sketchbook ideas cover

20+ Sketchbook Cover Ideas: Creative Designs to Personalize Your Art Journal

September 27, 2023 July 24, 2023 | Dee

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Last Updated on September 27, 2023 by Dee

Welcome, fellow art enthusiasts! Each journey starts with a single stroke and every sketchbook is a new adventure.

As artists, we know that our creativity doesn’t just stop at the pages within. The cover of your sketchbook should be just as expressive and inspirational as the art it houses inside. And we are here to feed that creativity.

Get ready to turn that blank canvas of a cover into a stunning masterpiece. We’ve curated a tantalizing list of over 20 sketchbook cover ideas that will inspire, excite, and, most importantly, ignite the creative spark within you.

So grab your tools and prepare to imbue your artistic spirit onto your sketchbook cover – your first page of inspiration.

Key Takeaways

There are countless sketchbook cover ideas that you can use to personalize your sketchbook and make it your own.
Exploring different media and choosing your theme are important aspects of creating a personalized sketchbook cover.
Personalizing your sketchbook is a great way to showcase your unique style and make your sketchbook stand out.

Exploring Different Media

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When it comes to creating a sketchbook cover, there are many different media that you can use to bring your ideas to life.

Each medium has its unique properties and can create different effects, so experimenting with a few different options is worth experimenting to see what works best for your project.

Drawing with Charcoal

Charcoal is a popular choice for sketching because it allows you to create rich, dark lines with a lot of texture. Remember to use fixative spray to keep your drawing from smudging.

One way to use charcoal on your sketchbook cover is to create a portrait or a landscape scene.

You can also use charcoal to add shading and depth to other elements of your design.

Painting with Gesso

Gesso is a primer that is often used to prepare surfaces for painting. However, it can also be used as a medium in its own right.

When applied to a sketchbook cover, gesso creates a smooth, matte surface that can be painted or drawn on top of.

You can also use gesso to create a textured surface by applying it with a palette knife or other tool.

Ink Pen Sketches

Ink pens are a versatile medium that can be used for everything from fine details to bold, graphic lines.

One way to use ink pens on your sketchbook cover is to create a series of abstract patterns or designs.

sketchbook drawing ideas: Ink Zentangles

You can also use ink pens to create a more traditional illustration or sketch.

Mixed Media Collages

sketchbook drawing ideas: Mixed Media Collage

Mixed media collages are a great way to create a unique and dynamic sketchbook cover.

You can combine different materials such as paper, ephemera , fabric, and found objects to create a layered and textured design.

You can also use paint, ink, or other media to add color and detail to your collage.

Choosing Your Theme

When it comes to choosing a theme for your sketchbook cover, the possibilities are endless. You can choose a theme that reflects your personality, interests, or even your current mood.

Here are some theme ideas to get you started.

Nature Inspired

sketchbook drawing ideas: Natured Inspired Sketchbook Cover

If you love nature and enjoy sketching landscapes, trees, and leaves, a nature-inspired theme might be perfect.

You can choose to focus on a specific type of nature, such as flowers or animals, or you can create a more general theme incorporating various natural elements. Cover your sketchbook in a piece of fabric or pleather. Read this post to get wrinkles out of pleather .

And if you would like to add some mushrooms to your artwork check out my tutorial on how to draw a mushroom on my Youtube Channel.

Consider using earthy tones and natural textures for your cover design. You can also add some hand-drawn illustrations or watercolor paintings to give your sketchbook a more organic feel.

Use these nature drawing ideas for inspiration.

Travel Journeys

hands drawing in a travel sketchbook with a cup of coffee to the left

If you love to travel and enjoy sketching the places you visit, then a travel-inspired theme might be a great choice for your sketchbook cover.

You can focus on a specific location or create a more general theme incorporating different travel elements. Check out these travel sketchbooks .

Character Designs

If you love to sketch characters and enjoy creating unique designs, then a character-inspired theme might be perfect for your sketchbook cover.

You can choose to focus on a specific type of character, such as cute chibi poses , superheroes or animals, or you can create a more general theme that incorporates a variety of character designs.

Personal Portraits

If you enjoy sketching people and want to create a more personal sketchbook cover, then a portrait-inspired theme might be a great choice for you.

You can focus on a specific person or create a more general theme incorporating different portrait styles. Draw a portrait in side profile for a more dramatic effect.

Consider using black and white photography or simple line drawings for your cover design. You can also add some hand-drawn illustrations or watercolor paintings to give your sketchbook a more artistic feel.

No matter what theme you choose, make sure it reflects your personal style and interests. Your sketchbook cover is a reflection of you and your art, so have fun and be creative!

Selling Your Sketchbook

personalized sketchbook with geometric pattern

If you’re an artist looking to sell your personalized sketchbooks, there are a few things you can do to increase your chances of success.

Etsy Shop Tips

Etsy is a great platform for selling handmade goods, including your sketchbook. Here are some tips for making the most of your Etsy shop:

Use high-quality photos: Make sure your photos are clear, well-lit, and show off your sketchbook in the best possible way.
Write a detailed description: Be sure to include all the important details about your sketchbook, such as its size, number of pages, and any special features.
Price competitively: Do some research to see what other artists are charging for similar sketchbooks, and price yours accordingly.
Promote your shop: Share your Etsy shop on social media and other online platforms to help drive traffic to your store.

Building Your Newsletter

Building an email newsletter is a great way to keep your fans updated on your latest work and to promote your sketchbook. Here are some tips for building your newsletter:

Offer a freebie: Offer your subscribers something of value, such as a free sketch or a discount on your sketchbook, in exchange for their email address.
Be consistent: Set a regular schedule for sending out your newsletter, whether it’s weekly, monthly, or quarterly.
Include exclusive content: Offer your subscribers exclusive content, such as behind-the-scenes looks at your creative process or early access to new work.

Dealing with Ad Blockers

Ad blockers can be a challenge for artists looking to promote their work online. Here are some tips for dealing with ad blockers:

Focus on organic traffic: Instead of relying on paid advertising, focus on building your following through social media, your newsletter, and other organic channels.
Create valuable content: Create content that your followers will find valuable, such as tutorials, process videos, or blog posts about your creative process.
Be transparent: If you do use paid advertising, be transparent about it. Let your followers know when you’re running ads, and be upfront about why you’re doing it.

By following these tips, you can increase your chances of selling your sketchbook and building a loyal following of fans and supporters.

personalized sketchbook with polka dot pattern

And there you have it – over 20 incredible ideas to personalize your sketchbook cover! Remember, the beauty of creating art lies in the process as much as the outcome. Your sketchbook is an extension of your artistry, a personal space that holds your thoughts, ideas, and emotions.

Let your cover reflect your artistic journey – the trials, the triumphs, and everything in between. The magic of art is that there are no rules – only infinite possibilities. So unleash your creativity and let it splash onto your sketchbook cover.

It’s not just about making art – it’s about creating a story that starts from the very cover. With these ideas in hand, you’re ready to begin.

Here’s to the uncharted territories your artistic expression will take you to.

Happy creating!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some cute and creative ways to decorate a sketchbook cover.

There are many ways to decorate a sketchbook cover! You can use stickers, washi tape, paint, markers, or even fabric. You can also try collage, embroidery, or decoupage. Get creative and think outside the box! You can draw or paint your favorite quotes, characters, or patterns. Check out these cute drawings for ideas! You can also use stencils or stamps to create a unique design. The possibilities are endless!

Where can I find printable templates for sketchbook covers?

You can find printable templates for sketchbook covers online. Canva offers free customizable templates that you can download and print. You can also search for templates on websites like Etsy or Pinterest. You can even create your own template using a blank sheet of paper and tracing your sketchbook cover.

How can I personalize my sketchbook cover?

You can personalize your sketchbook cover by adding your name, initials, or a special date. You can also include a favorite quote or a meaningful symbol. You can use your favorite colors or patterns to reflect your personality. You can also add photos or drawings that represent your interests or hobbies.

What materials do I need to make my own sketchbook cover?

To make your own sketchbook cover, you will need some basic materials such as paper, mod podge, scissors, glue, and tape. You can also use fabric, felt, or leather to cover your sketchbook. You can add embellishments such as buttons, ribbons, or beads to make it more unique. Make sure to measure your sketchbook carefully before cutting your materials.

Are there any tips for covering up mistakes on a sketchbook cover?

If you make a mistake on your sketchbook cover, don’t worry! You can try covering it up with stickers, washi tape, or a piece of paper. You can also use markers or paint to draw over the mistake and turn it into a part of your design. Remember, mistakes are a natural part of the creative process, so embrace them and use them to your advantage!

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40+ Sketchbook Ideas to Spark Your Creativity

Are you looking for sketchbook ideas to help jump start your creativity? Get inspired to draw and paint with these 40+ fun sketchbook ideas. Find tutorials for each idea so you can create the perfect sketchbook spread, whether you are a beginner or professional artist.

From nature sketches to figure drawings, there is something for everyone in this list. Get started on your next masterpiece today!

Disclaimer: Fine Art Tutorials is a reader supported site. When you make purchases through links on this site, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Sketchbook ideas for complete beginners

For complete beginners, a sketchbook is a place to doodle, improve and express yourself without the pressure of creating a polished looking painting or drawing.

If you don’t know how to get started with a sketchbook, try starting with some simple objects. Find some fruit, or a plant and try drawing what you see in front of you, focussing on the broad shapes and forms.

A good tip is to use some pages for free form expression, some pages for drawing exercises to help you improve and some pages to plan compositions and create studies for larger works you plan to complete.

Drawing sketchbook ideas

Pencil drawing is the easiest medium to get started with. All you need is a pencil, eraser, sharpener and a sketchbook and you’re ready to go!

There’s no end to the possibilities of sketchbook ideas when using pencil as a drawing medium. Here are just a few ideas to get you going:

Draw a portrait with charcoal

Portrait drawing goes hand in hand with charcoal. This is because it’s a blendable medium that can appear soft and subtle, or you can apply pressure to achieve dark shadow values. Charcoal can get quite dusty and potentially transfer onto other pages, so make sure to get some fixative to preserve your drawings . If you’re interested in improving your skills at charcoal drawing , check out our guide!

Draw a charcoal landscape

Drawing a charcoal landscape is a great sketchbook idea, whether you find your references on the field or from photos in the studio. This artist uses charcoal pencils and a tortillion to blend. The great thing about charcoal is the deep values that artists can achieve, without the pencil marks being distorted by a sheen, unlike graphite pencils.

Use brush charcoal

One way of creating incredibly smooth looking blends with charcoal is to get some charcoal powder and brush it on the paper. This technique is especially useful for portrait drawing. To emphasise the shadows, get a charcoal pencil and draw them in. For the lightest highlights, get a small eraser, like the Tombow Mono Zero or a kneadable gum eraser to reveal the brightest areas.

Draw a tree

If you want to improve your landscape sketching skills, you could practice drawing individual elements like trees or plants individually first. In this video learn how to draw three different trees, including fir trees with graphite pencil.

Draw a rose

A beautiful and easy sketchbook idea, is to fill the page with a rose drawing. Roses are delicate and complex, but also have a lot of symmetry which makes them ideal for beginners. Follow this tutorial to create your own rose sketch.

Start by drawing a simple oval shape in the center of your page. Then draw the petals curling outwards, gradually getting bigger further away from the centre. Shade the inner corners of the petals, where petals above are blocking the light and casting a shadow to give the drawing depth and realism.

Draw a cityscape

Cityscapes are an incredibly fun sketchbook idea, however they are challenging. Use your perspective drawing skills to achieve the correct proportions in the buildings. Choose any city you like, whether that’s a street scene in New York, or your favourite building in London. To draw buildings, you may need some additional tools to help with geometry, like a ruler.

In this tutorial Alphonso Dunn shows artists how to draw a panoramic city skyline, using ink pen and the hatching technique to create the impression of light and shade. Use an ink pen, like a pigment liner or a fountain pen to create the same effect.

Architectural sketchbook ideas

Teoh Yi Chie creates a wonderful sketch of the Basilica of Superga with a fountain pen and washes of watercolour. He shows artists how to observe the reference and accurately draw angles of the building, to achieve a realistic perspective.

