Watch it draw itself · tap to replay
How to Draw a Prickly Pear
Draw a prickly pear in 11 easy steps, about 8 minutes. Free, with a printable worksheet.
Each picture adds one red line. Draw that line, then scroll to the next picture. Rub out any dashed helper lines at the end. First up: the big bottom pad.
Step 1: The big bottom pad
In the middle of your paper, a little low, draw a big flat paddle standing up: narrow base, round top.
Tip The bottom pad is the biggest, and narrow where it meets the ground.
Step 2: Two big eyes
In the middle of the big pad draw 2 egg eyes an eye apart. Add a black dot in each.
Step 3: Smile and cheeks
Under the eyes draw a wide U smile, ends turning up. Colour a pink cheek past each end.
Step 4: Two pads on top
Draw 2 wide paddles on the big pad's top: a small one leaning left, a bigger one leaning right.
Tip The big pad hides the bottom of each new pad.
Step 5: Three fruits
On the left pad draw a plump oval fruit as big as an eye. Put 2 on the right.
Step 6: Big pad spines
Draw 2 little V ticks low on the big pad for spines, one each side, not level.
Step 7: Top pad spines
Draw 2 little V ticks on each top pad, spread apart.
Step 8: Ground and dirt mound
Draw a ground line under the cactus. Start on the ground, hump a dirt mound over the base, and stop.
Step 9: Green pads
Go over your lines, then colour all 3 pads leaf green, going around the eyes, smile and cheeks.
Tip Leave the eyes white.
Step 10: Red fruits
Colour the 3 fruits red.
Step 11: Brown mound
Colour the dirt mound brown, and your prickly pear is done!
Your finished drawing
Follow the steps above and this is where you end up: a prickly pear, drawn by you.
Every step in one picture
