We chose to use acrylic paint to color our cactus sketch, however, you can use any medium you like, as this easy cactus drawing tutorial is very adaptable. So, if you prefer to draw using a graphic tablet, pencils, or even gouache paint, you can still use our fun and easy-to-follow cactus sketch guide. Simply adapt each step as needed according to your chosen medium. Grab your supplies and let us get drawing!
How to Draw Desert Cacti in 4 Steps
Draw landscapes of cacti in a desert scene. In this article, you can learn how to draw this landscape of cacti that thrive under a scorching sun.
Publications International, Ltd.
Cactus plants, rocks, sand, sun — this desert cacti landscape has got it all.
In this article, we’ll show you how to draw this desert cacti landscape. You can draw it freehand while looking at your computer monitor, or you can print out this article to get a closer look at each step.
We’ll show you an illustration of each step and then give you a description of how to draw it. Follow the red lines in each illustration to learn exactly what to draw in that step. The lines drawn in previous steps are shown in gray.
Ready to sharpen your drawing skills? Let’s get started .
- Sketch the Horizon
- Add Rocks and Boulders
- Add Background and Texture
- Add Shading
1. Sketch the Horizon
Step 1: Lightly sketch a line in about the middle of the page for the horizon. At the left, draw a long, pencil-shaped trunk for one cactus. Add four upward-curving branches that are slightly narrower. Then sketch two more cacti, one in the distance and another between the near and far cacti.
2. Add Rocks and Boulders
Step 2: Sketch in ovals and similar odd shapes for rocks and boulders. Use wavy lines to show mounds in the sand. Draw two more cactus plants using many long, curving ovals. Change the straight horizon line to one that is slightly wavy.
3. Add Background and Texture
Step 3: Draw long, irregular shapes for clouds. Use part of a circle to show the sun. Above the horizon line, draw an angled and jagged line to show a distant mountain range. Add lines following the shape of the cacti to show their riblike surfaces. Draw a small plant with short, stubby leaves in the right foreground. Add curved lines to the rocks to give them shape.
Step 4: Use diagonal lines to lightly shade the bottoms of the rocks. Shade the stalks of two of the cacti with vertical and mostly diagonal lines.
Your landscape drawing is finished! Even if you don’t get it right the first time, keep practicing until you’re happy with your drawing. Sand, sun, and fun await you in the Tropical Beach Scene in our next section. Surf on over to learn how to draw this landscape in just five steps.
Cite This!
Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article:
the Editors of Publications International, Ltd. “How to Draw Desert Cacti in 4 Steps” 5 February 2009.
HowStuffWorks.com. 8 November 2023
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sketch of a cactus
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Categories: Sketches
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How to Draw a Cactus – An Easy Lesson in Drawing Desert Plants
Everyone’s favorite houseplant has got to be the humble cactus. They come in many different shapes and sizes and a multitude of colors. This hardy plant is known for its incredible survival rate and its ability to live through the harshest conditions. When it comes to how to draw a cactus, following a step-by-step guide can teach you how to sketch a realistic one. Our tutorial today is simple to follow and, by the end of step 16, you should have a lovely cactus sketch on your page or canvas. Grab your art supplies, find a comfortable spot to sit in, and let us show you how to draw a cactus step by step!
Table of Contents
- 1 How to Draw a Cactus Step by Step
- 1.1 Step 1: Creating the Main Cactus Trunk
- 1.2 Step 2: Adding the First Branch to Your Cactus Sketch
- 1.3 Step 3: Adding Another Branch to Your Easy Cactus Drawing
- 1.4 Step 4: Adding the Last Branch to Your Realistic Cactus Sketch
- 1.5 Step 5: Adding a Sand Base to Your Cactus Sketch
- 1.6 Step 6: Adding Ribbing to Your Easy Cactus Drawing
- 1.7 Step 7: Adding Thorns to Your Realistic Cactus Sketch
- 1.8 Step 8: Adding Your First Coat of Color to Your Realistic Cactus Drawing
- 1.9 Step 9: Adding Color to the Sand Base
- 1.10 Step 10: Adding Contour to Your Easy Cactus Drawing
- 1.11 Step 11: Adding Shadow to Your Cactus Sketch
- 1.12 Step 12: Applying a Second Coat of Color to Your Realistic Cactus Sketch
- 1.13 Step 13: Adding Highlights to Your Easy Cactus Drawing
- 1.14 Step 14: Contouring the Sandy Patch
- 1.15 Step 15: Removing the Outline of Your Cactus Drawing
- 1.16 Step 16: Completing Your Realistic Cactus Sketch
- 2.1 How Do You Create a Realistic Cactus Sketch?
- 2.2 How Easy Is It to Create a Realistic Cactus Sketch?
How to Draw a Cactus Step by Step
No matter your skill level as an artist, our how-to draw a cactus step-by-step tutorial is for you! Perhaps want to learn how to draw a cactus to create some cowboy-themed decor for a birthday party or maybe you just want to learn a fun new skill. Whatever your reason for learning how to do a cactus sketch, you have certainly come to the right place. A quick overview of what you can expect in this guide is shown in the image below. As you can see, by the end of the 16th step you will have a fully colored-in and realistic cactus sketch, complete with thorns and sand.
We chose to use acrylic paint to color our cactus sketch, however, you can use any medium you like, as this easy cactus drawing tutorial is very adaptable. So, if you prefer to draw using a graphic tablet, pencils, or even gouache paint, you can still use our fun and easy-to-follow cactus sketch guide. Simply adapt each step as needed according to your chosen medium. Grab your supplies and let us get drawing!
