Highland Cow with Flowers

Super Beginner Acrylic Painting Tutorial

Before You Start

This painting is made from simple shapes:

one large rounded cow head

two horns

two ears

a nose shape

two eyes

lots of easy hair strokes

simple flowers and grass

Do not worry about making it perfect. Highland cows are naturally shaggy and uneven, so messy brush strokes actually help.

Supplies

Canvas

16 x 20 stretched canvas

Paint Colors

Titanium White

Cerulean Blue

Naples Yellow

Yellow Ochre

Burnt Sienna

Raw Umber

Light Pink

Magenta

Lavender

Sap Green

Hooker’s Green

Lamp Black

Brushes

1/2 inch flat brush

round brush size 6

round brush size 2

detail brush size 1

You’ll also need:

pencil

eraser

cup of water

paper towels

paper plate or palette

Step 1: Lightly Draw the Cow

Use a pencil and draw very lightly.

1. Draw the head shape

Place the cow head in the center of the canvas.

Draw a large upside-down rounded “U” shape.

Start about 3 inches from the top of the canvas.

The head should be about:

9 to 10 inches wide

11 to 12 inches tall

The bottom of the head should stop about 3 inches from the bottom of the canvas.

Do not make the head perfectly round. Make it slightly wide and fluffy.

2. Draw the ears

On each side of the head, draw a small sideways leaf shape.

The ears should sit about halfway down from the top of the head.

Make each ear about:

2 inches wide

1 inch tall

3. Draw the horns

Draw one horn coming out from each side near the top of the head.

Each horn should curve upward like a soft banana shape.

Make the horns:

wider at the base

thinner at the tip

curved upward

Do not make them too skinny at first. You can refine them with paint later.

4. Draw the nose

Near the lower middle of the face, draw a rounded rectangle or soft oval.

Make it about:

3 inches wide

1.5 inches tall

This will be the cow’s pink nose.

Add two small nostril ovals inside the nose.

5. Draw the eyes

Draw two small circles or ovals above and to the sides of the nose.

Because the cow has shaggy hair, the eyes can peek out from under the bangs.

Place them:

one on the left side of the face

one on the right side

slightly above the nose

6. Draw the flower crown

Across the top of the cow’s head, draw 5 simple circles for flowers.

Draw:

one large flower in the center

two medium flowers on each side

a few tiny circles for small filler flowers

Add leaf shapes between the flowers.

Step 2: Paint the Sky Background

Use your flat brush.

Mix:

Cerulean Blue + Titanium White

Paint the entire background around the cow.

Use gentle side-to-side strokes.

Keep the sky light and happy.

Do not paint over the cow if you can avoid it, but if you accidentally do, that’s okay. Acrylic paint can cover it later.

Add clouds

Use Titanium White with a tiny bit of blue.

Use a round brush or the corner of your flat brush.

Make clouds by tapping little fluffy shapes.

Think of clouds like groups of soft cotton balls.

Do not outline them.

Add a little light blue under the clouds for shadow.

Let the background dry.

Step 3: Paint the Basic Cow Head

Use your round brush size 6.

Mix:

Yellow Ochre + Naples Yellow + a little Titanium White

Paint the whole cow head shape.

This is just the base color.

Do not worry about hair yet.

Paint around:

nose

eyes

flowers

horns

Let it dry.

Step 4: Paint the Ears

Use the same tan mixture.

Paint both ears.

Then add a little Burnt Sienna near the bottom or inside of each ear for shadow.

The ears do not need lots of detail because hair will cover part of them.

Step 5: Paint the Horns

Use:

Raw Umber + Titanium White

Paint both horns.

Keep the base darker and the tips lighter.

While the paint is still wet, add a little white along the top edge of each horn.

This makes them look curved.

Then add a tiny bit of darker brown at the base where the horn meets the head.

Let dry.

Step 6: Paint the Nose

Mix:

Light Pink + Titanium White

tiny touch of Burnt Sienna

Paint the nose shape.