Create a realistic sketchbook drawing with coloured pencils

Oil and wax pencils such as Polychromos and Prismacolors are excellent for creating detailed drawings. They are highly pigmented, layer wonderfully and artists can create clean colour mixes. This is why this particular drawing medium lends itself to realism. If you’re new to realistic drawing, start by drawing a relatively easy subject, such as a leaf.

One of the most challenging sketchbook ideas is to create a realistic piece. Realistic drawings take time and work, but the results are worth it. If you want to create an ultra polished looking sketchbook that you will keep on a bookshelf for years to come, you can justify spending more time on each of the drawings. Of course, if you really like a drawing you make, you can always remove it from the sketchbook, or scan and print it out to hang on the wall.

Create a pineapple drawing

Create a drawing of a pineapple ! Pineapples have an interesting form, with long leaves and small diamond shaped fruitlets, so they make excellent subjects for practising your drawing skills. For this sketchbook idea, I used a Strathmore Toned Tan book , which has a velvety smooth soft cover and thick pages. The toned paper provides a wonderful base to draw on, it speeds up the drawing process as the mid tone values are already established on the paper. I used a burnt umber Polychromos pencil for the shadows and a white Polychromos pencil for the highlights.

Sketching from photographs

This tutorial from Draw Awesome and Art Tutor aims to help artists simplify a reference by playing down the amount of detail. This is an approach that can save heaps of time whilst drawing.

When it comes to sketching from photographs, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. The first is that you should always use a reference photograph that is high quality and has good lighting. This will help you avoid any frustration later on when trying to recreate the image.

Another important tip is to start with the big shapes and work your way down to the smaller details. This will help you create a more accurate sketch and avoid getting bogged down in the small stuff.

And finally, don’t be afraid to experiment! Try different mediums, paper types and techniques until you find something that you love.

Nature sketching

If you love hiking and being outdoors, why not keep a nature journal. Track the plants and animals you see year round, with quick sketches. This is a great way to feel in touch with your surroundings. You can label the flora and fauna you see too! One art supply that is great for travelling with is watercolour markers . The markers pack away small in a case, but you can wet the marks with a brush to create wonderful watercolour effects when you’re on the go, without cleanup or mess.

Create a wildlife drawing with coloured pencils

Because coloured pencils layer so beautifully, they are the perfect medium for creating wildlife drawings. Draw an photo of an animal you find online, draw your pet, a bird, or you could even take a trip to the zoo and draw an animal there.

Drawing fur is tricky, so watch how Amie Howard Art layers red, orange and brown tones with short pencil marks to create the impression of squirrel fur.

Fill your sketchbook with gouache paintings

Gouache is a wonderful medium for sketchbook work. It behaves in the same way as watercolour paint, but is is more pigmented and opaque. This means that you can layer paint a bit like acrylic, leaving some of the highlights until last. The benefit of using it for sketchbook work is that it is fast drying and easy to clean. Here are some fun sketchbook ideas to try with gouache paints:

Create a gouache mountain painting

I created this gouache landscape painting from a reference picture I had taken in New Zealand around Queenstown. The Strathmore Visual Journal made for a great cold pressed sketchbook, as the paper is thick and doesn’t buckle under washes. I also used the Introductory set of Winsor & Newton gouache colours .

I started by blocking in the midtones, then working in the shadows and highlights, whilst also building texture of the plants and grasses with the dry brush technique.

Paint a series of tonal portraits

Paint a series of quick portraits and try to use a limited palette for each. Paint in whatever style you like. Use the gouache paints with water to create transparent looking washes, for soft looking gradations in skin tone. Use titanium white for opaque highlights to layer on at the end.

Paint flowers in your garden

Get outside to your garden, to a park, or you could even buy a bunch of flowers to paint a still life.

Watch how James Gurney blocks in the broad shapes and tones with gouache, then refines details. Colours that work well for painting bright flower tones include cadmium yellow, cadmium red and magenta or rose red. Mix your green shades from blues and yellows, or buy viridian and sap green tubes.

Paint a mountain lake reflection

Follow this tutorial to create a mountain lake reflection painting. I start with washes of colour, then build up details, shadows and opaque highlights. To create the texture in the trees and the clouds, I use the dry brush technique. This is a pretty simple technique, where the artist loads their brush with colour, then removes excess moisture on a paper towel. The dry brush will pick up the texture of the paper, creating organic and broken looking brush strokes. For optimum results, if you want to try using this technique, get cold pressed or rough textured sketchbook.

Paint nature scenes

Paint along with YouTuber Dadozilla and paint some small, cosy nature scenes. If you’re a beginner gouache painter, starting by working on a smaller scale can be really beneficial. This is because you’ll complete the paintings faster and therefore get more practice at painting a variety of scenes. For more gouache painting ideas , check out our guide.

Create a series of illustrations in your sketchbook

Make a series of small illustrations, whether that’s character designs, typographic sketches or other types of graphics. Get creative, drawing a mixture of wildlife, portraits, or sketches entirely from imagination. You could also sketch some fun, bright objects, like a pair of red roller skates or packaging of your favourite sweets. Sometimes with illustrations, the more obscure the sketchbook idea the better. It can help to think of themes, for example, draw a series of haunted houses, or a series of characterful cats.

Try a sketchbook drawing challenge

A great sketchbook idea, if you’ve got a bit of creative block, is to join a drawing or art challenge. You can find drawing challenges online, for example on Instagram by following hashtags. Challenges like these will give you daily prompts, however, if you want to start a daily sketching practice, you can make your own prompts list too!

100 heads in 10 days

Draw 10 heads per day for 10 days. Use whatever medium you like, for example, charcoal, graphite, oil pencils or even marker. You can be as detailed with these head drawings as you like and draw them in whatever style you like. Whether that’s a cartoony style, or more realistic.

Inktober is one of the most popular drawing challenges, that artists take part in every year in the month of October. It’s super easy to take part, head over to the Inktober website and look at the drawing prompts for each day of the month. Then draw your own interpretation of the prompt. The challenge was set up to encourage artists to improve their skills and start regular drawing habits. However, if daily drawing is too much for you, you could try completing a drawing every other day, or even one per week. Of course, you can use any medium you like, it doesn’t have to be ink pen. Some oil painters take part in Oil-tober, which is a similar daily art making challenge, but with oil paints. Track your progress through the month in your sketchbook and share your results on social media if you feel like it!

Plein air sketchbook ideas

Painting and drawing en plein air is a great way to get inspired and motivated to create. It can be challenging at first, but the results are so worth it.

Here are some tips for painting en plein air:

Choose a subject that is simple and not too busy. A landscape or cityscape with few buildings or people is a good choice.
Find a spot where you can set up your easel and have a good view of your subject.
Start by sketching out the scene with light pencil strokes.
Once you have the basic composition down, start painting in the sky first.
Work on the middle ground next and then the foreground.
Add in any final details and highlights last.

By following these tips, you will be well on your way to creating beautiful en plein air sketchbook paintings. So grab your drawing supplies and head outdoors!

Watercolour sketchbook ideas

Watercolour is a beautiful medium to use in your sketchbook. It can be challenging, but the results are so worth it. Here are some watercolour sketchbook ideas to get you started:

Paint a seascape

Seascapes are mesmerizing and peaceful, making them perfect for relaxing and de-stressing. Paint this moody deep blue seascape, using multiples washes and the layering technique. If you want a clean line around your paper, use some masking tape.

Ink and watercolour painting

This is a fun and easy painting technique that produces stunning results. To create an ink and watercolour painting, start by painting your background with watercolour. Once the background is dry, add in some ink details. You can use a pen, like a fountain pen or a pigment liner. This technique is great for drawing buildings, cityscapes and other features that suit being outlined.

Watercolour pencil drawing

This is a great way to add some colour to your sketches. To create a watercolour pencil drawing , start by sketching out the scene with light pencil strokes. Once you have the basic composition down, you can start colouring in the main areas where you want to create washes. Activate the pencil with water. Then for the final details, you can choose to draw over the painting with dry watercolour pencil.

Acrylic painting sketchbook ideas

Acrylic paints are a versatile and fun medium to use in your sketchbook. They can be used for a variety of effects, from bold and bright to soft and subtle. Here are some acrylic painting sketchbook ideas to get you started:

Paint an abstract acrylic piece

Abstract paintings are a great way to experiment with colour and texture . Acrylics dry fast and are water resistant when dry, so layers will not reactivate as they do with watercolour and gouache.

To paint an abstract acrylic piece, you could first choose a colour scheme . Abstract pieces can look quite effective with limited colour palettes. Experiment with dripping, flicking and scraping the paint. Check out our acrylic painting techniques guide for some alternative ideas.

Paint a relaxing cloudscape

Paint a relaxing cloudscape with acrylics. Acrylic paint is fast drying, so it can be tricky to blend unless you use a medium to slow the drying time. Use this open working medium to increase the working time of the paint. Use a clean soft synthetic brush to blend cloud textures.

Paint the forest with acrylics

Forests are complex subjects with lots of leaves, trees and foliage details. Approach a complex painting like this by blocking in the broad shapes and colours. Then gradually work in the details and highlights. You don’t need an extra small brush for the leaves, work with a medium square brush to avoid focussing on details too heavily.

Pen and ink sketchbook ideas

When drawing with marker pen and ink, make sure to get a thick sketchbook that pen won’t bleed through. Smooth paper works best with pens as it allows artists to create fine details and delicate line work.

Create a portrait drawing with copic marker

Create a portrait with copic marker , or Winsor & Newton’s Pro markers . Colours blend beautifully into one another and are best layered from light to dark, similar to watercolour. If you want to create small highlight details you could use a white gel pen.

Urban sketching with pen and ink

Watch this tutorial to learn how to create accurate urban sketches. Discover fundamental skills like how to compose the drawing, to frame buildings to create areas of interest.

Draw from imagination in your sketchbook

One of the most rewarding things you can do in your sketchbook is to draw from your imagination. This could be any kind of fantasy scene, from a series of characters in a book that you’ve read or some characters that you’ve made up.

If you get stuck, try looking at some reference images to help you get started. Once you have the basic idea down, let your imagination run wild and see where it takes you!

Keep a travel sketchbook

If you get the opportunity to travel, take a sketchbook with you! Drawing in a sketchbook in a new location is a great way to make you feel grounded and in touch with new surroundings. It can also attune your artists’ eye and make you look out for interesting scenes.

Pack a sketchbook and some gouache paints while you’re out touring a new city, find somewhere comfortable to sit with your sketchbook and draw or paint scenes you find inspiring. If you want some tips and ideas about how to keep a travel sketchbook , check out our guide.

Create a double page spread

When creating a double page spread, the format of your sketchbook and the binding will affect how your sketchbook page looks. For example, landscape format sketchbooks are great for panoramic scenes. In a spiral bound sketchbook, the wire separates each page. Make sure to get a thread bound book so that the pages sit perfectly next to each other.

Also, think about the composition of the piece. When creating a double page spread, you will want to make sure that the composition of each individual page works well with the other. This means that you should avoid making one page significantly busier than the other, for instance.

Once you have considered all of these factors, you are ready to start creating your double page spread! There are endless sketchbook ideas for double page spreads, including vast cityscapes, imaginary scenes and more!

Warm-ups, drawing and painting exercises

One of the benefits of having a sketchbook is that you can use it to do warm-ups, painting and drawing exercises .

Warm-ups are a great way to get your creative juices flowing and help you to avoid artist’s block.

These exercises are designed to help you improve your skills and techniques, and can be anything from life drawing to trying out different mediums.

There are many different types of warm-up exercises you can do, but some simple ones include:

Speed drawing

Drawing a series of quick sketches of random objects, people or scenes is a great way to get your hand moving and help you to loosen up.

This exercise is also a good way to warm up before starting a more detailed drawing or painting.

To do a speed drawing, set a timer for one minute and then draw whatever comes into your mind.

You can also try two-minute or five-minute drawings if you want to challenge yourself to create more detail in a short space of time.

Once you have completed a series of quick sketches, take some time to review them and see if there are any patterns or themes that emerge.

You can also use these sketches as inspiration for future drawings or paintings.

Gesture drawing

Doing some gesture drawings is a good way to improve your figure drawing skills.

To do a gesture drawing, start by finding a subject. This can be anything from a photo in a magazine to a live person or animal.

Don’t worry about getting every detail right, just focus on capturing the overall gesture and motion of the subject.

Create colour swatches

A colour swatch is a chart that contains the pigments in your palette painted in a series of small boxes. Label the boxes with the pigment number and colour name for the pure swatches. Optionally, you can create tints and shades of the colours by adding white or black.

Colour mixing chart

Create more colour swatches by mixing pigments together. Colour swatches are a great way of practising colour mixing and getting familiar with the pigments you are using. To create the colour mix swatches, mix up your colours in differing quantities, then label the proportion of colours mixed. You can use these swatches as reference points for when you come to make larger pieces.

Contour drawing

Contour drawing is a great way to improve your observation skills and learn how to capture the essence of an object or subject.

To do a contour drawing, start by finding an object with interesting shapes. It can be anything from a vase to a leaf. Place the object in front of you and look at it closely.

Then, start drawing the outline of the object, starting at the top and working your way around. As you draw, pay attention to the small details and try to capture the essence of the object.

Once you have finished drawing the outline, fill in any details that you see.

Create a composition sketch

A thumbnail sketch is a small drawing that contains the basic elements of your composition. They are generally no bigger than an inch square.

To create a thumbnail sketch, start by brainstorming some ideas for your composition. Once you have come up with a few ideas, begin doing some quick sketches of each one. Think about how you will create a focal point and lead the viewer’s eye in with the positioning of the subject.

Don’t worry about getting the details perfect, just focus on capturing the overall idea of the composition.

Once you have a few thumbnail sketches, take some time to review them and see which one you think has the most potential. You can then use this sketch as a starting point for your larger piece.

Sketchbook cover ideas

Your sketchbook is a reflection of you and your creativity, so make sure to choose a cover that represents that! You can go for a simple and classic look with a black or white cover, or get more creative with patterns, colours and textures.

If your cover has a cotton texture , you could even acrylic paint over it! Prime the surface first with sealant and gesso, then paint your custom design. Wait for it to dry and optionally varnish it.

Mixed media sketchbooks

Creating a mixed media sketchbook is a great way to explore your creativity and experiment with different mediums.

To create a mixed media sketchbook, start by finding a sketchbook that is made from high quality paper. This will ensure that your sketches don’t bleed through to the next page. Once you have found a suitable sketchbook, gather together a selection of mediums that you would like to use. These could be anything from watercolour paints to pastels.

Experiment with different techniques and mediums, and see what you can create! There are lots of mediums that are compatible with one another. For example, you can use oil pastels or soft pastels over watercolour paint. Pastels also go well with matte acrylic, gouache and acrylic gouache.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, as this is part of the learning process. The most important thing is to have fun and be creative!

How to use a sketchbook

A sketchbook is completely personal and unique to each artist. Certain artists will want to put more thought and time into each of their drawings and perhaps only use one medium throughout. Whereas other artists will use their sketchbooks for warm up exercises and to doodle to their heart’s content.

The best way to use a sketchbook if you have art block, is to just get started and not worry about messing up! A sketchbook is a place to learn and improve and you don’t have to show anyone else the contents. Your art will improve quickly, if you create a deliberate, focussed and regular drawing practice, with the help of your sketchbook. If you commit to a regular drawing practice, you’ll finish many sketchbooks over the years. Keep hold of your sketchbooks to track your drawing progress. Each sketchbook page doesn’t have to look like a masterpiece when you first start out, but as your skills improve, more pages will showcase your skills and techniques.

Pick the right sketchbook for your art

It’s important to pick the right sketchbook for your needs. If you want to use watercolours , choose a paper that is heavy enough to withstand the wet media without warping or buckling. For pen and ink drawings, you might want a smooth paper so that you can draw details without them being obscured by the paper’s texture. Find the best sketchbooks for artists in our guide.

I hope you found these sketchbook ideas helpful and that they inspire you to create your own art. Happy creating!

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Wow! So many ideas that I haven’t tried before. I will have to save this and return to it.

Inspiring Sketchbook Cover Ideas for Self-Publishing Artists

Looking for inspirational sketchbook cover ideas discover artistic book design inspiration and creative cover page ideas for creating your own artist’s book..

The global book market is expected to reach $124.2 billion come 2025, and as the evolution of publishing has developed from paperbacks to e-readers, and from in-house publishing to democratizing self-publishing , book opportunities have risen not only for authors, but for artists, too.

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In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the artist’s book industry , look at how you can design your own artistic books, and present inspirational ideas for creating your own sketchbook cover ideas.

Giedre poetry sketchbook cover with monochromatic color scheme

The covers of artist’s books, sketchbooks, zines, and photography books can feature a wide range of styles, imagery, and media. Clockwise, from top left: Forty “by Giedrė Kvietkutė , Seven Deadly Sins by Shahd El-Ezaby , Herbarium & Birds by Olga Ezova-Denisova and Nomadic Eyes by Chia-Lin Wu .

What Is an Artist’s Book?

An artist’s book is a published or self-published book, zine , or magazine created by the artist themselves. The book can be a collection of artwork and sketches, a creative complement to their usual body of work—such as a book of poetry or photographs —or as an artwork in itself.

As opposed to an art book, an artist’s book is not a catalog of the artist’s artworks but a creative object, and can be hand-created or printed using usual publishing methods.

Forty by Giedrė Kvietkutė .

The tradition of creating artist’s books goes back to the early 20th century, when some Parisian artists experimented with creating a livre d’artiste (artist’s book) to support their exhibitions.

Today, crafting an artist’s book is a highly creative activity that can really showcase your ideas and sources of inspiration in a medium outside of conventional exhibitions.

In fact, while most people reserve the term “self-published” for writers, there’s now an adjacent, rapidly growing market for self-published artists .

An artist’s book is a published or self-published book, zine, or magazine created by the artist themselves.

Whether you’ve written a book about art, want to publish your own book , or made an official artist’s book, having a striking art book cover is key to enticing viewers to delve inside your sketchbook pages.

In this article, we’ll offer some sketchbook cover ideas to help you develop a sketchbook cover ideas aesthetic and take your artistic creations into the world.

Plus, we’ll explore sketchbook cover ideas and photographic book cover ideas for those in a similar creative place.

In this article, you’ll find:

Common Questions About Sketchbook Creation
Artist Book and Sketchbook Cover Ideas
Photography Book Cover Ideas

Read on to discover art book cover design ideas, plus inspiration for curating a memorable sketchbook cover aesthetic.

Abstract sketch of hands reaching toward a book held up by a separate hand

License this image via Master1305 .

1. Common Questions About Sketchbook Creation

Where is the best place to begin with creating your sketchbook or artist’s book? Before we dive into some sketchbook inspiration , check out these common questions about how to make a sketchbook.

How do I make my own sketchbook?

You can easily create your own sketchbook by folding A4 or Letter sized paper sheets (for a small sketchbook) or A3 sheets (for a larger drawing book).

Fold the sheets in half, and arrange in a ‘nested’ pile of sheets. You can use a heavier sheet of card in the same size to create the cover, and fold this carefully using a craft knife to gently score the fold line.

You can then punch holes along the fold line to bind the sketchbook with spirals, rings, or ribbons, or sew with thread to create a Japanese bookbinding effect.

What should I put on the front cover of my sketchbook?

Approach your sketchbook front cover like designing a cover for a book of fiction . Give the reader a sense of the theme and content of the sketchbook, and include a title and name.

Aside from this, the sketchbook cover is a blank canvas for your creative ideas! Try a collage design or doodle style illustrations for an eclectic look, or use a photograph of yourself, an artwork, or a travel photo to give the cover a personal touch.

What should I include in an artist portfolio or sketchbook?

An artist’s portfolio, sketchbook, or artist’s book can include a wide range of imagery, text, sketches, and photographs.

You can choose to show the creative process behind some of your artwork, or combine images of your art with poetry extracts, behind-the-scenes photos , or found materials.

How can I personalize a sketchbook?

Personalize your sketchbook with doodles , polaroid photos, collage artwork, or calligraphy . Customizing your sketchbook is a really fun, creative activity, and it also helps to make your drawing book feel particularly unique and one-of-a-kind.

Abstract design of hands from various angles grabbing a book

2. Artist Book and Sketchbook Cover Design Ideas

Self-publishing your artist’s book has several benefits. Ultimately, you’ll retain creative rights over your work and control your distribution. You also have the ability to print on demand or convert the art book to an eBook .

In terms of book cover drawing ideas, you also have an unlimited range of creative possibilities for the front page art of your book. Art book cover ideas can incorporate unusual materials like textiles, collage cut-outs , or recycled objects.

The objective of your front page design for the art book is to build interest and entice the viewer into delving deeper into the pages. Keep in mind that your cover page ideas should represent a part of the artist’s book as a whole, and act as a preview of the project to follow.

Looking for sketchbook cover ideas to inspire? Below are some creative ideas for creating a standout sketchbook cover aesthetics.

Herbarium sketchbook featuring two blue and yellow birds

Color Schemes and Themes

Whether your front page for the art book is full of color or the cover is the only place that isn’t black and white, it’s important to know whether color will enhance your work, and which colors to choose to bring psychological and creative impact to your cover design.

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Perhaps a particular color will bring a social or cultural meaning to the front page art, such as purple’s mysterious or spiritual nature , or the healing, verdant power of green .

Or, maybe you can contrast a pop of color against an otherwise monochrome color scheme to draw attention to the book title or an illustration.

Note also that your chosen colors can evoke particular emotions in your artist’s book’s audience. If most of your art book is in black and white, including color on the front page design will make that much more of an impact.

Alternatively, create a consistent feel throughout your artist’s book by sticking to a simple yet striking color palette throughout, as in this comic book-inspired example by Shahd El-Ezaby , which uses blue, red, and yellow to high-impact effect.

Seven Deadly Sins sketchbook open featuring a female super hero

Artist’s Book: Seven Deadly Sins by Shahd El-Ezaby .

Texture and Mixed Media

The really creative aspect of creating drawing book first page decoration is that you don’t have to be limited by paper or card alone. Hand-painted graphics, textiles , or mixed media elements can add depth, interest, and tactility to your sketchbook cover, and transform your artist’s book into a keepsake treasure to cherish or collect.

Experiment with embroidery on your cover design using a canvas or fabric hardback cover as a foundation, or get creative with scissors, glue, and craft supplies to attach found items, leaves , or feathers onto your cover design.

Bookbinding example featuring handmade cover with stitch art

Artist and illustrator Serene Ng uses thread to create a charming embroidered artist’s book, Where My Wild Things Are .

You can also look into the art of bookbinding when thinking about art book decoration ideas. Traditional bookbinding is an artform in itself, which involves cutting fabric to the size of a wraparound cover, and binding the inside pages with thread, glue, or staples.

The results can be stunningly beautiful, as in the example below from artist Olga Ezova-Denisova .

A fabric-bound book created by artist Olga Ezova-Denisova , featuring metallic foiling and beading.

Collage-Inspired Art Book Cover

An art book front page design can use a collage , which transforms multiple mediums into something new. Elements of the collage might be found in this art book, or this collage might simply express its content in a new way.

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Collage compositions are beautiful and effective ways of bringing layers, textures, and a wide range of elements together into one design, making them a great choice for the indecisive or eclectic artist!

A maximalist collage cover design can still be given a focal point by bringing a strong graphic to the foreground, or using color to cleverly draw the eye towards particular areas of the composition.

Collages have a naturally anarchic and hand-crafted feel, making them a perfect choice for artist’s books themed around counter-culture, politics, or nature .

Artist Olga Ezova-Denisova crafting her book

Artist’s book: Herbarium & Birds by Olga Ezova-Denisova .

3. Photography Book Cover Ideas

Artist’s books aren’t limited to drawing, illustration, and collage. Some artist’s books focus on photography as a medium through which to express creative ideas or to showcase artworks in an atmospheric, immersive way.

