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create a colorful stone cactus

You won’t get stuck with these cacti – but you may get stuck on making them!  Choose a rock of any size, in a shape that reminds you of the shape of a barrel cactus. Just be sure you have a pot that it will fit in.

Gather:

• pot or vase
• molding powder
• water
• rocks
• acrylic paints
• brushes

First:
Choose your rock, keeping in mind that, for best results, you’ll want to use narrow, upright rocks with a smooth surface. Be sure your rocks are tall enough to extend above your pot or vase.

Second:
Mix the molding powder according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Fill your pot with the mixture and center your rock in place.
Allow to set and dry.

Third:
Paint a base coat onto the rock, using white acrylic paint. Allow paint to dry.
Once dry, paint with a medium green colored paint. Allow to dry and then apply a second coat.
Paint the “earth” around the cactus (hard-set molding) with brown acrylic paint.

Fourth:
Paint lines to divide your cactus into large vertical sections, from the top to the ground. Use darker green paint (simply add black paint to the green you used for the overall color) for the lines, applying it with a small round brush.
Add a highlight line inside each section using a lighter green paint (add a drop of green to white paint). This line should be about half way between the darker lines.

Fifth:
Add shadows with diluted dark green paint, placing the shadows along each side of the dark lines. This will soften the lines and make a wider shadow.
Now paint pale green dots along the lighter lines. The dots are where the thorns will go.

Sixth:
Paint clusters of thorns on each dot using a brown paint. Use a liner or fine brush for this detail.
Again, using a fine brush, add white detail to the thorns.

Finishing touch:
Fill the pot with colored sand, or small pebbles.
If you’re feeling even more artistic, paint a bright flower onto your cactus!

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