100+ Things to Draw: Easy, Cool, Cute and Fun Ideas
You sit down with pencils and paper, and … nothing happens. You’re drawing a blank—literally. Take inspiration from this bucket list of things to draw.
If you're having one of those days when your creativity refuses to cooperate and you can't come up with things to draw, don’t worry!
Sometimes you just need a little prompting to spark your imagination, and you've come to the right place.
We've recently updated our definitive list of drawing ideas, so let's dive in and find your next creative project!
Easy Things to Draw
Just like any skill, getting better at drawing requires practice. But that doesn't mean you have to draw the Eiffel Tower in great detail. You can improve and maintain your skills with some easy things to draw.
These easy drawing ideas will help flex that creative itch without too much work on your part!
Shapes
You may be thinking shapes are too easy, even for new artists. But if you’re looking for easy things to draw, start with shapes, not just because they're easy, but because they're the basis of all types of visual art.
Being able to draw shapes is essential, especially as you progress to more difficult and complex pieces. Simply sketch different shapes of various proportions until you feel like the motions are second nature.
2D Shapes
Let's start with the basics.
2D shapes are a great way to build fundamental drawing skills. Some essential shapes to master are:
- Circles: Perfect for mastering curves
- Ovals: Useful for drawing faces and bodies
- Squares: Practice symmetry and proportion
- Triangles: Helpful for drawing angles and perspective
3D Shapes
Once you've mastered 2D shapes, start experimenting with 3D shapes to level up your skills. Practice drawing the following 3D shapes:
- Cylinders: Perfect for mastering curves
- Cubes: Useful for drawing faces and bodies
- Spheres: Practice symmetry and proportion
- Pyramid: Grow your understanding of planes
Having a good grasp of 3D shapes will set you up for sketching work like still life, architecture and more! If you're feeling adventurous, try combining shapes to quickly turn a simple drawing into a real piece of abstract art.
Line Drawings
When you look at a drawing filled with geometric shapes and patterns, it may seem a little beyond your skill level. But look closely. A piece like this is created simply by drawing lines to create patterns, something you can definitely do.
Things to Draw with Lines
Line drawing gives you plenty of easy drawing ideas, without being too difficult.
The amount of lines you can draw will depend on your taste. For example, you may want to craft something detailed like the example above, or you may want to dabble in one-line drawing.
Here's some inspiration for things you can draw with simple lines:
- Portraits: Draw a friend or family member, or even a self portrait
- Landscapes: Draw a forest, a mountain or beach using only lines
- Animals: Draw a cat or dog, or even try a butterfly or elephant
- Still Life: Draw a particular object you see in front of using lines
- Buildings: Draw a castle, a city or your own home
- Textures: Use lines to draw textures like wood, fabric and water
- Abstract Art: Draw a pattern using lines that reflects your mood
Cartoon Faces
Drawing realistic faces can be pretty intimidating—especially for beginners. So instead, try drawing cartoon faces. Focus on using quick, gestural movements and simple lines and shapes.
Once you've built up a face, why not give it a body? Remember, practice is key, so don't worry about messing up.
Check out these cartoon faces below for some inspiration. You could try draw a friend or a family member. Or you could focus on expressions, such as:
- Happiness
- Sadness
- Excitement
- Laughter
- Anger
- Guilt
- Boredom
- Confusion
More Easy Things to Draw
- Hearts
- Flowers
- Fruit
- Stars
- Fish
- Clovers
- Trees
- Snakes
- Leaves
- Diamonds
- Balloons
- Wreaths
- Candy canes
- Gifts
- Cactus
- Beaches
- Lakes
- Planets
- Palm trees
- Ice cream cones
The list above is a great way to practice your shapes, lines and other key drawing skills.
Remember, you have control over how difficult your drawing is. Drawing an entire forest or a city might seem daunting, but drawing them using simple lines and shapes can help create something you'll be proud of!
Cool Things to Draw
Some days, you want to go a little farther with your art than simple shapes and black lines. But you can't think of any cool things to draw. We got you.
Abstract Highlighter Art
With just a few highlighters and a piece of paper, you can create an abstract work of art in neon colors. Highlighter art is a simple but fun way to express your creativity.
To make sure each color shows up vibrantly, start with your lightest highlighter (yellow, in most cases) for the first layer, and then progress to darker colors.
Build up the piece layer by layer until you’ve filled the page with a bright pattern.
Relaxing Waves
Drawing ocean doodles won’t just lead to a visually interesting piece of art, it will also help relax your mind. Start by drawing small rounded shapes, like foothills.