Step 1: Creating the Main Cactus Trunk
The first part of the plant that needs to be drawn is the main cactus trunk. Once you have chosen where you want your cactus sketch to be displayed on your page, simply create a long and curved trunk-like in the image below. The bottom of the cactus trunk should not be closed. Remember that you should press lightly with your pencil for these first construction steps so that you will be able to erase them later on.
Step 2: Adding the First Branch to Your Cactus Sketch
About halfway down your cactus sketch’s trunk, draw an arm-type shape on the right-hand side. The arm should be relatively short and curve upwards toward the top of your page. Remember that the cactus plant is unpredictable in its growth, so you can place this branch slightly lower or higher if you want to.
Step 3: Adding Another Branch to Your Easy Cactus Drawing
You will now draw another arm onto the body of your cactus. This time on the left-hand side. This branch should be a lot shorter than the first. Begin the base of the second arm within the cactus trunk to give it a more three-dimensional effect.
Step 4: Adding the Last Branch to Your Realistic Cactus Sketch
This is the last arm you will be drawing on your cactus sketch. It will be about the same size as the first arm you drew but on the left-hand side of the trunk. Looking at the picture we have drawn, you should draw this branch overlapping the second one.
Step 5: Adding a Sand Base to Your Cactus Sketch
To complete the composition of your realistic cactus sketch you will now draw a patch of sand for your cactus to grow from. This quick and easy step just requires a squiggly area around the base. You can draw this sand patch in any shape you want.
Step 6: Adding Ribbing to Your Easy Cactus Drawing
When observing a cactus plant in real life, you will notice that it has ribbing. This is a feature that truly makes the cactus a cactus! To create the ribbing on your realistic cactus sketch, you will draw vertical lines down the branches and trunk of your cactus. The lines need to follow the curves and bends of your cactus. Allow a bit of space between each line as well.
Step 7: Adding Thorns to Your Realistic Cactus Sketch
The signature thorns are the last part to finish off the line-work of your easy cactus drawing. Along the ribbing of your cactus, draw tiny “X” shapes. Allow for some spacing between the “X” shapes and try not to line them up so that they will appear more natural.
Step 8: Adding Your First Coat of Color to Your Realistic Cactus Drawing
You can now start to add color to your easy cactus drawing First you will paint a base coat. Choose a regular paintbrush and a light green shade of paint and fill the entire area of the cactus sketch with a solid green color. This coat of paint should be even and no darker or lighter.
Step 9: Adding Color to the Sand Base
Once your cactus has a base coat of color, you can do the same for the sand patch. Using the same size brush, load it with a light beige or tan shade of paint. Remember to paint your sand patch evenly with no patches.
Step 10: Adding Contour to Your Easy Cactus Drawing
Now that the base coat color is complete, we can start to add contouring the cactus by adding some dimension to our drawing. Add some black paint by lightly tracing the rib lines of your cactus sketch. Use a soft blending paintbrush for this step.
Step 11: Adding Shadow to Your Cactus Sketch
You can now enhance the contouring from step 10 by adding a little more black paint to create shading. Imagine a light shining on the cactus from one side and paint your shadowing accordingly.
Step 12: Applying a Second Coat of Color to Your Realistic Cactus Sketch
You will now add a second coat to your cactus sketch. Choose a lighter and brighter green shade and use a small blending paintbrush to color in the areas where no shading was applied.
Step 13: Adding Highlights to Your Easy Cactus Drawing
To create more emphasis on the cactus sketches in lighter areas, we will use a small amount of white paint along with a small-sized blending paintbrush. Just apply another light layer of paint over the areas you painted in step 12.
Step 14: Contouring the Sandy Patch
You will now add a bit of dimension to the patch of sand by using a small blending paintbrush and a slightly darker shade of beige or tan paint. Color lightly around the edges. You can create some shadows at the base of your cactus as well.
Step 15: Removing the Outline of Your Cactus Drawing
Once again, use a small size blending paintbrush, this time choose dark brown paint to create more shading along the base of your cactus and to the sand. You can now erase any darker outlines on your drawing by using a corresponding paint color and outlining the entire thing.
Step 16: Completing Your Realistic Cactus Sketch
Using a finer tipped paintbrush and white paint, you can now add the last little bit of highlights to your realistic cactus sketch by tracing the inner texture lines. You can repeat this step using a mixture of dark and light green.
And that’s that! You should now have a lovely, vibrant, and realistic cactus drawing on your page or canvas. It is so easy to draw a cactus once you know the basics. We hope that you enjoyed this tutorial and will continue drawing cactus plants, there are so many varieties to try to create!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Create a Realistic Cactus Sketch?
By following our simple and fun how-to-draw-a-cactus-step-by-step guide, you will quickly learn how to create a very realistic cactus sketch. Our tutorial will teach you everything from the construction lines to the coloring and shading of your realistic cactus drawing.
How Easy Is It to Create a Realistic Cactus Sketch?
Yes! Cacti are easy to draw when you have the know-how this tutorial gives you. We have broken down each step and simplified the process for you so that you can easily draw a cactus plant.
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Israel Benloulou aka IzzyBll is a digital artist and content creator from Israel, currently living in South Africa. Originally, he started his career in videography but later shifted his focus to digital graphic art. He specializes in using digital drawing software like Photoshop and Procreate. Drawing and photo editing have always come naturally to Izzy, and he now has 5 years of experience in the industry, working on commissions for various renowned brands such as Audi. Izzy creates drawing tutorials on his drawing tablet and produces related content for Craft Art since 2021.
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