With their quirky shapes and vivid greens, cacti are an excellent plant to paint in watercolour – a medium that allows you to build up colour and really bring things to life, layer by layer. This project also makes way for plenty of creative freedom with a pot that positively zings!
This is a great way to learn basic watercolour skills and make a beautiful work of art in the process.
Top tips: Coax paint to areas by using more water, or stop it running by drying the area with a piece of kitchen towel. Leave a few patches of white in your painting for added depth. We've used a white Posca pen to add highlights to the watercolour cactus, but you could also use white gouache paint to get the same look.
Before you get started, take a look at our best watercolour paints guide to see our pick of the top paint sets out there.
Looking for more watercolour projects? Check out our article on monochrome painting for beginners. If you're new to painting, you might also enjoy our acrylic painting guide and beginner's guide to gouache to help you get to grips with the basics. We've also put together lots of easy watercolour painting ideas, fall painting ideas and art journal ideas to inspire you.