Cactus Art Lesson Watercolor Painting Project Summer Cactus Drawing Art Activity

This Cactus Art Lesson is a summer watercolor cactus art project for Grades 3 to 6. Students explore value, shading, line and color while creating a bold, desert-inspired artwork that looks great on a bulletin board.

Students sketch a cactus with curved forms and a blooming flower on top, outline it in marker, add spines, and use watercolor to build light, medium and dark values of green. A wax crayon resist keeps the flower bright, and the background is finished with geometric triangle shapes in varying shades of blue.

WHAT TEACHERS ARE SAYING

★★★★ “My students loved this resource! It really helped with my classroom engagement and fit great with my standards! Thank you.” ALD C.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (NON-EDITABLE)

• Cactus Art Lesson Plan
• Step-by-Step Drawing Instructions with visuals
• Student Step-by-Step Drawing Sheet
• Teacher Instruction Pages
• Art Rubric
• Example Artwork Poster
• Printable Student Handouts

25+ pages of classroom materials in all.

WHAT STUDENTS LEARN

Students practice watercolor value and shading, wax crayon resist, line drawing and contour, and creating depth with color and water blending, along with the elements of art: line, shape, color, space, texture, form and value. To create value, they apply darker paint along the edges and use water to pull the pigment inward for a smooth change from dark to light.

Project the step-by-step instructions, demonstrate the techniques live, and give printed guides to students who like to work on their own. Every step has a visual example and written instructions. You will need a pencil and eraser, black permanent or felt marker, watercolor paints, wax crayons, a paintbrush and water, and cardstock or watercolor paper.

FAQ

What grade levels is this best for?

Grades 3 to 6, and it can be adapted for other levels by adjusting detail and pacing.

How long does this project take?

Most classes finish in 1 to 2 class periods, depending on drying time and how much detail students add.

Is this beginner-friendly?

Yes. The watercolor techniques are broken into simple steps so students new to painting can succeed.

Get free, classroom-ready art lessons and printables in my Free Art Lesson Library.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen McGiveron (Ms Artastic) is an artist who has been featured on NBC LX News and designs art lessons for kids and educational resources for teachers. She is the founder of Ms Artastic and hosts the Ms Artastic YouTube Channel and Podcast.

TERMS OF USE

Images and lessons are copyright products.

YOU MAY: use this in creative ways and have as much fun with it as you like. Clip art may be used as clip art, website graphics, binder covers or bulletin board decorations. Additional licenses are available for school use.

YOU MAY NOT: use this on OutSchool, put it on your blog, share it with other teachers, administration or districts (admin can buy additional licenses), sell it, give it out for free or photocopy it for others.

Sincerely,

Ms Artastic

ALL TEACHER REVIEWS

★★★★ “These are always good. They are my go-to art lessons because they are thorough and step by step” Passionate P.