Drawing Ideas: 150 Things to Draw When You Don't Know What to Draw

Your pencil is sharp, your paper is blank… and the same question comes back: what should I draw? Knowing what to draw is often harder than drawing itself. It is not a lack of talent, just a lack of a starting point. Once you have a clear subject, your hand follows.

Here are 150 drawing ideas, organized so you can find yours in seconds: cute, cool and fun things to draw, five-minute doodles for when you are bored, then the same moods sorted by theme. Every idea shows its skill level and how long it takes. You will also find a random idea generator, 7 ways to come up with your own subjects and a printable 30-day drawing challenge.

The random idea generator

Not in the mood to read a list? Pick your mood, your level and your time, then let chance decide. The generator draws from the 150 ideas in this article and can add a twist to make it more interesting: one color only, without lifting your pen, tiny…

Before you start: levels, time and supplies

Every idea on the list comes with two labels:

• level: Beginner (simple shapes you can nail on the first try), Confident (more details or a trickier pose) or Challenge (proportions, perspective or a realistic finish);
• time: 5 min for a quick sketch, 15 min for a neat drawing, 1 hr for a full composition, coloring included.

As for supplies, all you need is a pencil, an eraser, a fine black pen and colored pencils. A sketchbook is a real bonus: all your ideas stay in one place, and flipping back through old drawings is the best way to see your progress.

Cute things to draw

Cute drawings are the most popular, and among the easiest: it all comes down to round shapes, big eyes set low on the face and two pink cheeks. A plain cloud becomes adorable with three dots and a smile. This is the kawaii style from Japan, which turns any object into a little character.

1. A cat asleep in a teacup Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
2. A smiling cloud surrounded by stars Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
3. A mushroom house with a round door Level : Confident Time : 15 min
4. A strawberry with a tiny face Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
5. A fox curled up for a nap Level : Confident Time : 15 min
6. A potted cactus with pink cheeks Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
7. A hedgehog carrying an apple on its back Level : Confident Time : 15 min
8. A panda munching on a bamboo stalk Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
9. A little ghost holding a balloon Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
10. A bowl of ramen with smiling eggs Level : Confident Time : 15 min
11. A penguin ice skating Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
12. A whale with a garden on its back Level : Confident Time : 1 hr
13. An otter floating while holding a star Level : Confident Time : 15 min
14. A snail whose shell is a tiny house Level : Confident Time : 15 min
15. A bunny peeking out of a flower hat Level : Confident Time : 15 min
16. A cat-shaped mochi Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
17. A bee carrying a honey pot Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
18. A dinosaur wearing a scarf Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
19. A family of tiny mushrooms in the rain Level : Confident Time : 15 min
20. A puppy asleep on a cloud-shaped cushion Level : Confident Time : 15 min

For color, stick to pastel tones: powder pink, sky blue, mint, pale yellow. If you love this style, our free kawaii coloring pages are a great reference for expressions and proportions.

Cool things to draw

Drawings that look impressive without being hard. The secret: one strong idea (a landscape inside a light bulb, a wave trapped in a jar), a clean black outline and few colors, but bold ones. It is the style you see in aesthetic sketchbooks all over social media.

21. Mountains and a sunset inside a light bulb Level : Confident Time : 1 hr
22. An astronaut floating in space Level : Confident Time : 15 min
23. An impossible cube optical illusion Level : Challenge Time : 15 min
24. An ocean wave trapped in a jar Level : Confident Time : 15 min
25. A fox head made of triangles Level : Confident Time : 15 min
26. A ringed planet and its moons Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
27. A realistic eye reflecting a landscape Level : Challenge Time : 1 hr
28. A hand holding a galaxy Level : Challenge Time : 1 hr
29. A skull decorated with flowers Level : Confident Time : 1 hr
30. A dragon coiled around a mountain Level : Challenge Time : 1 hr
31. A whole city inside a bottle Level : Challenge Time : 1 hr
32. Your name in 3D letters Level : Confident Time : 15 min
33. An hourglass whose sand turns into stars Level : Confident Time : 15 min
34. A lighthouse in a storm Level : Confident Time : 1 hr
35. A whale swimming in the sky above a city Level : Challenge Time : 1 hr
36. A portrait split in two: half realistic, half cartoon Level : Challenge Time : 1 hr
37. A staircase climbing into the clouds Level : Confident Time : 15 min
38. A snake forming a geometric pattern Level : Confident Time : 15 min
39. A mountain landscape inside a circle Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
40. A wolf howling at the full moon Level : Confident Time : 1 hr

The impossible cube and the city in a bottle are great perspective practice. For night skies, galaxies and sunsets, our gradient generator gives you the in-between colors from one shade to another.

