Looking for an easy way to add some personality to your home decor? Check out this tutorial on how to paint a cactus onto a pillow. This fun and easy craft is perfect for any skill level, and it’s a great way to show off your love of plants!

I recently shared another hand-painted pillow cushion cover, which was super fun. It featured a cute little fox character, and it was super adorable and really simple to do, but I know it seemed harder to create for some people as it was an actual character. So I thought this time I would create something that was much easier.

I love a good succulent, and I have a think for different types of cacti. There are so many different shapes and styles, and they are so neat to look at. I’m really fond of the prickly pear cactus, and they seemed like a good candidate to paint since no two look the same. They are basically just blobs growing out of other blobs, and you can really just use an impressionistic style to paint them.

I hope this one is a little easier for those who have less confidence in their art skills. I highly recommend just giving it a go. Even if you don’t have a cushion cover, you can use a t-shirt, canvas or poster board to create any kind of art you want.

Supplies

Throw pillow insert
Plain pillow sham
Pencil
Green craft paint
Pink craft paint
Orange craft paint
Yellow craft paint
A paintbrush that is about ¼ inch wide
A paintbrush that is about ½ inch wide
A paintbrush that is flat and stiff, about 1 inch wide

Instructions

Put a piece of thick paper inside the pillow sham so that the paint does not leak through to the other side.

Sketch out your cactus in pencil on the pillow sham. Make a cactus flower on one part of the cactus and two blossoms on another. This will add a touch of color to the pillow.

Outline each part of the cactus in thick green paint and then use light brush strokes to fill them in.

Continue using this technique until all the parts of the cactus are painted. Let dry.

Use an unsteady hand and the smallest paintbrush to outline the top section of the flower (as shown).

While leaving a white space in between the bottom and the top part of the flower, use the small brush and pink paint to fill in the bottom section of the flower (as shown).

Use the small brush and orange paint to outline and fill in the two cactus blossoms.

Use the flat brush or paper and yellow paint to make the cactus spines with a dip and press method.

Let the paint dry. Once the paint is dry, put the pillow sham over the pillow and fluff to use.

I can’t stress enough how simple this craft is. It’s the perfect project for kids, and it’s a super cute piece of home decor for those with a whimsical style. Plant lovers will love it, and it’s great for those with a southwest aesthetic.

Give it a try today!

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