Cacti (plural for cactus) are everywhere in the deserts of the USA and Mexico. Here is a photo Miss B took of a cactus when she was quad biking in Puerta Villarta, Mexico.
This term our artwork will focus on landscapes and the desert. First up – The Saguaro (se-WAH-row) Cactus!
5/6J are going to create a colourful Saguaro Cactus artwork using oil pastels. These are like crayons but are made with oil whereas most crayons are made with wax. They are softer and smudgier than normal crayons.
For some inspiration let’s look at some artwork of the Southwest USA deserts by Arizona artist Jenny Willigrod.
Her cacti artworks are amazing!
To create a colour cactus like Jenny did, we need to use bright colours. Each section of the cactus is lined with either black pastel or white, or a bit of both. A bright warm coloured background still gives the effect of the desert.
Hi Miss B,
I’m totally bored right now so I’ll
bring this up (a fact about cacti),
Did you know that saguaro’s arms usually begin to grow only after it is about 15 feet tall and around 75 years old.
-Tanya
Dear Miss B,
Lucky we don’t have Saguaro Cacti here!
With my clumsy self I would probably be bashing into them every day!
Love doing the art!
From Tyarna