Next, embellish each hill with concentric lines that follow the curve of the arch. By the end, you’ll have a mesmerizing pattern of waves.
More Cool Things to Draw
- Anime
- Dragons
- Wolves
- Spaceships
- Surfboards
- Superheroes
- Spiderwebs
- Manga
- Ninjas
- Electronic circuits
- Musical instruments
- Swords
- Starships
- Jets
- Cars
- Trucks
- Castles
- Knights
- Ships
- Sugar skulls
- Hawks
Cute Things to Draw
Looking for things you can draw with your kids? Or maybe just cute things to draw yourself? Furry and fuzzy animals are first on that list.
Sitting down with your kids for an afternoon drawing all kinds of cute pictures can get them interested in art. Plus, it'll just be fun for all of you.
An Adorable Hamster
What's cuter than small animals?! Especially this little hamster. Just look at those rosy cheeks. And a heart for a nose?! We just can't even.
The Family Pet
To draw a puppy or a cute, fluffy kitty, all you really need is a few simple shapes—ovals, rectangles, and triangles.
Once you've drawn the outline in black marker or crayon, fill it in with bright watercolors. No need to be realistic with browns and black, either. Let imaginations run wild!
Shark Attack
OK, you may not describe a shark as "cute," and they're certainly not fuzzy, but it all depends on your perspective. We think this guy looks pretty friendly. The fish are still there, right? So what could it hurt to draw a shark?
More Cute Things to Draw
- Gnomes
- Skunks
- Bunnies
- Birds
- Squirrels
- Kitties
- Puppies
- Caterpillars
- Penguins
- Pandas
- Foxes
- Ducks
- Bees
- Hummingbirds
- Dolphins
- Jack-o-lanterns
- Bats
- Dinosaurs
- Unicorns
- Peacocks
Fun Things to Draw
Drawing anything can be fun. If it weren't fun, you wouldn't do it, right? But some things that contain a lot of detail or color, or just happy subjects can be especially fun things to draw.
Wildflowers
Because they come in so many different varieties, each with interesting details, wildflowers are fun subjects.
Whether you choose a simple bloom—like this dandelion, which you can create with just layers of lines—or one with more detail and complexity, you’ll enjoy drawing wildflowers and creating a garden on paper.
Houses
Almost any shape can become a house by adding some windows and doors—and that’s what makes drawing houses so fun.
Start with two rectangles side by side; these form the basic structure of the house. Then, add smaller squares for the windows and doors.
Experiment with different shapes, styles, and features, and soon, you’ll have an entire village.
More Fun Things to Draw
- Cityscapes
- Landscapes
- Cartoon characters
- Vehicles
- 3D forms
- Ghosts
- Horses
- Butterflies
- Aliens
- Boats
- Jewels
- Crowns
- Monsters
- Volcanoes
- Eagles
- Dragonflies
- Fashion
- Hot Air Balloons
- Dragons
- Geometric designs
Things to Draw With Chalk
Did you ever play with sidewalk chalk as a kid? Well, the fun doesn't have to stop because you've grown up.
Chalk is one of the easiest mediums to use. Make a mistake? Erase it, and no one will ever be the wiser.
Hand-Lettered Mural
Have a chalkboard on hand? Try hand lettering a chalk mural filled with various fonts and embellishments. Choose a quote or phrase and map it out on the board.
To add dimension and visual interest, try incorporating a variety of different text styles and shadows, as well as some simple banner shapes and flourishes.
Sailboat
With just a few strokes of your chalk, you can create this simple sailboat image. From start to finish, it takes just a few minutes and requires only a few chalk pastels.
Start by drawing the sailboat in the center of the paper, then add a few rippling lines to form waves. Blend the chalk under the waves to create a little depth, and add a sun for a finishing touch.
Easy Things to Draw That Look Hard
Sometimes, the things that are most fun to draw are the ones that look deceptively difficult. You can start to feel more confident in your drawing skills by tackling easy things to draw that look like you spent hours and hours on.
Pencil Portrait
Drawing a human face sounds difficult, and it can be if you're trying to produce a realistic portrait. But before you get to that point, you can start with a simple pencil drawing of a face.
You’ll get some valuable practice drawing facial expressions, features, and proportions, but you won’t have to worry about precision or shading.
Want to take it up a notch? Why not do a self-portrait?
Human Eye
If an entire face seems too daunting at first, try drawing facial features, such as eyes. They may seem complex, but with a few tips, eyes are actually easy to draw.
