Jacquelin Vanderwood
October
In this lesson I'll paint a partial cactus with watercolor on watercolor paper. Lightly sketch in the cactus with pencil.
Begin by wetting the paper with clear water and a large brush. Make sure you don't leave puddles. You can use paper towels to soak up the really wet areas. We want the paper wet without the surface being soaked. Choose the lightest color of the cactus and lay that color with a large brush. It's doesn't have to be opaque.
Lay in a darker layer of yellow ochre
Using a medium green mixed with a light mixture of blue and black, paint in the darker areas of the cactus as I have done below. If you find the paper drying too much, use a mister to rewet it.
Use a darker green or a darker version of the color you just mixed and lay in a more opaque version into the crevices.
Using water and paper towels as an eraser, apply water to the areas you want to lift color. Dab with the paper towel.
Splatter clear water around the cactus and allow it to dry without dabbing. This will give the cactus more texture.
After the paint is fairly dry, with a large brush spread light blue over the areas that are not directly in bright sunlight.
For the flowers apply yellowish green fairly thick into the damp areas then apply the orange peach color to the actual flower area.
Apply a thick red to the damp flowers and then sprinkle salt and let dry.
With the paper still damp, use dark brown on a wet brush and drop into areas of the cactus that represent spiny areas.
Use straight water and a pointed brush and take out color to represent needles. When that is complete, use a medium brown and add needles to the edges of the cactus.
Here is the cactus we've painted in watercolor.
Copyright (c) 2004, Jacquelin Vanderwood, All Rights Reserved
