Clay Cactus Tutorial (Polymer Clay for Beginners)

This step-by-step tutorial shows how to make a clay cactus from the new book, Polymer Clay for Beginners by Emily Chen. Grab some clay and start making your own miniature garden.

If you are new to this, the Beginner’s Guide to Polymer Clay has a complete list of recommended supplies and tips.

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How to Make a Cactus with Polymer Clay

This selection from Polymer Clay for Beginners by Emily Chen is used with permission from Quarto Publishing Group who provided a review copy of this book.

Cacti are fun and easy to create! Once you’ve learned how to form the simple, round cactus shown here, you can start experimenting with all different shapes, colors, and sizes of cacti.

TIP: Small clay pots can be found in the floral section of art and craft stores.

Tools & Materials

• Polymer clay in olive green, pink, and beige
• Pointed detail tool or sewing pin
• White paint
• Miniature clay pot

For more details on recommend supplies and how to use them, see Beginner’s Guide to Polymer Clay

1Form Ball

Start by forming a ball of olive-green clay. Using the side of a pointed detail tool or a sewing pin, make 6 evenly spaced vertical lines in the ball.

2Paint White Dots

Paint 7 white dots down each side of the cactus.

Start by making a large dot in the center. Continue on either side, making the dots smaller as you reach the ends of each section.

Related: DIY Fairy Pond with Polymer Clay

3Prepare Pink Clay

While the paint dries, prepare a small ball of pink clay.

4Make 11 Tiny Balls

Separate the pink clay into 11 tiny balls. Create a flower petal by flattening and pinching both ends of the pink clay. Repeat until you’ve formed 11 petals.

5Arrange Petals

Arrange 6 petals together in a circle.

6Create 2nd Row of Petals

Create a second row of petals by arranging the remaining 5 petals between the first 6.

Craft Project: Make a Papier-Mâché Bird

7Position Flower

Gently place the flower on top of the cactus.

8Fill Pot

Fill the miniature pot with beige clay.

9Place in Pot

Place the cactus on top of the pot. Bake your piece in the oven according to the directions on the package of polymer clay.

Note: Polymer clay is baked at such a low temperature that the heat won’t affect the paint or the clay pot.

There you go! Once you’ve made one, you can go on and create a variety of cacti and succulents.

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~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