Use soft rounded strokes.

For the nostrils:

use Raw Umber + a tiny touch of black

paint two small oval nostrils

Add a little white highlight on the top of the nose.

This makes it look shiny and cute.

Step 7: Paint the First Layer of Hair

This is the most important part, but it is easy.

Use a round brush size 6.

Mix:

Yellow Ochre + Burnt Sienna

Start at the top of the head and pull short strokes downward.

Think of painting little ribbons of hair.

Do not paint straight lines all the same length.

Make some:

long

short

curved

wavy

overlapping

Paint the bangs over part of the forehead.

Let some hair come down between the eyes.

Do not cover the nose.

Step 8: Add Darker Fur Shadows

Mix:

Burnt Sienna + Raw Umber

Use a smaller round brush.

Add darker hair strokes:

under the bangs

around the sides of the face

under the chin

near the ears

below the nose

Use downward strokes.

Do not blend everything smooth.

Fur looks better when you can see the individual strokes.

Step 9: Add Light Fur Highlights

Mix:

Naples Yellow + Titanium White

Use a detail brush or small round brush.

Add lighter strokes on top of the hair.

Place highlights:

on the top of the head

across the bangs

along the cheeks

around the edges of the face

Make these strokes thin and loose.

This creates the shaggy Highland cow look.

Fur Trick

Use three layers:

medium tan base

darker brown shadows

light cream highlights

That is what creates depth.

Step 10: Paint the Eyes

Use black paint.

Paint two small oval eyes.

Let dry for a minute.

Then add one tiny white dot in each eye.

This white dot is very important because it makes the cow look sweet and alive.

If the eyes feel too big, add more hair strokes around them.

Step 11: Paint the Flower Crown

Large center flower

Use Light Pink or Magenta.

Paint a yellow circle for the center.

Then paint simple petals around it.

Petals can be:

oval shapes

teardrop shapes

little U shapes

Side flowers

Use Lavender, White, and Pink.

Keep them simple.

Every flower can be made with:

one center dot

5 or 6 petals around it

Leaves

Use Sap Green.

Paint small leaf shapes between flowers.

Add Hooker’s Green for darker leaf shadows.

Step 12: Paint the Grass

Use Sap Green.

Paint the bottom area of the canvas with loose upward strokes.

Use your brush like you are flicking grass upward.

Add darker green at the bottom.

Add lighter green at the top.

This creates depth.

Step 13: Add Flowers in the Grass

Use your detail brush.

Add tiny dots and simple flowers in:

white

pink

lavender

yellow

Do not make every flower perfect.

For beginner flowers:

dot the center

add 4 or 5 dots around it

That’s enough.

Step 14: Final Fur Touches

Look at your cow.

Add more hair strokes if needed.

Use:

dark brown where you want shadows

light cream where you want highlights

Good places for final highlights:

top of bangs

edges of ears

cheeks

chin

around the nose

Keep strokes going downward.

The cow should look fluffy, not smooth.

Step 15: Final Details

Add:

small white highlights on flowers

tiny white dots around the flower crown

extra grass blades

a few bright highlights on the cow’s hair

soft cloud touches if needed

Then step back and admire it.

Do not keep fixing too much. Beginner paintings often get overworked when we keep picking at them.

Extra Beginner Tips

Use big shapes first. Details come last.

Let layers dry before painting over them.

Do not worry if your cow is not perfectly even.

Keep your brush strokes light.

If you mess up, let it dry and paint over it.

Every Highland cow will look a little different — that’s the charm.

About This Painting

This Highland Cow with Flowers painting is sweet, cheerful, and perfect for beginners. It uses simple shapes, soft colors, and easy brush strokes to create a cute farmhouse-style painting that feels bright and happy.

The flower crown adds a fun little touch, and the shaggy hair makes the painting very forgiving. Even if your strokes are messy, they will still look like fur.

This is a great painting for anyone who has never picked up a brush before because it reminds you that art does not have to be perfect to be beautiful.