It’s most important to understand the proportions and features of the eye, including the eyelid and eyelashes. Then, you can add realistic details, down to the reflection within the iris.
One-Line Portrait
This exercise requires you to put your pen or pencil to paper and not lift it until you're done. Drawing a one-line portrait may sound difficult, but it's not.
Use a reference photo underneath your paper to achieve perfect placement of the subject’s facial features. Then, it’s just a matter of connecting the features in an aesthetically pleasing way.
Things to Draw When Bored
Sometimes, you can't come up with anything new because you're bored. Maybe you've been drawing the same kinds of things for a while, and it's not as fun as it once was.
Try breaking out of the boredom by doing something different.
Don’t Draw, Doodle
While you’re watching TV, talking on the phone, or listening to a podcast, pick up a pen or pencil and start doodling. It's drawing in a non-intentional way, while your mind is otherwise occupied.
There are no real guidelines for doodling. Simply put pen to paper, start moving your hand, and allow your subconscious to take over.
Close your eyes to further disengage from intentional action, and then open your eyes to find shapes and patterns within your work. Add outlines to your shapes and gradually turn them into a cohesive drawing.
Easy drawings like this have a calming effect and can help you process and develop ideas. This is a quick and stress-free exercise for creating dynamic and interesting art.
It also proves that you don’t have to start with a specific idea to create cool drawings that are uniquely your own.
If you're looking for some inspiration to get you started, here's some easy and fun doodling ideas:
- Animal party: Draw a set of animals celebrating a birthday party!
- Grocery list: Level up your grocery list by drawing the foods you want to buy
- Mandalas: Draw a mandala using intricate patterns and shapes
- Maps: Draw a map of your neighborhood, city or country
- Monsters: Doodle fantastic creatures or a little set of cute monsters
- Outer space: Doodle what you think lies in our outer space!
- Underwater world: Draw an underwater world with sea creatures—and maybe even mermaids!
Change Your Perspective
Looking at an object from a new point of view can get you out of a creative rut. Here's how to do it:
First, pick an everyday object—like a coffee mug, plant, or instrument.
Then, change the way you’re looking at it, such as:
- Zoom in on a tiny detail of the object.
- Turn your back and use a mirror to look at it in reverse.
- Grab a ladder or step stool to give yourself a bird’s-eye view
- Juxtapose the object with a completely unrelated one to see it in a new context.
Get creative in the way you look at things, and you’ll have a constant source of new cool things to draw.
Copy Your Favorite Artist
Most people are taught from a young age that copying the work of others is wrong. But as long as you don’t try to pass the work off as your own, mimicking a favorite artist’s work can serve as helpful inspiration for what to draw when you’re out of ideas.
Pick one of your favorite pieces of art—or do a simple internet search to find a work of art that inspires you—and start drawing.
For example, you might try to draw in the style of Van Gogh. Whether you try to imitate it stroke for stroke, or you create your own interpretation of the work, you’ll be able to harness the artist’s style and techniques to create amazing art of your own.
Use an Idea Generator
Drawing prompts can get creative juices flowing. Search “art prompts” or “sketchbook prompts,” and you’ll find idea generators that can supply a lifetime’s worth of inspiration.
Some sites will allow you to choose options or categories to narrow down the drawing prompts, like “creature,” “object” or “situation.”
The prompt may range from something simple (like “dog”) to something complex and detailed, like “dog on a hiking trail, wearing a small pack for supplies."
For maximum creativity, remember there are no rules when using prompts to jolt your imagination. The whole point is to interpret these suggestions in whatever way you see fit and challenge yourself with new approaches to drawing.
Commit to a Drawing Challenge or Series
When you want to focus on your drawing pad, social media can seem like a distraction. In fact, it can serve as an infinite source of inspiration.
Search social media, and you’ll likely come across some interesting hashtags for drawing challenges or series that can provide ideas for fun things to draw. Try searching for a generic hashtag, like #sketchbookchallenge, or #draweveryday.
You could also generate your own hashtag and drawing series, like #mydreamroadtrip or #myfavoritethings. You’ll develop new ideas for easy things to draw, and other like-minded artists may join in as well.
Plus, these challenges can prompt you to share your drawings with others, which can produce helpful tips, constructive criticism, and even more ideas for new things to draw.
Keep Drawing!
The next time you draw a blank—literally—don't let it set you back. Come back to this list of things to draw (don't forget to bookmark it!), let something inspire you, and take it from there.
We're just here to give you a little push. The genius that results is all you.
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