mother's Day, a birthday, a teacher and a graduation.
Read the glue's label first. A glue that carries a warning label is an adult's job.
Lay the whole picture out dry and photograph it before gluing anything.
Questions and answers
What do you need for pebble art?
Small smooth pebbles, a piece of thick card or a box frame, glue, a fine black pen and a few twigs or scraps of bark. Nothing is painted: the pebbles keep their own colors.
What are easy pebble art ideas?
Easy: a few pebbles has 17, such as a sailboat from one long flat pebble, balanced stones with the largest at the bottom, and a big pebble and a little one holding drawn hands.
How do you make a pebble art family picture?
Pick one pebble for each person, tall for adults and small for children. Families and friends has twelve layouts, from a family of five on a driftwood log to twins with a balloon each.