Fun and random things to draw

When you draw for fun, humor is the best fuel. Take an ordinary object and give it a life: arms, a mood, a job. Exaggerate the expressions and go for the absurd.

41. A potato dressed as a superhero Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
42. Your favorite animal as a human Level : Confident Time : 1 hr
43. A cat driving a car Level : Confident Time : 15 min
44. A kitchen utensil with arms and legs Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
45. A monster made of socks Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
46. A mix of two animals, like an elephant-butterfly Level : Confident Time : 15 min
47. A vegetable working out Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
48. A dinosaur doing the grocery shopping Level : Confident Time : 15 min
49. A grumpy cloud Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
50. A pizza going on vacation Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
51. A fish wearing sunglasses Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
52. A robot watering its plants Level : Confident Time : 15 min
53. Yourself at 100 years old Level : Confident Time : 1 hr
54. A house walking on chicken legs Level : Confident Time : 1 hr
55. An emoji turned into a character Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
56. A bear dressed up as a bee Level : Confident Time : 15 min
57. An idiom drawn literally, like “it’s raining cats and dogs” Level : Confident Time : 15 min
58. A racing snail with flames Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
59. An alarm clock that refuses to get up Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
60. A giant birthday cake for an ant Level : Confident Time : 15 min

To take it further, play with a friend: each of you writes three words on slips of paper (an animal, an object, an action), you draw one slip from each pile, and you draw the result. An owl + an umbrella + riding a bike, for example.

Things to draw when bored: 20 five-minute ideas

In a waiting room, on a phone call, between classes: these quick sketch ideas need no prep, no eraser and no special skill. Draw straight in pen, and let the mistakes be part of the game.

61. A square filled with patterns: stripes, dots, zigzags Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
62. The outline of your hand, filled with patterns Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
63. Clouds with faces Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
64. A cube, then a stack of cubes in perspective Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
65. A spiral that turns into a snail shell Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
66. The mug or glass in front of you Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
67. A scribble turned into an animal Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
68. A rocket made of three shapes Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
69. A row of houses, all different Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
70. Today’s mood as a weather forecast Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
71. A cat in one single line, without lifting your pen Level : Confident Time : 5 min
72. A decorated letter of the alphabet Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
73. A leaf and all its veins Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
74. A border of little flowers along the page Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
75. The things in your pencil case Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
76. A shooting star and its trail Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
77. A face with only three lines Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
78. A fish covered in patterned scales Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
79. Your shoe, seen from the side Level : Confident Time : 5 min
80. A tiny mandala inside a coin-sized circle Level : Beginner Time : 5 min

Drawing ideas by theme

Sometimes you know what you like to draw, just not what exactly. Picking a theme helps you get started: here are seven big families, from nature to fantasy creatures.

Nature and flowers

Nature gives you the most patient models: a leaf does not move. Pick one up, set it in front of you and draw what you see, not what you think you know.

81. A monstera leaf Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
82. A sunflower seen from the front Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
83. A bunch of wildflowers Level : Confident Time : 15 min
84. The same tree in all four seasons Level : Confident Time : 1 hr
85. A succulent in a pot Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
86. A pine cone, scale by scale Level : Challenge Time : 1 hr
87. A wild mushroom on moss Level : Confident Time : 15 min
88. A water drop on a leaf Level : Challenge Time : 15 min
89. A cherry blossom branch Level : Confident Time : 15 min
90. A seashell picked up on the beach Level : Confident Time : 15 min
91. A rose in full bloom Level : Challenge Time : 1 hr
92. A herbarium page: three different leaves side by side Level : Beginner Time : 15 min

Animals

Always start with the big shapes, a circle for the head and an oval for the body, before the legs and the fur.

