How to paint a snake plant in acrylics

Learn how to paint a snake plant in acrylics in this simple demonstration. Snake plants are a great houseplant for beginners to paint because of their fairly simple form. They also add a few challenges, such as layering leaves over top of each other and adding minor details while maintaining the form of the leaves.

Supplies I used for the snake plant painting

Acrylic paint colours

• Titanium white
• Cadmium yellow medium hue
• Quinacridone nickel azo gold
• Alizarin crimson hue
• Phthalo blue (red shade)
• Hooker’s green hue

These colours are just suggestions. You can try other versions of each colour. For example, instead of quinacridone nickel azo gold, you could use burnt sienna and get similar results.

I used all Golden brand paints in this painting. You will likely get similar results with other artist-quality brands or even many student quality paints as well.

Brushes

• Princeton Catalyst flat brush – size 6
• Princeton Umbria dagger striper – size 4 (I mistakenly call it an angle shader in the video. Most smaller brushes will work just fine)
• Princeton Umbria round – size 0 (for my signature)

Watch the snake plant acrylic painting demonstration on The Weekend Beckons Youtube channel.

Buy supplies

You can pick up supplies for this painting at your local art store or on Amazon:

US

• Paints
  • Titanium white
  • Cadmium yellow medium hue
  • Quinacridone nickel azo gold (no longer available – substitute red oxide)
  • Alizarin crimson hue
  • Phthalo blue (red shade)
  • Hooker’s green hue
• Brushes
  • Princeton Catalyst flat brush
  • Princeton Umbria dagger striper
  • Princeton Aspen round

Canada

• Paint
  • Titanium white
  • Cadmium yellow medium hue
  • Quinacridone nickel azo gold (no longer available – substitute red oxide)
  • Alizarin crimson hue
  • Phthalo blue (red shade)
  • Hooker’s green hue
• Brushes
  • Princeton Catalyst flat brush
  • Princeton Umbria dagger striper
  • Princeton Umbria round