Watercolour Cactus Valentine

by Winsor & Newton |

Item # 522336209P8

Beginner Under 1 Hour

To find the downloadable patterns click on the "GET PATTERNS" tab above.

Cover your work surface with a disposable covering and fill a glass or cup with water.

Using the provided outline, freehand draw the outline using a graphite pencil or use the provided outline as a guide.
The outline can also be transferred onto the working paper by using a lightbox or a well-lit window.

To mix the 5 paint colors, use a #4 brush as if it were a spoon. Place 3 scoops of water into 5 wells. Mix the following colors into those wells until you have an equal paint to water ratio for each color:

Green: Viridian Hue only
Light Green: Equal parts Cerulean Blue Hue and Cadmium Yellow
Red: Alizarin Crimson only
Pink: 1 part Alizarin Crimson and 4 parts Chinese White
Black: 3 parts Ultramarine Blue and 2 parts Burnt UmberTo mix the 2 washes, use a #4 brush as if it were a spoon. Place 5 scoops of water into 2 wells.

Mix the following colors into those wells until you have a mixture that is 25% paint and 75% water:

Blue Wash: Cerulean Blue Hue only
Grey Wash: Equal amounts Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Umber (a small amount of the Black paint can also be used to create the Grey Wash)

Apply Green to half the stripes on each section of the cactus.
To the smaller sections on the cactus, apply it to the top and bottom stripes, leaving the middle stripe without paint.
To the main portion of the cactus, apply it to the far left stripe, skip a stripe, and then apply it to the stripe that is second from the right.
Leave the far right stripe without paint.
When applying paint to these stripes, leave some negative space on the paper (small areas without paint) to add interest to the finished piece.
Apply Pink to the two smaller hearts that are attached to the smaller sections of the cactus.
Then, apply Red to the large heart that is attached to the main section on the cactus.
Once again attempt to leave some negative space for added interest when applying paint to the hearts.
Then, apply the Blue Wash to each diamond and triangle that comprises the pot, working one diamond or triangle at a time.
Leave a fair amount of negative space to make the pot appear as though it is white with some shadowed areas.

Apply Light Green to the remaining stripes on the cactus that do not yet have paint, once again leaving a bit of negative space for interest.
To the pot, apply the Grey Wash to most of the diamonds and triangles.
Start by applying it to the bottom middle triangle.
This will be the darkest section on the pot.
Without cleaning or adding more paint to the brush, now apply what is remaining of the Grey Wash on the brush to the two diamonds that are on each side of the bottom middle triangle that was just painted.
It should go on as a lighter value of grey since more paint was not added to the brush.
Now, dip the brush in the water for just a second, and then paint on the two small triangles that sit above each of the diamonds just painted.
This should further lighten the grey value.
No grey needs to be applied to the top middle triangle, as this should be the lightest value on the pot.
More adjustments can be made to the pot by repeating the above process a second time, if necessary, to a singular section or to the pot in its entirety.

Apply Black to the eyes and smile on the cactus.
Then, apply it to the thorns on the cactus using the very tip of the brush.
Apply thorns wherever desired, and have the brush strokes go in varying directions to help create movement on the cactus.
Finally, apply Black to the very top of the pot, to the sections that are just to the left and right of the bottom part of the cactus.

Carefully trace over the lettering with the black marker.
If desired, draw around the individual elements on the cactus as well.
If a looser look is desired, the marker can only be applied to the lettering and not to the cactus.