93. An owl on a branch Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
94. A sitting cat, seen from behind Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
95. A hummingbird at a flower Level : Challenge Time : 1 hr
96. A sea turtle Level : Confident Time : 15 min
97. A butterfly with perfectly symmetrical wings Level : Confident Time : 15 min
98. A goldfish in its bowl Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
99. A dog curled up in a ball Level : Confident Time : 15 min
100. A jellyfish and its long tentacles Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
101. A lion in profile Level : Challenge Time : 1 hr
102. A flamingo standing on one leg Level : Confident Time : 15 min
103. A bird perched on a wire Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
104. A family of ducks crossing the road Level : Confident Time : 15 min

To study animals drawn in detail, our realistic animal coloring pages show how fur, feathers and scales can be rendered with lines.

Food

One of the easiest and most rewarding themes: simple shapes and mouthwatering colors.

105. A croissant Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
106. A slice of watermelon Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
107. A stack of pancakes with syrup Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
108. A basket of fruit Level : Confident Time : 1 hr
109. A three-scoop ice cream cone Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
110. A jar full of candy Level : Confident Time : 15 min
111. This morning’s breakfast Level : Confident Time : 15 min
112. Sushi on a wooden board Level : Confident Time : 15 min
113. A lemon cut in half Level : Confident Time : 15 min
114. A decorated cupcake Level : Beginner Time : 15 min

People and faces

The theme that impresses the most… and improves the fastest with a little method. Remember that the eyes sit halfway down the head, not near the top.

115. A face in one continuous line Level : Confident Time : 15 min
116. Your own eyes, in a mirror Level : Challenge Time : 1 hr
117. A hand holding a mug Level : Challenge Time : 15 min
118. Dancing stick figures Level : Beginner Time : 5 min
119. Someone reading, seen from behind Level : Confident Time : 15 min
120. Your self-portrait as a cartoon Level : Confident Time : 15 min
121. People in a café, sketched in 2 minutes each Level : Challenge Time : 15 min
122. The hands of someone you love Level : Challenge Time : 1 hr

Everyday objects

The best practice ground there is: objects are everywhere, free and perfectly still.

123. A vintage camera Level : Confident Time : 15 min
124. Your keys on the table Level : Confident Time : 15 min
125. A pair of sneakers Level : Confident Time : 15 min
126. A desk lamp Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
127. A stack of books Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
128. A teapot Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
129. A pair of glasses lying down Level : Confident Time : 5 min
130. A bicycle Level : Challenge Time : 1 hr
131. A plant on a windowsill Level : Confident Time : 15 min
132. Everything inside your bag Level : Confident Time : 1 hr

Places and landscapes

Draw the horizon line first, then place the big volumes before the details.

133. The view from your window Level : Confident Time : 1 hr
134. A little house at the end of a path Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
135. A village alleyway Level : Challenge Time : 1 hr
136. A treehouse Level : Confident Time : 15 min
137. A beach with an umbrella Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
138. Your favorite room at home Level : Confident Time : 1 hr
139. A bridge over a river Level : Confident Time : 15 min
140. A cabin in the snow Level : Confident Time : 15 min

Fantasy creatures and worlds

Almost every invented creature is a mix of two things that exist: bat wings on a lizard, a fish tail on a human body.

141. A small dragon with tiny wings Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
142. A floating island with a waterfall Level : Confident Time : 1 hr
143. An invented creature, half cat, half owl Level : Confident Time : 15 min
144. A castle in the clouds Level : Confident Time : 1 hr
145. A fairy asleep inside a flower Level : Confident Time : 15 min
146. A mermaid reading under the sea Level : Confident Time : 1 hr
147. A magic door in the middle of a forest Level : Confident Time : 15 min
148. A friendly monster hiding under a bed Level : Beginner Time : 15 min
149. A town on the back of a giant turtle Level : Challenge Time : 1 hr
150. Your own constellation Level : Beginner Time : 5 min

What to draw at your skill level

The same subject can be very simple or very demanding: it all depends on how you approach it. The cat below shows it well.

