I used to not think too much of cacti. They can seem so off-putting and well…prickly.

But now, I think of them as these beautiful miracles that survive the harshest of conditions. Not only survive but thrive–flower even! Seems there’s a lesson in there somewhere.

I’ve been working on a few little illustrations (I always forget how much I love sketching until I get back into it!) and thought I’d give you a sneak peek.

The pencil sketches:

And all inked in, ready for color: