Fearless Friday, Cactus Friends
I have a serious thing for cactus
I love it’s funky shapes and unexpected surprises!
I love all the crazy colorful blooms!
I have painted cactus glasses too…
We painted the top part of a cactus last year for Fearless Friday
We also did a cactus in colored pencil
I keep a whole section of cactus on one of my Pinterest boards
Let’s do another one!
I combined elements of the various photos
to create my own “cactus friends”
I began with a pencil sketch so I could make adjustments as needed
Once I established the composition I inked the sketch and erased the pencil
Using watercolor brush pens, I began to add color
Watercolor brush pens are handy to use
You can get a set of 48 for about $36 from Amazon here
I have the Arteza set of 96, you can get them here
I continued to add color and then blend
I deepened the darks with a teal blue
I used red and orange for the darks on the yellow blooms
Pink and orange with red for the other blooms
A battery powered hand held mini fan speeds up drying time
I got mine here
I added more details with ink
Then used blue colored pencils for the background
I wasn’t sure if I liked the background or not,
which one do you like better?
So if you’re in a colorful mood and looking for something to draw or paint
Try a cactus!
I am happy to share my saved cactus Pinterest board here
Be Fearless!
🎨🌵🎨
I will be joining these fabulous parties and blogs:
Meal Plan Monday Love Your Creativity Over the Moon
Between Naps on the Porch, Celebrate Your Story,
All About Home/ Common Ground Follow the Yellow Brick Home
Make it Pretty Monday Tasty Tuesday Oh My Heartsie Girl
Turn About Tuesday Full Plate Thursday Centerpiece Wednesday
Thursday Favorite Things Creatively Crafty Creative Cumpulsions
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Good morning and Happy Friday, Jenna. Your cactus friends are so fun. I always enjoy seeing what you will share with us on Fearless Friday, your creativity never disappoints. Have a lovely Labor Day Weekend!
Thank you Pam!
Good morning dear Jenna! I always love Fearless Friday but you know I have a special place in my heart for cacti! Loved your tutorial today!
Have a beautiful weekend!
~your Arizona friend! 😘🌵
I always think of you Nancy, when I think about cactus!! When do you head back to Arizona?My sister is there this weekend visiting her son, quite a heat wave they are having!
It’s too dang hot in AZ right now!
Late September… a wee bit earlier then usual but we need to take care of some stuff.
Hope your sister can visit in the spring… it’s beautiful then.
Her son just moved there, so she will go often as she only lives 4 hours away in So Cal. Enjoy your last weeks at the lake!
Happy Friday Jenna, I recently started having a thing for cactus and just ordered some “pads” that I planted in soil. They will be kept indoors for two years, and then planted in my garden where they will bloom and actually survive our Zone 5 winters. I always enjoy seeing what you will share with us on Fearless Friday. Have a nice Labor Day Weekend!
Oh wow, I never dreamed there would be a cactus hardy enough for a NY winter! I want to plant one at the beach house, but I don’t think it would work, we get too much rain…have a great weekend!
A wonderful Friday and weekend to you Jenna! I so look forward to your Friday offerings, and this one is great. I love the painting and the process, and I also love the watermelon cactus!!!!
Thanks so much Dorothy! I made the cactus for a party last year, and it got a lot of attention!
I can see why!
I am so awed by anyone who is an artist as you are. The closest I came to that was giving birth to one–she is wonderful and uses her talent in art restoration. So funny that a woman who can’t even draw stick people can have a child who is so talented. I like the cactus with the background. Thanks for sharing your strokes of genius with us!–Georgia Gal
Thanks Georgia Gal, and how awesome that your daughter does art restoration, she must be really talented!
Hi Jenna, love your cactus creactions for Fearless Friday. It’s always fun to see the artist in you and your lovely painting and photos. Wishing you a wonderful end of summer fun this Labor Day weekend……….
Thank you Emily, it’s hot even on the coast this weekend!
You do so well with the watercolor pens. I have the artezas and they seem to either be a little dry or very difficult to blend. I keep trying though. Love your cacti — all forms, and especially the illustration!
Sometimes I like them and sometimes I have the same issues, dry pens or not blending, but they are handy and sometimes work well…for this painting using colored pencils helped…happy painting!