Very Easy · about 8 minutes

How to Draw a Simple Cactus

One tall shape, two arms that do not match, and a pot. Draw the body taller than the pot. The arms are curves, not extra cactuses beside it.

Materials Pencil, paper, eraser. A black pen is optional once the outline is the one you want to keep.

Step 1

Draw a tall rounded central shape. The sides stay nearly straight. The top and bottom are half circles.

Step 2

Add two curved arms at different heights. The left arm leaves lower. The right arm leaves higher and stays shorter.

Step 3

Add the pot. Think of a shallow rectangle, then slant the sides in so the bottom is narrower. The cactus body overlaps the top edge of the pot.

Step 4

Add small spine marks and clean the outline. A few short strokes on the body and the arms are enough. Erase any overlap that makes an arm look stuck on with a gap.

Finished

The finished outline is one plant in a pot. The arms connect to the body. The pot is wider at the rim.

A common miss

Arms drawn at the same height, and the same length, start to look like a costume. Move one arm up and keep it smaller.

One variation

Add a single small oval bloom on the taller arm. One flower is enough. A second flower starts a different drawing.

Related: Basic flower, Mushroom.