A photography book requires different cover page ideas that incorporate multiple photos, or focus on a single photo as a representative image of the mood, theme, or content of the book.

Not sure where to begin with creating photographic cover pages for art books? Here are a few subsets of photography book cover ideas to get the ball rolling.

Artwork Photography

Looking for a creative way to showcase your past projects or exhibition work in your artist’s book? Photographs of your artwork in situ can transport the reader to a gallery or public space and you can choose how to present the artwork with complete freedom through your choice of art photos.

This type of artist’s book can be a great promotional tool for public realm artists or artists who create artworks in natural environments or temporary settings.

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In this example by lighting artist Elisa Artesero , the artist captures the mood and atmosphere of her outdoor artworks through atmospheric street photography and macro-photography that captures beautiful moments of reflection, weather, and light .

She also enhances the feel of the photography through typography and poetry to create an immersive experience for the viewer.

Photography sketchbook cover art example

An artist’s book by Elisa Artesero that combines photography of artworks with atmospheric poetry.

A zine is a mini magazine that is often self-published or printed in small batches. A photo zine can feature travel photography, polaroid portraits, or street photography, giving the art zine an alt-culture feel.

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While a photo zine is more casual in nature than a traditional photography art book, these artsy magazines can be good for supporting larger art projects or recording the atmosphere of an exhibition, trip, or work-in-progress period.

Opt for the casual mood of polaroid style photography, or create photo collages or moodboards mixing images, type, and graphics for an eclectic sketchbook cover idea.

Silver Linings photo zine with images of a boat on a mountain lake

A photographic zine, Silver Linings , by Andrea Molteni .

Black and White Photo Book

Looking for sketch book cover ideas with an eye for detail? Black and white photography is a fantastic medium for showcasing detail, texture, or giving a fresh perspective to portraits, travel photography, or nature images.

Black and white images on the front page design for an art book set a serious and artistic tone that invites the reader to focus on the content and emotional impact of the imagery, rather than be distracted by bright, energetic colors.

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If you want to create an artist’s book cover themed on landscape, nature, or street photography, black and white photography might be the perfect way to bring out the emotive qualities of your art.

How to decorate the first page of the art book with monochrome photography? Consider contrasting your black and white photos against plenty of white space to create a framing effect, or introduce a limited amount of color through use of graphics, borders , or typography.

Nomadic Eyes art book cover with black and white macro photography

A black and white photography art book, Nomadic Eyes , by Chia-Lin Wu .

Seriously Creative Cover Page Ideas

Art book cover ideas require creativity, originality, and a dash of eccentricity! When you, as an artist, have complete control over the look and feel of your front page art, there’s really no limit to your creativity.

In this article, we’ve looked at inspirational ideas for introducing different and unique elements to your design, from embroidered illustrations to found materials and strong, bold color.

In addition, we’ve covered how to present your creative ideas in photographic form with a photo book or art zine.

Now, go have fun with it!

Need a few more book cover design ideas? Don’t miss these inspirational tutorials for creative cover design:

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License this cover image via Master1305 .

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How to Decorate a Sketchbook Cover: From Simple to Artistic

Your sketchbook is home to all of your creativity, and in many instances, you’ll want the outside of your sketchbook to reflect your personality and your art style.

No matter if you’re using your book as a professional portfolio or just for casual personal use, being able to transform a bland cover into something unique and representative of your art style can be quite beneficial.

If you’ve ever wondered how to decorate a sketchbook cover, there are plenty of tricks, tips, and ideas in this guide to help you make the most out of a traditional sketchbook.

Steps for Decorating a Sketchbook

Step 1: Finding the Right Decorative Products

If there’s one thing that can be said about the stores where you buy your sketchbooks and crafting mediums, it’s that there’s an array of other decorative items that you should set your sights on when you decide to start decorating the cover of your sketchbook. All you have to do is open your mind and be willing to try out new things such as fake flowers, burlap, or even sketchbook stickers.

It’s important to collect an assortment of items that work well together, especially since they will all be affixed to the front of your sketchbook and you want to make sure that everything looks cohesive. For example, if you’re opting for an old-school sepia-toned theme, then make sure everything falls together seamlessly.

Step 2: Getting the Basics

Once you’ve amassed a collection of different things you want to put on the front and back of your sketchbook, you’re also going to need to shop for the essential products that might not be as fun to find, but are just as important.

You would surely need to get your hands on some Mod Podge as this gives you the ability to affix things to the front of your journal permanently. You can also rely on a hot glue gun or super glue if you’re not comfortable using the adhesive that comes with the decorative items you’ve chosen.

It might also be a good idea to get your hands on a paintbrush and a pair of tweezers as these two items can make it easier to find the perfect places for different decorations without getting your hands dirty.

Step 3: Plan Your Design

Now that you have everything you’ll need to learn how to decorate a sketchbook cover, you’re going to want to plan your design before you start matting things down on the cover. It’s important to remember that with the majority of adhesive you’ll be working with, rearranging decorations are going to be relatively impossible without mangling both the décor and the cover of your sketchbook.

This is when you’re going to want to take some time to draw up inspiration and find the perfect placement for everything that you have purchased. However, if you’re drawing a blank, below are some great ideas that you can use for designing the front of your sketchbook:

Glittered spine:

If you really want to set an impression that you won’t soon forget, adding some glitter and Mod Podge to the spine of your sketchbook will add the perfect amount of glitz and glam without getting too overwhelming.

Geometric crafting tape:

By taking the time to find four to five different types of crafting tape with different colors and designs that work well together, you can cut geometric shapes out of the tape and affix them to the front of your sketchbook in a pattern across the entire cover.

Monogrammed cover:

For a more classic design that is easy for anyone to achieve, a monogrammed cover is a great choice because all it requires is your first and last initial cut out of a crafting paper with a brilliant design. You can then add any other elements such as ribbons, inspirational pictures, or even burlap for an added effect.

Sketched cover:

Above all else, if you want the world to see your sketching capabilities, nothing is stopping you from creating a front cover that has your sketches on it. Just be sure to choose a medium that shows up well on the color of your cover and ensure that you seal it properly, so it doesn’t get damaged when you throw it in your bag or backpack.

Step 4: Start Creating

Now that you have the perfect plan for the cover of your sketchbook, it’s time to start creating. It’s best if you glue everything down piece-by-piece, so you don’t forget about any placement ideas, but make sure that you keep an open mind as you go along.

Remember, learning how to decorate a sketchbook cover is just as creative as all of the drawings you have inside of the sketchbook, and making an alternative plan halfway through your project is something that you should be open to.

Step 5: Seal and Let Dry

No matter if you affixed pictures to the front of your sketchbook or if you added 3D crafting items, it’s important that you seal the front of your book with Mod Podge as this helps to make sure that you won’t lose any pieces of your cover over the years. With the combination of the right adhesive and a sealant, you’ll be able to keep the sketchbook in its original condition for longer.

Learning how to decorate your sketchbook cover is all based on your level of creativity and the things that you’d like to show the world. If you’re creating a professional portfolio, remember that whoever you show it to will get an impression of your art style from the cover.

It’s essential that the sketchbook resembles your personal art style and the content that is within the pages.

About the Author

Rob Miller is an amateur sketch artist, a freelance writer and a keen foodie. When not sketching and writing - he loves to read and explore the nature, especially the beach near his home.

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DIY Sketchbook Cover Design

Post author: Christina
Post published: September 19, 2019
Post category: DIY How To's & Tutorials

Welcome back creative fam! Designing the covers of my sketchbooks is something I have always enjoyed doing! After a while, if you’re like me and have a mountain of sketchbooks, it’s hard to remember which pieces are in which sketchbooks. Therefore, having a design on the front is a great way to keep yourself inspired and organized. So, I thought I’d share with you all my DIY sketchbook cover design process!

There are many ways to design your cover. In the past I have taken out a piece of paper from the book, designed it, then taped it to the cover, which works fine. My favorite cover designs have been when I painted the the actual cover itself, which is what I will explain in this blog.

Step by Step :

Buy/Select sketchbook to decorate
Sketch out cover ideas & pick your favorite design
Remove cover if on a spiral (optional)
Paint base color
Sketch the design on your cover
Finalize (Paint/Ink/color/etc.)
Attach the cover back on if removed & enjoy!

Supplies I use in this example : spray paint, acrylic paint, paintbrushes, white colored pencil

Let’s get creative!

Step 1 : Buy/Select sketchbook to decorate

Depending on if you need a new sketchbook you can buy one or use one you already have. I wanted a new watercolor sketchbook so I am using a new one in this example. Having a spiral sketchbook can make decorating a little easier because it can be removed but it isn’t necessary.

Step 2 : Sketch out cover ideas & pick your favorite design

I usually sketch out a few ideas before I pick one to make sure I have the one I like best. It also gives me more ideas for covers in the future or a piece I’d like to create by itself.

Step 3 : Remove cover if on a spiral (optional)

You don’t have to do this step if you don’t want to, or if you don’t have a removable cover. It makes it a bit easier when painting so I went ahead and removed it. It is pretty easy to remove, just flip your sketchbook over and loosen the wire, then your cover should be able to slide right off.

If you are not removing your cover and you’re painting it, make sure to keep a piece of paper between the cover and the first page so you don’t accidentally mark on your first page. I would also encourage taping off the binding.

Step 4 : Paint base color

It is a lot easier for me to design on a clean background, which most sketchbooks don’t have. For this step I decided to spray paint my cover black. I used about 2 or 3 layers to completely cover it. You can also use acrylic paint if you prefer that method.

Step 5 : Sketch the design on your cover

Depending on what your design is you will want to sketch out where to paint. For my design of the lightbulb and script I definitely wanted a guide to paint by instead of winging it. But hey, you can be brave and skip this if you want. 😉

I sketched on top of my black spray paint with a white colored pencil.

Step 6 : Finalize (Paint/Ink/color/etc.)

To finalize my design I am using acrylic paint. I used white, yellow, orange, and red paint for the glowing parts, and then silver and black for the bottom of the bulb.

Step 7 : Attach the cover back on if removed & enjoy!

To put the cover back on, slide it back into its place and tighten the wire back. Your cover is done!! Now you can fill up the pages with more amazing artwork! Have fun!

Check out the video on my YouTube channel!

Let me know if you have designed a sketchbook cover before or if you are going to! I’d love to hear about your experience!

Instagram : @christinaannstudios

Facebook : @christinaannstudios.art

DeviantArt : @christinaannstudios

Email : [email protected]

If you’re new here , welcome to Christina Ann Studios! I am so pumped about this opportunity to grow as an artist with you. Christina Ann Studios is basically where I share my artwork and inspiration with you guys. I will be posting blogs 2+ times a month about a variety of fun art projects and ideas. You can also check out my new YouTube channel where I make all sorts of art related videos like how-to’s, tutorials, lessons, speed paints, and DIY projects. My work mostly includes watercolor, acrylic, sketchbook work, and digital painting. I would love for you to get involved and I will always try to respond to your comments on all my social media accounts! Love you creative fam!

Till next time,

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Sketchbook Cover Ideas

I realized the kids at art school were much cooler than I was when I got there with my plain black sketchbook, and theirs were all painted and drawn-on and beautifully tattered. I had a lot to learn. But, armed with supplies, I was up to the task.

I’m giving my girl a leg-up by introducing her to the concept of arting up her sketchbooks early on in life. Only then will she have the self-confidence to face the other kids at art school in 9 years. Of course, by then, all the kids will have had solo museum shows at age 17, so who am I fooling?

In any event, we still had fun with Fen’s sketchbook. We primed the cover with 2 coats of gesso first. We don’t bother to sand the gesso or try too hard to smooth it out with the brush, because we like the texture.

After it had dried, Fen decided she wanted to collage the cover with small pieces of rice papers. Alternatively, you can use non-bleeding tissue paper.

rice papers for sketchbook collage | Artchoo!

After the glue had dried, she brushed a layer of Mod Podge over the cover and let it dry. She had used Mod Podge in art class before, but I was a little excited, as I was a Mod Podge virgin.

rice paper collaged sketchbook project | Artchoo!

How cool! The Mod Podge gave it a beautiful finish- you can see all the little rice paper fibers.

Now you obviously need some ideas to fill your sketchbook, and I have 50 sketchbook ideas right here.

More sketch book cover ideas:

49 Creative Sketchbook Ideas to Spark Your Imagination

By: Author Valerie Forgeard

Posted on Published: August 27, 2022 - Last updated: July 31, 2023

Categories Creativity , Art , Inspiration

Do you love drawing and painting but are stuck in a creative rut? Are you looking for new sketchbook ideas to help jump-start your imagination? If so, you have come to the right place! This blog post will share 49 creative ideas for your next sketchbook. It also gives detailed information about choosing and using sketchbooks. From nature sketches to character designs, there is something for everyone here. So what are you waiting for? Get inspired and get drawing!

49 Sketchbook Ideas

Draw a picture of yourself.
Draw a self-portrait with your eyes closed
Draw what you think the future you’ll look like in 20 years.
Draw a picture of your favorite animal or pet.
Draw a portrait of a stranger on the subway/bus/train/etc. (with picture).
Draw a picture of someone who inspires you, such as an author or artist who’s influenced your life.
Draw a picture of your favorite place in the world.
Draw a picture of something that makes you happy (the sky, a cupcake, etc.).
Draw a picture of something that makes you angry or sad (an injustice).
Draw a picture of an object from nature (a flower, an insect).
Draw a picture of a place from your childhood memories (your room when you were little).
Draw someone who influenced your life for the better – someone who made it possible for you to live in this world and grow into who you’re today!
Draw a picture of where you’d like to travel once you’ve saved enough money!
Pencil sketch a bird’s eye view of your house or the street where you live so you can get a feel for what it looks like from above.
Draw an architectural element you like, such as a Victorian-style window or a curved roofline.
Sketch a piece of furniture in the room you’re sitting in, then ask yourself if it would look better in another room of your house. If so, redraw it there!
Draw the inside of your favorite store or restaurant and imagine you’re one of the customers walking through the store looking for a particular product (such as a new pair of shoes).
Draw something you see in the sky above you right now (this could be a bird, an airplane, or even the sun)
Draw a picture of the food you ate today.
Draw a picture of your favorite toy as a child.
Draw what your bedroom looks like now!
Draw the last item you bought online and then draw what it looks like in its packaging.
Draw yourself as one of your favorite characters from a movie or series ( TV ), or draw someone else as one of their favorite characters from those series/movies!
Draw yourself doing something completely different from what you’ve done before (like skydiving or playing guitar).
Draw something to go with each letter of the alphabet! This can be the letters themselves or words that start with that letter (e.g., “apple” for A). Or just draw whatever comes to mind for each letter – whatever helps you finish quickly so you can move on to other things!
Draw something from your childhood memory
Draw something you wish existed in real life
Draw someone who inspires you but doesn’t show their face
Draw something you’re really good at
Draw people doing everyday things, like sleeping or eating lunch at their desk
Draw what you ate for breakfast
Draw something you feel confident doing, then draw what happens when you don’t feel confident anymore.
Draw a few possible logos or branding ideas for yourself, a friend’s business/project, etc.
Draw a picture of yourself as an object – like a flower or a vegetable – and explain why you chose that particular object.
Sketch the floor plan of your dream house (or apartment).
Draw a picture of yourself in a different country every day for a week, or draw a place from each continent over a month.
Draw a few famous paintings from history that you know well (like Starry Night or The Scream). Then try drawing them again blindfolded or with your eyes closed!
Draw a picture of a family having dinner together
Draw every time you go for a walk
Draw a list of things you want to do today
Sketch what your ideal day off would look like – what would you do on it? Where would you go? Who’d you spend time with? What would the weather be like?
Sketch an object that reminds you of someone who’s passed away (e.g., their favorite book or flower). This can be a fun way to remember the deceased person abstractly without the pain they left behind seeming overwhelming.
Draw a picture of your favorite book cover or what you think is the most beautiful book cover of all time
Illustrate your favorite book. Illustration can be fun and give us different angles on a story; sometimes, it can lead to a new drawing idea.
Sketch out goals for yourself for the next year: physical goals (exercise more), mental goals (learn another language), and professional goals (start a business). Use a timeline: When did these goals become important to you? When did they suddenly become more urgent than ever before?
Create a graphic representation of your favorite song lyrics.
Sketch the perfect outfit for any occasion (work, school, weekend).
Draw your ideal closet
Sketch what you’d do if you only had 24 hours left on earth (before the end of the world)

How to Choose a Sketchbook

Choosing a sketchbook can be a challenge because there are so many options these days. Here are 10 tips to help you choose a sketchbook that fits your needs.

1. Choose a Size That Fits Your Needs

Size is important when choosing a sketchbook because it determines the number of pages you can fit. If you draw in your sketchbook daily, you should choose it to fit your daily work.

You should also consider the size of your hands when choosing the best size for your sketchbook. If you’ve small hands, a smaller sketchbook will probably be more comfortable than using a larger one.

If you plan to use the sketchbook at home or simply need more space to draw, you should choose a larger one.

2. Choose a Type of Paper

The type of paper is important.

If you get a sketchbook, the type of paper can make all the difference in your experience with the book. Some sketchbooks are good for sketching but not so good for writing or doodling. Other sketchbooks are good for doodling but not so good for drawing.

The first step in choosing paper is to think about what kind of artwork you want to create in your sketchbook. A sketchbook with a smooth surface is best if you mainly draw with a pencil or pen. A rough surface may be better for you if you mainly draw with acrylics or watercolors.

3. Look for a Variety of Sketches

Sketchbooks with pages of different types of paper will help you improve your drawing skill in several ways. First, the different textures let you try different mediums – pencil, charcoal, watercolor – and keep everything in one place. Avoid oil and acrylic paint or mediums that are too thick or take too long to dry.

Second, these types of sketchbooks force you to work on different surfaces and learn how to adapt your style to the particular characteristics of each surface; for example, if you work with pencil or charcoal on rough paper, your lines will be much heavier than if you draw them with a pen or marker on smooth paper.

If this helps you improve as an artist, keep that in mind when choosing the right sketchbook!

4. Pay Attention to the Quality vs Price

When you’re choosing a sketchbook, quality is key. But it can be difficult to know how much to spend if you’re on a budget and looking for the best possible price.

You should ensure your sketchbook is durable enough to be used regularly but not so expensive that you’ve trouble replacing it when it wears out.

Suppose you’re using your sketchbook for professional purposes (or just want it to look like it’s been used professionally). In that case, this is especially important – you don’t want your drawings to be thrown away because they can’t be properly preserved.

5. Look for a Sketchbook Whose Pages Lie Flat

When sketching, it’s important that you can draw without the paper curling up or getting in your way. Many sketchbooks are bound with glue, so the pages can’t lie flat. This can make it difficult to draw and cause problems when drawing.

6. Choose a Sketchbook With a Good Binding, So the Pages Don’t Fall Out or Tear Easily

The binding is the part of your sketchbook that holds the pages together. If it’s not well made, your book will be difficult to open and close, and the pages will fall out or tear easily. Also, if the binding isn’t sturdy enough, you risk damaging your sketchbook if you accidentally bend it too much while turning the pages.

7. Consider Buying Several Sketchbooks at Once So You Can Swap Them Out When They Get Full or When You Want to Try Something New

When you’re just starting, buying just one sketchbook and using it for everything can be tempting. But what if you want to try a new medium? Or if you just need to do some quick sketches and don’t have time to wait for the ink to dry?

If you’re unsure and can afford it, buying several sketchbooks at once is a great way to avoid these problems. You can always replace them when they’re full or if you want to try something new.

8. Pay Attention to the Material of the Cover of Your Sketchbook Before You Buy It – You Want Something That Will Last and Not Crack or Fade in Sunlight

Sketchbooks are an essential part of being a good artist. But how can you figure out which one is the best for you?

It’s not just about choosing a sketchbook that looks cool – you also want to make sure it’ll last. Before buying a sketchbook, you should look at the cover material because some materials get cracked or fade in sunlight.

9. Make Sure There Are Enough Sheets in Each Book, So You Don’t Run Out Too Quickly!

The best sketchbooks are the ones that have enough sheets so you can capture your ideas, but not so many that you run out! That way, you won’t run out so quickly and have to buy a new one.

10. Try Different Types of Sketchbooks Until One Suits You

You’ve started sketching and are quite happy with your progress. You’re just getting the hang of it and starting to see some really amazing things in your art.

But then… something happens: you run out of ideas for what you could draw. You want to make more art, but nothing is left to draw!

The solution is simple: try different styles of sketchbooks until one suits you.

Some people like very small and compact sketchbooks, so they can take them everywhere. Others like big, thick sketchbooks with lots of space to fill the pages with drawings and write their thoughts about their progress as artists. Some people even like spiral-bound notebooks with an elastic band to keep everything together without worrying about losing pages!

You’ll probably find that once you start using a particular style (or even brand) that best suits your tastes, it’s easier to figure out what supplies work best for your drawing style.

How To Start a Sketchbook

You can start a sketchbook in any way that suits you.

Here are a few tips to help you get started:

An easy step is to start with a simple idea on a blank page (e.g: random geometric shapes or a simple shape like a house). You may want to sketch lots of different shapes first, or you may want to draw characters from your favorite book or movie. Either is a good place to start!

Find a medium that suits you. If you’re new to drawing, try drawing pencils or pens first – they’re easier to control than brushes, which are harder for beginners to handle. However, if you’ve been drawing for years and are comfortable with painting techniques like watercolor or oil paints, then sketching with any medium should be easy for you!
get inspired by the work of other artists or a famous painting – or even by things that aren’t art but inspire you anyway (like nature). You’ll be amazed at what happens when you take time each day to sit down with your materials and let your mind wander!
If you don’t know where to start, consider taking an art class and trying out a drawing lesson before you buy a sketchpad to get an idea of whether you’re ready to begin your creative journey.

How To Organize a Sketchbook

If you’re wondering how to organize your sketchbook, here are some tips:

Keep it small. Sketchbooks are great because they’re easy to carry, and you can easily take them. But sometimes, a big sketchbook can be overwhelming – especially if you’re just starting! If you’re having trouble staying organized or taking up too much space in your sketchbook, pick up a smaller one instead of continuing to use the big one.
Think about what kind of sketches you’ll be doing most often. Will you be doing layouts? Character design? Storyboarding? If so, make sure these pages are separated from each other, so they don’t get mixed up or accidentally erased while you’re working on other projects.
Consider color-coding your pages by topic, so it’s easy for anyone who looks at them later (like future employers!). Separate sections may be useful to you in the future when you’ll look for a specific sketch.
Keep everything in one place. If you’re unsure where to draw, keep all your materials in one place (like a colored pencil case). That way, all your materials are easy to find and even easier to put away when you’re done.
Organize your sketches by subject or object. For example, if you want to keep all your drawings from a particular trip, you can group them in the same binder section. If you’re trying to draw more realistically, separate them from your other sketches in a different section.

Should You Draw on Both Sides of a Sketchbook?

It depends.

If you’re using a small sketchbook, it’s not a bad idea to draw on both sides – but only if it’s the right sketchbook. If you’re just drawing doodles and random sketches, it’s fine to draw on both sides. However, if you’re using a larger sheet of paper or trying to create something that looks like a picture, you shouldn’t! You’ll have difficulty drawing straight lines on both sides of the paper.

So if you have a big sketchbook and you’re drawing more serious stuff in it, don’t worry about drawing on both sides. But if you have a small sketchbook and want to ensure your drawings look good on both sides? Then go for it – it’ll save space!

Are Sketchbooks Supposed to Be Messy?

The beauty of sketchbooks is that they’re not just for sketching. They’re also for doodling, scribbling, and writing down ideas – all of those things should be messy!

Think of it this way: If you made a collage or a puzzle, would you put the pieces in a neat pile? No, of course, you wouldn’t! You’d leave them and put them together in whatever order suits you. And that’s exactly how you should handle your sketchbook – you should be all over the place with your ideas, feelings, and drawings.