• Beginner drawing ideas. Choose subjects built from circles, ovals and triangles (a cloud, a cactus, a planet, an ice cream cone). Aim for a clean line rather than details. Set the generator to Beginner to get only these ideas, and try our 15 easy drawings explained in 4 steps to get started.
• Confident. Add a pose (a cat seen from behind, a curled-up fox), a background or a composition with several elements. Now is the time to practice simple shading: one darker side is enough to add volume.
• Hard things to draw. Realism, perspective and hands. Work from life, looking at your subject more than at your paper, and be ready to spend an hour on a single drawing.

Beyond paper: pebbles, canvas and greeting cards

A drawing idea takes on a new life when it moves to a new surface:

• On pebbles. Pick smooth, light-colored stones, wash them and let them dry. Round shapes suggest round subjects: a ladybug, a hedgehog, a flower, a fish. Use paint markers or acrylic paint, then a varnish if the pebble will live outdoors.
• On canvas. A small 8 × 8 in canvas is enough for a simple landscape: hills, a sun, a gradient sky. Sketch very lightly in pencil, then paint the large areas before the details.
• On a birthday card. A hand-drawn card is always unique: a cake and its candles, a bunch of balloons, a portrait of the birthday person’s pet. Fold a sheet of thick paper in half and keep the inside for your message.
• In a sketchbook. The simplest surface, and the one that keeps you going: filling the pages becomes a goal in itself.

How to find inspiration: 7 ways to beat art block

A list helps you start, but the real fun begins when ideas come out of your own head. Here are seven ways to never run out of drawing inspiration again.

1. Draw what is around you. Your desk, your kitchen, your bag: every object is a model that stays still. It is also the best way to train your eye.
2. Mix two things. An animal + an object, a fruit + a vehicle. Mixing almost always produces an original idea.
3. Give yourself a rule. One color, without lifting your pen, with your non-dominant hand, in five minutes. A constraint forces you to find solutions, and that is where the good surprises happen.
4. Keep a running list. Save the last page of your sketchbook for ideas as they come: a word you overheard, a shape you saw on the street, a dream.
5. Pick one theme per week. An “ocean” week, an “old objects” week: you go deeper into one subject instead of jumping around.
6. Start from a scribble. Draw a random line with your eyes closed, then look for what it suggests: an animal, a face, a landscape.
7. Redraw your old drawings. Take a drawing from six months ago and do it again: you will see your progress, and you will want to push further.

The 30-day drawing challenge

To build a drawing habit, nothing beats a drawing challenge: one prompt a day for a month, and fifteen minutes is enough. Week one trains your eye, week two focuses on nature, week three on imagination and week four on technique. On the last day, you redraw day one’s subject: the comparison is always surprising.

Holiday and seasonal ideas

Holidays are an endless source of ideas, and every season has its subjects: pumpkins and ghosts in October, trees and snowflakes in December, hearts in February, flowers in spring.

• Christmas: our easy Christmas drawings article shows 15 cute Christmas drawings, step by step.
• Halloween: for black cats, pumpkins and haunted houses, browse our Halloween coloring pages for inspiration.
• Fall and winter: a maple leaf, a pine cone, a cabin in the snow… the Nature and Places lists include several.

What next: adding color

A line drawing is already a drawing. But color changes everything: it brings mood, depth and a sense of season.

Three tips for great coloring:

• Stick to a few colors that work together. Our color shade charts list the shades of each color, with their names.
• Use two tones per color: a light one everywhere, a darker one in the shadows.
• Blend carefully from one shade to the next: our guide to color gradients explains how with colored pencils, markers and paint.

And if you sometimes feel like coloring a drawing that is already done, our free coloring pages download as PDFs, and our online coloring pages let you color right on screen.

Key takeaways

Finding a drawing idea comes down to three habits:

1. Start from a specific subject instead of a blank page: an idea from the list, an object in front of you or a pick from the generator.
2. Choose by mood and time: a five-minute doodle counts just as much as an hour-long drawing.
3. Draw often, even a little: consistency, more than talent, is what makes you improve.

Pick an idea, grab your pencil and start. More ideas and techniques are waiting in the Kolorii Journal.