How to Draw a Potted Cacti

I tried watercolor painting for the first time at my local Michaels’ free in-store class (find a class near you). Using what I learned, I’ve put together a simple tutorial accessible for artists of any level and adaptable to art medium of any kind.

Method:

Make an outline. Using a potted cacti as a reference (like the one pictured), lightly trace the pot and each cactus with a pencil. Leave a little white space between the top of the pot and bottom of the cacti, and between each cactus.

Let’s mix. Mix blue and yellow paint (and water if needed) to get three different hues of green (light, medium, dark).

Let’s paint. For the cacti, apply the light hue to each cactus and let dry slightly. Apply the medium hue over the shadows only (consider where the light source is coming from). Apply the dark hue over the shadows again. For the pot, mix blue, red and yellow to get a brownish-orangey hue, and apply to the pot and shadows.

Make it your own. Add blossoms in the color of your choice to the tops of the cacti by brushing short strokes upward.

Tools:  watercolor paper, pencil, eraser, mixing chart, mixing palette, paint of primary colors, size 10 brush

Tips:  Check the store’s website for coupons. I spent about $25 with a 40% online coupon.