It should show where your head is when you’re working on something creative! But when working on a project in your sketchbook, it’s best to use a clean page every time. When taking notes or sketching out your idea, you can always go back and look at what you’ve done – and even change it if you need to. If you keep using the same page, it can get confusing and hard to understand later.

If you’ve trouble with this, try using one page for each process step. That way, if something doesn’t work right the first time, you’ll have a flawless page to try again later!

How To Fix Mistakes in Your Sketchbook

You can cover mistakes in your sketchbook with a ruler and an eraser if you use drawing pencils.

First, you need to measure where you want the cover-up. It needs to be as wide as the original mistake, or it’ll look funny. You can make it wider if you want, but it’s best if it stays close to the width of the original bug, so it doesn’t look like someone drew in extra lines on purpose.

Next, use the ruler and eraser to draw across your mistake. Use small strokes that follow the contours of your original drawing idea so that when you erase it later, it’ll look like there was never a mistake! However, if you use other media, you won’t be able to cover your mistakes.

How To Make Your Sketchbook Look Interesting

You don’t have to buy a fancy sketchbook to make your drawings look interesting. Using a graphite pencil or watercolor, you can make your pages look beautiful.

Crayons are another great way to add color to your drawings. Crayons are easy to use because they come in different shapes and sizes, so you can pick the one that best fits your project! They also come in many colors, so there’s something for everyone!

The best thing about crayons is that they’re easy to find in any art supplies store. You can use them to draw anything from landscapes to portraits of animals or people. Plus, they come in many colors, so you can choose which ones you need for your project.

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365 Drawing Ideas for Your Sketchbook

Need some ideas for what to draw in your sketchbook? This list of 365 drawing ideas is sure to inspire you to doodle, draw, or sketch something every single day of the year!

This list of 365 drawing ideas is sure to inspire you to doodle, draw, or sketch something every single day of the year! You can choose whether to draw one drawing a day, go in the list in order, or simply skip around and choose the ones you like best!

Here are 365 Drawing Ideas to Inspire:

1. view from the park.

Parks are great sources of inspiration for drawing. Snap a few of your own reference photos of monuments, benches, and scenes that capture your eye or spend some time in the park with your sketchbook drawing the different scenes you notice.

2. Hot Air Balloon

Hot air balloons are mesmerizing to watch in the sky and can be a beautiful and whimsical thing to learn how to draw. While it’s not too common anymore to see one floating past you in real-life, there are MANY photos out there that you can use as a reference.

Snap a photo of yourself or try drawing yourself while you look in a mirror.

You might see leaves on the ground during autumn or notice them on trees in the spring and summer. Choose a few different leaf shapes to draw.

They say once you learn how to ride a bike you never forget – so why not try the same thing with learning to draw a bicycle? You can make it realistic or simply create a fun doodle.

6. Hedgehog

Hedgehogs are adorable spiny creatures most commonly found in Europe, Asia, and Africa, and in New Zealand. Draw one today!

7. Baseball and/or Baseball Glove

This was actually an assignment we had in high school to practice realistic sketching and shading using nothing more than a #2 pencil!

8. Fruit Bowl

The classic fruit bowl still life might not sound like the most creative idea for drawing, but have you tried it? You might just be surprised. You could also draw a still life of bananas, oranges, apples, or grapes.

9. Tropical Fish

There are so many types of tropical fish to consider as an idea for things that are easy to draw – choose from an angel fish, a clown fish or even maybe a butterflyfish!

10. Skyscrapers

We see so many great examples of skyscraper architecture in our cities that there are endless sources of inspiration for types of skyscrapers you could draw. Take your sketchbook out locally to a city near you, or spend some time drawing iconic skyscrapers such as the Bank of China Tower, the Taipei 101, or the Chrysler Building.

Dragons are mythical creatures that have been a drawing subject since ancient times. Draw a dragon with a knight in shining armor, a Chinese dragon, or maybe even a friendly dragon that helps you roast marshmallows.

Unlock the power of your creativity by drawing some keys! You can choose to draw old fashioned skeleton keys or draw a sketch of the keys out of your purse or your house key.

13. Volcano

Have you ever seen a volcano in real life? Even if you’ve only seen one in movies or in photographs they can be fascinating subjects for art and sketching.

14. Sail Boat

Sailboats are often see on lakes and at marinas and can have all sorts of beautiful designs on the sails.

Draw a teddy bear, a brown bear or a grizzly bear – your choice!

Lay down on a blanket in your yard or at a park and spend some time cloud-gazing for inspiration on what to draw.

17. Family Member

You can have a family member pose while you create a portrait sketch of them, or draw a portrait based on a photo of someone you know.

What can I say about sharks? They have big teeth, they live in the ocean, and they can be very fun and popular to draw.

19. Feather

Birds of a feather…are a great thing to draw! You can make them icon style, or try to recreate a realistic feather on paper.

20. T-Shirt

Surely you have a t-shirt in your closet that would make for a great subject for drawing.

21. The Kitchen

Kitchens are where food is made and are often overlooked as the perfect place to sketch to get a glimpse into your everyday life.

22. Satellite:

Satellites are constantly in orbit around our earth, and they are very interesting looking items with many different geometric lines to use to build your drawing skills.

23. Penguin

Penguins are seabirds that live in mostly cold climates. They don’t fly but they sure do love to swim!

24. Fashion Sketch

What’s trending in the fashion world? Come up with your own fashion designs or take inspiration from some of the leading fashion designers to create your own fashion sketches.

The best part about aliens as a drawing idea? You can make them look like almost anything your imagination can think of, since it is very rare to actually see them in real-life.

26. Pirate Ship

Ahoy Matey! Pirate ships are a great thing to draw in your sketchbook and can be realistic or make your own cartoon.

27. Skateboard

The nice thing about drawing a skateboard is its not nearly as intimidating as trying to actually ride a skateboard.

Celebrate today by drawing a beautiful cake! You can choose how many layers, what kind of icing, and what type of topper fits the occasion. There are so many ideas to draw for what kind of cake you make!

29. Butterfly

There are so many different kinds of beautiful butterflies you could draw, such as monarchs or swallowtail butterflies.

30. Race Car

Vroom vroom, race cars are designed for speed. Draw your favorite kind of race car, whether it’s an old fashioned derby style car or a racecar fit for Nascar tournament.

If you have a cat you can draw a portrait of your own pet or of course you could make a cartoon cat – we all know and love Garfield the Cat and his affinity for lasagna.

With over 190 registered dog breeds by the American Kennel Club you could almost make it a daily challenge just to draw a different type of dog.

33. Super Hero

It’s a bird, it’s a plane…it’s super man! Draw one of your favorite super heroes or create your own!

34. Cup of Coffee or Tea

If you’re going to drink coffee or tea every day, you might as well sketch it, right? Not a coffee or tea drinker? You can always sketch a glass of water.

35. Dinosaur

Dinosaur…roar! Draw a T-rex, a brontosaurus, a triceratops, pterodactyl or a velociraptor if you wish – there are so many great dinosaurs to choose from as sketchbook inspiration!

36. Web Icons

Web icons have become so common place we see them everywhere online. Sketch some icons for your favorite social media channels or visit a site like flaticon.com for inspiration!

Pizza can be a lot of fun to draw, especially because you get to choose the toppings! Will you make it a veggie pizza, pepperoni pizza or maybe a Hawaiian pizza with pineapple and ham?

38. Dandelions

Every kid knows if you blow on a dandelion and make a wish your wish will come true, much to the dismay of gardeners everywhere who view them as weeds. These edible flowers make for a great easy drawing idea.

39. Hair Styles

Draw a braid, an up-do, or even crazy Medusa inspired snake hair if you wish.

40. Necklace, Bracelet or Rings

Jewelry can be a very interesting thing to sketch or draw, especially if the jewelry has special meaning to you, such as a necklace or ring passed on through your family or given to you by someone special.

41. Ice Cream Cone

Ice cream comes in all sorts of different flavors, and of course there are many different shapes and sizes of cones to choose from, whether its a cake cone, a sugar cone or a waffle cone!

42. Aquarium

Aquariums are beautiful habitats for all sorts of fish and can include plants or even decorative items.

43. Haunted House

It doesn’t have to be Halloween to enjoy drawing a spooky and haunted house. Don’t forget details like cracked windows and bent railings – and maybe even a few spirits peeking through.

Whether you draw a beautiful covered bridge scene or a bridge that goes over a river or harbor through the city, bridges give you plenty of architectural inspiration to use as drawing ideas!

45. Crazy Hats

Go ahead, give yourself permission to be a mad hatter and design as many crazy hats as you can think of!

46. Chevron Patterns

Chevrons are fun to draw and there are so many different pattern variations you can try!

You could draw a chandelier, a bedside table lamp, or maybe even a lava lamp!

48. Cruise Ship

Cruise ships are designed to take tourists to view the sights and scenes along the ocean coast. Draw the view from the deck or draw the view from one you can see passing by on the coast.

49. Planets in Outer Space

Draw a single planet like Mars, Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Neptune or Jupiter – or draw the whole solar system!

They say eyes are the window of the soul, and it’s true you can learn a lot about a person’s feelings and thoughts based on how their eyes look. Draw your own eyes or draw the mesmerizing eyes of different animals.

51. Caricature

A caricature is a type of cartoon drawing where something about the subject is exaggerated to be funny. For example, if your friend loves to knit or crochet, you might exaggerate the ball of yarn in their hand. Use this drawing idea to make a funny sketch of your friends, family members or even a pet or celebrity.

Everybody needs shoes to walk around, so go ahead and grab the pair of shoes you wear everyday and sketch them!

53. Dream Catcher

Dream catchers are designed to catch bad dreams and keep nightmares away. They are a lot of fun to draw!

54. Rocket Ship

Fly to the moon or a distant galaxy far, far away in your very own rocket ship you can design with this simple idea for drawing.

55. House Plants

Whether it’s a succulent, an aloe vera plant, or a terrarium, if you have anything green growing in your house it can be an excellent source of inspiration for drawing ideas.

56. Inspiring Quote

Practice your hand-lettering by illustrating one of your favorite quotes, sayings, or verse from a poem.

Guitars are stringed instruments that can instantly make us tap our feet and sing along. You can choose to sketch an acoustic guitar or an electric guitar.

58. Deciduous Trees

Deciduous trees are the type of trees that lose their leaves in the winter. Examples include oak trees, maple trees, cherry trees, and ash trees. You can choose what season to show the tree – is it spring, winter, summer or autumn?

59. Circus Clown

Clowns can be funny, happy, sad…or even scary! You get to decide which you wish to draw with this drawing prompt.

60. Fairy Tale

Illustrate a scene from your favorite fairy tale. Some examples include Snow White and the 7 Dwarves, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, or Hansel and Gretel.

Bottles come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. You could draw a message in a bottle, soda bottles, apothecary bottles and more.

62. What You Last Ate:

What you last ate for breakfast, lunch or dinner is a simple and obvious drawing idea, but so few people think to actually do it and is a great idea for something to include in a sketchbook.

63. Parrot:

Parrots are colorful and tropical birds, so pull out the colored pencils or some inks to make this come alive in your journal.

What is your favorite book? You could choose to draw a stack of books or draw the cover of a recent book you’ve read and enjoyed.

65. Elephants

They say an elephant never forgets, and if you draw one you will have a picture to remember an elephant by forever!

66. Camping Scene

Whether you want to draw a travel trailer or a tent, sketch a camping scene. Don’t forget the campfire and marshmallows!

Tigers are big cats with interesting black and orange striped patterns, making them the perfect subject for a page in your sketchbook.

Cartoon-like roses can be easy to draw – they are just a spiral and a circle. Or, challenge your skills to draw a life-like rose complete with petals and stem – just watch out for those thorns!

Zebras are native to Africa and are another interesting animal to draw that are best well known for their black and white stripes.

70. Monster

Could there be a monster hiding under your bed, or in your closet? Probably not, but you never know – which is why you should draw a bigger, more friendlier monster to protect you and scare away all other monsters.

