How to draw cactuses🌵🌸 (Step-by-step guide - Week 22) (Patreon)

Hi everyone!! 🤗

For this week, we are focusing on How to draw Cactuses ✨

I created two illustrations based on this week's references! The Prickly pear cactus, I created by combining two references!

You will find my tips, step by step instructions and final illustrations below, together with the materials I used 🥰

Tips

Start with simple shapes: Don’t think about details first, break the cactus down into basic shapes like ovals, long rectangles, or rounded pads.

Imperfect shapes look more natural: Cactuses are naturally uneven and organic, so wobbly lines actually make the drawing feel more alive!

Use only 2-3 shades of green: You don’t need lots of colors. A light green, medium green, and dark shadow color already create depth.

Keep compositions simple: One cactus + a few color swatches already creates a beautiful sketchbook spread.

Saguaro cactus - Step by step

Create a base layer of 3 ribs, with light green in the middle.

Add a pencil layer on top with chrome oxide green. Trace the outlines and fill in the left part of every arm to create shading & depth.

Add little 'V' lines with chrome oxide green on the sides to created the suggestion of spines. Add a some 'V' lines & dots in the middle with a white gel pen.

I used the following Tombow brush pens as a base layer:

Tombow 126 (Light olive)

Tombow 133 (Chartreuse, Light green)

For the second layer, I used the following Faber-Castell Pencils:

Faber-Castell 278 (Chrome Oxide Green)

Prickly Pear Cactus - Step by step

Draw some oval shapes with chrome oxide green for the cactus and use pale cherry & light ocre for the little flowers (which are oval shaped as well).

Trace the outlines of the cactus with chrome oxide green and add some shading to the right sides. Use Alizarin Crimson to add shading to the flowers.

Add dots to the cactus and flowers with chrome oxide green. Then add some highlights to the dots with a white gel pen.

I used the following Tombow brush pens as a base layer:

Tombow 126 (Light olive)

Tombow 912 (Pale Cherry)

Tombow 991 (Light Ocre)

For the second layer, I used the following Faber-Castell Pencils:

Faber-Castell 226 (Alizarin Crimson)

Faber-Castell 278 (Chrome Oxide Green)

I wish you all lots of fun with this week's reference, and don't hesitate to ask me any questions or show your illustrations in the group chat 🤗

Celyn 🌸