New Tutorial: Blooming Saguaro Cactus! (Patreon)

I am so excited to share our next watercolor tutorial with you all! Today, we are bringing a bit of the desert to our palettes with this vibrant, blooming saguaro cactus. This one was pre-recorded, but we'll all be in the LIVE chat together when it plays so you can join in like our Five Minute Fridays!

This piece is all about embracing a loose, expressive style while playing with beautiful, rich colors.

What We’ll Be Focusing On:

Vibrant Layering: Mixing those bright greens and unexpected yellow undertones to make the cactus body pop.

Loose, Expressive Florals: Using bold, sweeping strokes to capture those gorgeous magenta and pink blooms on top.

Texture & Splattering: We'll build up the desert ground using soft washes, fine line details for the dry grass, and a bit of fun splattering technique to give the soil that perfect gritty texture.

Water Control: Finding the balance between soft, bleeding colors and crisp, fine details for the cactus needles.

Grab your favorite brushes, mix up your favorite greens and pinks, and let's paint together!

Tip before you start: Watch first then paint! Don't be afraid to let your colors bleed a little bit where the shadows meet the soil—embracing those happy little watercolor bleeding effects is exactly what gives this piece its magic!

I can't wait to see how yours turns out. Be sure to share your finished paintings in our community tab or tag me so I can see your beautiful desert blooms!

Happy painting! 🎨

Kellie

SUPPLIES:

Wash Brush that holds a lot of water, in the Demo I am using the Meeden brand from this set: https://go.meedenart.com/4sJ37go

Paints Rosa Gallery: https://amzn.to/4ty9MLh

🛒 Shop My Favorite Products https://www.amazon.com/shop/kelliechasse

FREE WATERCOLOR GUIDE: https://www.kelliechassefineart.com