You might remember globes from school and they make for fantastic drawing objects, especially if you are a travel or geography buff.

72. Staircase

We see steps everywhere in regular life, whether it’s in your house, in a park, or maybe even a spiraling staircase along a water tower like in the photo above I took at a nearby park by my house.

73. Peacock

My grandparents used to have peacocks when I was a kid, and they are absolutely beautiful and incredible birds with detailed feathers that are perfect for drawing!

74. The Ocean

You could create an under water scene complete with coral and sea creatures like whales, an octopus and more.

75. Crocodile or Alligator

Crocodiles have a longer, V-shaped snout, while alligators have broad U shaped snouts. Either way, you could draw a snapping good crocodile or alligator in your journal – maybe even both!

76. A Clock

What’s the time? There’s always time to draw something daily! Draw a clock tower, a grandfather’s clock, or an alarm clock.

77. Gumball Machine

A gumball machine can be a lot of fun to draw, and of course there is no rule you have to fill it with gumballs – you can always choose to fill it with a different type of candy, it is your drawing afterall!

78. Giraffes

Known for their long necks, make sure you don’t forget their third horn at the top of their heads. We love visiting the giraffes named Louis and Socks at the local zoo where we live.

79. Bubbles

Bubbles make for a great ideas for what to draw, especially because they are relatively easy for beginners and you could fill a whole page with bubbles in no time!

80. Sports Player

Do you have a favorite sport? Sketch a player in action whether its soccer, baseball, football, hockey or badminton.

81. Airplane

There are so many options for what you could draw with an airplane, whether its the plane’s exterior, the interior, the view from the window, or even possibly the pilot’s cockpit.

82. Sunflowers

Sunflowers are bright, cheerful, and one of my favorite flowers to see standing tall in the summer sun.

83. Mountains

Try your hand at this idea for drawing mountains by sketching a Rocky Mountain or Appalachian mountain landscape.

84. Bath Tub

Rub-a-dub Dub, draw a bathtub! Don’t forget your rubber duckie!

There are so many great herbs that you can use for drawing. If you grow your own fresh herbs, set them up in a way you can sketch them as a real subject or use reference photos for herbs like basil, rosemary, and thyme.

86. Family heirlooms

Family heirlooms are always special, and what better way to preserve them than to sketch them in your art journal?

If you’re a lucky duck, you might even be able to see these water birds at a nearby park or lake by you, but plenty of reference photos abound – you can even use the photo I took of a duck here if you’d like as inspiration!

88. Wildflowers

Draw a beautiful landscape meadow of wildflowers, or take inspiration from botanists through history who meticulously sketched and documented wildflowers in the field.

Someone once told me I didn’t draw a very serious spider, so I gave this spider a briefcase, neck tie and his own private office with a certificate just to prove how serious he was.

90. Drawing Supplies

You already have the perfect subject for drawing in your hand – a pen, pencil, bottle of ink or charcoal set all make for great things to draw.

Fairies are enchanting, tiny human-like creatures that have wings and can fly.

92. Woodland Animals

Draw a deer, a raccoon, a fox, a squirrel, or other woodland animals with this drawing idea.

93. Hippie Van

While you may not be able to actually own and live in a hippie van, you can draw one and that’s the next best thing.

94. Ostrich

Ostriches are fun to draw – and you can decide whether or not it sticks its head in the sand! {Of course, they don’t *actually do this* but that’s the nice thing about drawing, you can use your imagination!}

Whether it is just a slice of your favorite kind of pie or the whole thing, your mouth will be watering by the time you are done drawing this one!

Eggs are a great way to practice your shadowing and depth in drawing. And don’t think you’re limited to just plain white eggs like you get at the grocery store – you can always make them different hues and sizes or decorate with patterns and shapes!

Grab a dollar bill or some loose change and try drawing it. This is a great way to practice shading, depth and more if you want to create realistic drawings.

98. Cooking Utensils & Kitchen Gadgets

Don’t use your blender that often? It’s the perfect opportunity to finally put it to use as a drawing subject! You could also sketch your pots and pans, eating utensils, or other kitchen gadgets you have around the house.

99. Your House

Where we live makes for an excellent idea of what to draw, and you can choose whether to draw the interior or the exterior.

Old fashioned radios are fascinating objects, and many times they still work even in today’s world of digital media. Go for a classic vintage radio, or maybe even draw a 90’s style boombox.

101. Fast Food

You know the drill: soda, burger and fries.

We have smart phones with us almost every day – why not draw it in your sketchbook and document that? Or, draw an old rotary phone for a throwback to the days before cell phones existed.

You could draw a hammer, screw driver, drill, saw, wrench or draw the whole toolbox.

104. Arrows

There are so many different styles of arrows you could try drawing, whether you make arrow doodles or draw a realistic bow and arrow set.

105. Jelly Beans

Known for their unique shape, multiple colors and best found in Easter baskets, jelly beans are a great idea for something to draw!

106. Game Controller

Are you a gamer? Whether it’s Play Station, X-Box, a Gaming Keyboard, or an old school Atari controller, draw a game controller that reminds you of your favorite video games.

107. Soup Can

Take inspiration from Andy Warhol and try your hand at drawing a soup can.

108. Fireworks

Let your paper be the sky for a colorful display of patterns of light.

109. Forest Scene

Think trees, moss covered rocks and maybe even a stream winding through a forest scene perfect for a landscape sketch.

110. Astrological Signs & Symbols

What’s your sign? You could draw a Pisces fish, the Scales of Libra, the Scorpion of Scorpio or the Archer of Sagittarius for example.

111. Banners

Banners are a lot of fun to draw and you can make them as whimsical as you wish. I love drawing banners in my art journals!

112. Wristwatch

Do you wear a watch? Whether its a smartwatch or a classic watch you wind up, draw a wristwatch in your sketchbook.

113. Nuts, Bolts & Other Hardware

Take a walk down a hardware aisle or go through your garage to find nuts, bolts, and other miscellaneous hardware to sketch and draw.

114. Typewriter

There is something cool about a typewriter, even if they don’t make much sense in today’s digital age…they are definitely fun to draw!

115. Bunnies or Rabbits

Bunnies and rabbits are cute, soft and fluffy. I used to have one as a kid!

Ivy is a plant that spreads, often times along a wall, window or trellis and is best known for beautiful leaf shapes – perfect for drawing in your sketchbook!

117. Machines

We see all kinds of machines in our daily lives – from the washing machine, to the dishwasher to the furnace that keeps our homes warm. You could also invent your own machine!

118. Garden Tools

A garden shovel, gloves, trowel etc are all examples of common garden tools that make the perfect subject for still life drawing ideas.

119. City Skylines

Draw a silhouette of a city skyline, whether it is a local city where you live or one you want to visit someday.

120. What’s on your desk?

Take a look at what is on your desk today and sketch it – no matter how messy your desk may be!

121. Pineapple

Pineapples were named pine apples because of their exterior resembles a pine cone. Often viewed as a symbol of friendship, these tropical fruits are the perfect thing to try drawing!

122. Hearts

You can choose to draw doodle hearts, or draw an anatomically correct depiction of a human heart.

The first steam train was invented in 1804 and many people were afraid to ride them. Today, trains are still used for transportation and shipping. You can make a passenger train or a cargo train. Draw a single box car, the engine, or the caboose!

124. Lawnmower

My husband is always talking about fixing his broken lawnmower, so I had to include it on this list. You can draw a riding mower or a push mower or even a commercial lawnmower.

125. Hourglass

An hourglass is a type of sand filled timer which you’ve probably seen more often in board games.

126. Scissors

A basic and important office supply, drawing realistic scissors can be more challenging than you might think!

127. Mailbox

Everybody gets mail, so why not sketch your mailbox?

128. Ticket

Have you recently gone to an event where you needed a ticket? Draw or sketch that ticket in your sketchbook.

129. Circles

Circles might seem like a mundane drawing idea, but there are so many great ideas for drawing circular patterns and different circle sizes!

If you are lucky enough to have a grape vineyard nearby, you can find a LOT of inspiration to sketch and draw vines! Many different types of vines also grow on trees.

X-rays allow us to see inside someone or something. You can draw an X-ray view of a person or an object.

132. Tunnels

Tunnels are a great way to practice drawing perspective, especially if you are drawing the view from the beginning to the end of a tunnel.

133. People at Work

Millions of people go t work every single day. This could be construction workers, people in your office, or even the cashiers at the store.

134. Ladders

Ladders are another great exercise for drawing perspective. There are also many different kinds of ladders – from step ladders to paint ladders to imaginary ladders that climb all the way to the clouds.

135. Playground

Draw a swingset, sliding board, the view in the sandbox at a nearby park or playground where you live.

136. Swirls

Swirls are fun to draw and can be highly meditative and addictive! Fill a page with swirls or practice drawing some swirly flourishes.

137. Dancing

Draw people who are dancing, and be sure their clothes and dance moves reflect the type of music they are dancing to!

138. Sunglasses or Eyeglasses

Set up a pair of your sunglasses or eyeglasses on a table and start sketching them.

139. Hills & Valleys

Rolling hills and valleys can give a typical landscape sketch a lot of visual interest.

140. Rocks & Stones

Are you a rock collector? Have you ever been to a rocky beach or noticed rocks along the shore of a river? Take some time to draw the details of rocks or stones.

Good fences make good neighbors, according to poet Robert Frost. They also make for great drawing subjects, whether it’s a white picket fence, a split rail fence or a wrought-iron fence.

142. Triangles

There are so many different kinds of patterns you can create just with a simple triangle!

Moo! Cows can be found on farms around the world and are a great animal to try drawing – this sketch of a baby calf is so cute!

There are over 6,300 known species of frogs in the world, which means you have a lot of choices on what kind of frog to draw! Draw a tree frog, a bullfrog, an African claw frog, or other frog of your choosing.

145. Spool of Thread & Other Sewing Notions

Do you have a sewing box? A simple spool of thread and other sewing notions can make for a great still life.

146. Tomato

Some people love tomatoes, others could leave them. Either way, they make for a n excellent drawing subject.

147. Squares and Rectangles

Drawing squares and rectangles gives you plenty of opportunities to discover new patterns in your doodles. Tip: For straight lines, use a ruler!

148. Tea kettle

How about a nice relaxing cup of tea? Sketch a tea kettle in your journal.

149. Lightbulb

The symbol for creativity and ideas, light bulbs are an invention we still rely on heavily today. Try drawing something inside of a lightbulb for an illuminating challenge.

150. Party Supplies

What do you need to throw a party? You could draw party hats, noise makers, or keep it simple with just party foods.

151. Railroad tracks

Railroad tracks are very dangerous to be around, so I do not suggest trying to go near them for sketching, but there are many pictures you can use as reference and they are great practice for perspective.

Porches are welcoming gathering places for company and the perfect scene to sketch.

153. Rainbow

Rainbows are easy to draw and a great excuse to pull out the colored pencils. An easy way to remember the order of the colors is the acronym Roy G. Biv: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, and Violet.

154. Lemonade Stand

Every kid dreams of having a lemonade stand someday, and now is your chance to finally design the lemonade stand of your dreams.

Do you play piano? You can choose to draw a close-up of the keys, someone playing the piano, an upright piano, or a baby grand piano.

156. Hallways

Interior hallways can be a great way to practice drawing perspective, especially if the hallway has a lot of doors or wall decor.

157. Watch Gears

What’s inside a watch? Lots of little gear parts that make for fun and easy drawing ideas.

It doesn’t have to be taco tuesday to draw a taco. Fill up that shell with all your favorite ingredients and toppings!

159. Paint & Paint Brush

Pull out your paints and paint brushes to set up a still life scene of an artist at work.

160. Faces With Different Emotions

So often in portraits we see people happy – try drawing faces with different emotions such as angry, sad, frustrated, or calm.

161. Dishes

Dishes can have all sorts of different patterns and styles that can make for fantastic creative inspiration.

162. Fountain

Whether its an outdoor or indoor fountain, there are all sorts of interesting details to capture when drawing a fountain.

163. Puzzle Pieces

Puzzles are always entertaining. Grab a puzzle off your game shelf and scatter a few pieces around to sketch and draw.

