How to Draw Desert Cacti

Cactus plants, rocks, sand, sun -- this desert cacti landscape has got it all.

In this article, we'll show you how to draw this desert cacti landscape. You can draw it freehand while looking at your computer monitor, or you can print out this article to get a closer look at each step.

We'll show you an illustration of each step and then give you a description of how to draw it. Follow the red lines in each illustration to learn exactly what to draw in that step. The lines drawn in previous steps are shown in gray.

Ready to sharpen your drawing skills? Let's get started ...

1. Sketch the Horizon

Step 1: Lightly sketch a line in about the middle of the page for the horizon. At the left, draw a long, pencil-shaped trunk for one cactus. Add four upward-curving branches that are slightly narrower. Then sketch two more cacti, one in the distance and another between the near and far cacti.

2. Add Rocks and Boulders

Step 2: Sketch in ovals and similar odd shapes for rocks and boulders. Use wavy lines to show mounds in the sand. Draw two more cactus plants using many long, curving ovals. Change the straight horizon line to one that is slightly wavy.

3. Add Background and Texture

Step 3: Draw long, irregular shapes for clouds. Use part of a circle to show the sun. Above the horizon line, draw an angled and jagged line to show a distant mountain range. Add lines following the shape of the cacti to show their riblike surfaces. Draw a small plant with short, stubby leaves in the right foreground. Add curved lines to the rocks to give them shape.

4. Add Shading

Step 4: Use diagonal lines to lightly shade the bottoms of the rocks. Shade the stalks of two of the cacti with vertical and mostly diagonal lines.

Your landscape drawing is finished! Even if you don't get it right the first time, keep practicing until you're happy with your drawing. Sand, sun, and fun await you in the Tropical Beach Scene in our next section. Surf on over to learn how to draw this landscape in just five steps.

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