164. Monkey

You probably can’t have a pet monkey like Curious George in real life, but you can always draw a character of your own.

165. Angels

Angels are majestic divine beings of light, and a fantastic source of inspiration for sketching and drawing.

One of the nice things about drawing hands is you always have a realistic model attached to you! Try different poses or holding different objects.

167. Pair of Socks

Do you have a pair of crazy socks? You can sketch a pair of socks you already own, or make your own crazy sock designs.

168. Bag or Purse

We use bags all the time in our everyday life, whether it’s a shopping bag or a purse where you keep your keys, wallet and more. Draw the bag itself or draw a fashion sketch of a person wearing a bag.

169. Umbrella

Rainy days are a lot more bearable when you have a good umbrella to keep you dry!

170. Beach Scene

The beach is a relaxing and serene place to sit with a sketchbook and sketch the sights.

171. Bowling Ball and Pins

Bowling can be a lot of fun, and drawing a bowling ball and pins makes for a good drawing exercise.

172. Roller Coaster

Do you have a favorite rollercoaster ride? You can draw a lifelike imitation of a rollercoaster you love, or design your own with plenty of ups, downs, twists and turns.

We often associate witches with mean and scary looking old ladies, but Glenda the Good witch from the Wizard of Oz reminds us that not all witches are bad.

174. Headphones

Love listening to music? Don’t forget to sketch your headphones.

Are ghosts real? What do they look like? Now is your chance to draw one!

176. Paper Clips

Pull out a handful of paper clips from your office desk and sketch them.

177. King or Queen

You can draw a king or queen from history, or even imagine yourself as king or queen for the day.

178. Graffiti

Graffiti is a unique form of art and perfectly legal when done on paper.

179. Ladybugs

Ladybugs are cute beneficial insects in any garden.

180. Abstract Line Art

Use this as a chance to draw stripes or have fun with experimenting with different line angles on paper.

181. Mermaid

Fictional characters that live under the sea, mermaids have captivated the imagination of sailors and storytellers for ages.

Do you have any toys from your childhood? Pull them out and sketch them.

183. Junk Drawer

Everybody has a junk drawer – that place where stuff just ends up somehow. Go through your junk drawer and pick a couple of random objects to draw.

184. Highway road

Have you been on a any recent road trips lately? Highway roads are always an interesting thing to draw.

185. Backpack

What’s in your backpack? Whether you’re a hiker or a student or carry your laptop in a backpack, there’s plenty of different styles and shapes to choose from to draw!

186. Mushrooms

Did you know there are over 10,000 different types of mushrooms? That gives you a LOT of options for what to draw, whether you draw realistic mushrooms or fantasy style mushrooms in an enchanted forest.

187. Cactus

Whether you have a cactus growing at home or want to take inspiration from a desert landscape, cacti make for excellent drawing subjects.

188. Turtle

Don’t be shy – draw a turtle! You can make it realistic, cartoonish, or somewhere in between.

189. Seashells

Seashells are abundant in the world and come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, giving you plenty of creative options to explore when it comes to drawing them.

190. Photo Frames

Every piece of art needs a good frame, and this is a great prompt to make doodle frames or draw ornate frames inspired from vintage and antique photograph displays.

Where does the gate lead? You can draw a garden gate, a gateway to a new portal or maybe a gate to a haunted and spooky hollow.

192. Vegetables

Don’t want to eat your vegetables? Draw them instead!

I am always fascinated by the details in patchwork quilts. You can try drawing different quilt block designs, or even take inspiration from a crazy quilt with elaborate stitching and embroidery embellishing each patch!

194. Sunrise/sunset

The sun rises and sets every single day and that itself is pretty amazing! What’s a drawing prompt list without a sunset or sunrise?

You can draw your state or country’s flag, or choose to draw different flags from around the world.

There are many different types of bells, from bell towers to school bells to jingle bells.

197. Potato Chips

Are you in need of a snack? Next time you reach for that bag of potato chips, sketch it!

198. Your Closet

Open up your closet doors and sketch a scene of your current wardrobe. Hopefully you won’t find too many skeletons in there!

199. Vintage Photographs

Old vintage photos make for great drawing reference photo idea, especially when they feature historical lifestyles.

Heat things up by drawing flames or fire. You can draw a campfire, a fire in a fireplace, or flames surrounding another object.

201. Raindrops

Raindrops are their very own shape, and there are so many different ways you could interpret this! You could make raindrop patterns, or try to realistically capture what raindrops may look like on a pane of glass or when they fall and hit the ground.

Your choice – make a map of where you live, somewhere you’ve visited, or maybe even a map of a completely fictional and imaginary fantasy world.

203. Optical illusions

Optical illusions play with lines, shadows, and depth to create images that aren’t always what they appear to be. Play around with different ideas until you get a drawing that makes you look twice.

204. Snowman

Do you want to draw a snowman? You can make your snowman as elaborate or as simple as you’d like!

205. Steampunk

Steampunk is a type of science fiction where everything is steam powered. Think gears, flying contraptions, and all sorts of odd inventions. Prefer figure drawing? You could also draw people in steampunk attire!

206. Seagulls

These birds may be noisy, squacky, and annoying to deal with at the beach, but they are still beautiful to look at and the perfect subject for drawing.

207. Computer

We spend enough time at the computer, so take a break from the digital world and get out that sketchpad!

208. Chickens

Chickens come in all sorts of varieties – the American Poultry Association recognizes over 50 different breeds of chickens. You can choose to make this as simple or as complex as you wish!

209. Historic Scene

Scenes from history are always fun to illustrate, especially if you choose to depict a time before cameras were invented, which was in 1816.

210. The library

Go visit your local library and bring your sketchbook! You can choose to sketch the outside of the building or sit at a table where you can get a good view of the rows and rows of books.

211. Your grocery store

Shopping for food is an everyday necessity, and chances are you’ve been to the grocery store at least once in the past year. Draw some of the aisles, a grocery display case, or draw the exterior of the building.

212. Jar of Something

Everything in mason jars is all the rage in decor, or maybe you’re like me and love a jar of bread and butter pickles or homemade jam.

213. Numbers

You don’t have to be a mathematician to appreciate there are so many different ways to draw numbers! Practice hand-lettering in different styles or use basic numbers as a base for more elaborate doodles.

214. Your Bed

Researchers estimate the average person spends about 26 years of our lives in bed…which is a LOT of time sleeping! Give your bed its proper tribute by illustrating it in your sketchbook.

215. Impossible World

Maybe there’s an imaginary world where fish fly in the sky, or the moon is underwater…invent an imaginary fantasy world and draw it!

216. Speech Bubbles

How do you convey spoken words in your drawings? With speech bubbles of course! You can draw them comic book style or practice creating new patterns using a basic speech bubble shape.

217. Farm or Barn Scene

The Barn is an iconic image of the countryside, and no wonder – these giant buildings serve as a place to store farm equipment and provide shelter to animals. Draw a barn!

218. Labyrinth

A labyrinth is a meandering path that leads to the center of a shape. Traditionally circular in nature, they are often used in common times for reflection and meditation.

Go fly a kite! And if there’s no wind or you don’t have a kite, you can always draw one! Again, there are so many different shapes and types here to choose from!

220. Astronaut

Remember that rocket ship you drew in prompt number 54? What about the person flying that thing? Draw a picture of the astronaut brave enough to travel in your spacecraft.

Balls of yarn can be a fun challenge to draw, especially when you get into different types of hand spun yarns or art yarn!

Go ahead, take a chance…and draw some dice! Did you know there are more dice than just the average 6-sided dice? They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, as I learned from playing Dungeons & Dragons.

223. Pumpkins

You can draw a pumpkin patch, a fall themed still life display, or maybe even carve out a face on your pumpkin and create a jack-o-lantern!

224. Flooring

Have you ever spent time staring at the floor? I know that sounds sarcastic, but you might just be surprised how many different textures and patterns exist on what we walk all over every single day.

225. Scene from a Dream

Have any crazy dreams lately? Illustrate a scene from a dream in your sketchbook. Bonus? You can interpret what that dream means based on the image you drew!

Imagine a bench. Who is sitting on it? Draw it!

227. Garden

There are so many different things you can draw for a garden, whether its a vegetable garden or a flower garden or maybe just a peaceful place outside surrounded by plants.

228. Blue Jeans

Get a pair of blue jeans out from your closet and try putting them in different poses on a table or the floor and draw what you see.

229. Wild West Scene

Cowboys, outlaws, and a good saloon make for the perfect backdrop for a wild west scene you could draw.

230. Children playing

Kids are always a source of inspiration to draw, especially when they are playing.

231. Silhouette

Silhouettes are outlines of an object, person or place. Try drawing silhouettes of people in different poses, or draw silhouettes of everyday objects around the house.

Hopefully there are no mice in your house – but they are cute, when they don’t sneak up on you! You could draw a realistic mouse, or draw personified mice characters who live in their own burrow in a meadow.

233. Baby/Infant

Like kids, babies are another great source for portrait photos. You can use a baby you know as inspiration, or dig out those old photos of you as a baby when you were new to this world.

I’d never want to see a hippo close in real life {I hear they can be very aggressive and dangerous!} but I’m definitely okay with drawing them!

When the cold wind blows you get ice! You can draw icicles hanging from the eaves of a roof, or maybe even ice cubes that are guaranteed not to melt.

236. Favorite Animated/Cartoon Character

When I was in the second grade I was so lucky to take a cartooning class where I learned to draw Mickey Mouse, Snoopy, and more. Do you have a favorite cartoon character or anime character? Try to draw them as close as the original as you can.

237. Camera

So often as artists we use reference photos to inspire our work, but we forget the camera itself can be a great drawing idea!

238. Mad Scientist’s Lab

Think bubbling potions, beakers, and oh my, what’s that monster doing under the sheet over there in the corner?

239. Wood Texture

Wood grain can be a beautiful texture to draw, especially in pencil, ink, or charcoal. There are so many options for patterns and shading!

240. Gnomes

Who doesn’t love garden gnomes? Maybe they’re tacky, but I think they’re the perfect thing to draw – especially if you draw them in different clothes and styles.

241. Life Underground

Most of the time we think about life on the surface of earth, but there’s all sorts of things that happen underground, from coal mines to subway train stations to fault lines and magma…what world do you imagine? Draw it!

Ever hear the phrase, I’m all ears? Now’s your chance to illustrate it!

We drive in cars every day and there are so many different types we see on the road. You can choose to draw your first car, your current car, or the cars you see passing by on the street near where you live.

244. Holiday scenes

There’s so many holidays we celebrate around the world – you can choose from Easter, Halloween, Christmas, Fourth of July or maybe even St. Patrick’s Day.

245. Song Lyrics

Do you have a favorite song? Illustrate a scene from the song, or practice your hand-lettering by drawing a quote of the lyrics.

246. Parking Lot

Parking lots might not sound like that exciting of an idea for drawing, but you can be surprised what happens in them! They are great places for people watching, or you could sketch the scene of one to continue a series of drawings of places around where you live.

247. Movie Scene

What’s your favorite movie? Draw a scene from a movie you love or have watched recently.

248. Xylophone

Xylophone is pretty much the only word we could think of that begins with the letter X, so it made our list. 🙂

249. City Street Scene

Walk around the city and sketch the sights on the street.

250. Award or Trophy

Have you ever been given a trophy or award for an achievement? You could also draw trophies or awards for your pets or friends, like “Best Listener” or “Most Furry”.

Look up to the night sky and draw the stars. You could also research and draw different constellations.

From dump trucks to tractor trailer trucks to pick-up trucks, there are all kinds of trucks you can draw. Above is a picture of a pick-up my brother drew.

253. Skeleton or Skull

Skeletons and skulls might be creepy to some, but they can be a lot less scary if you opt to draw a sugar skull from the Mexican Day of the Dead holiday.

Bird watchers know there are thousands of different species of birds, which means you have a lot of options here! To keep things simple, try drawing birds that are native to where you live and can be found regularly in your backyard and parks.

255. Friend

Ask a friend for a photo or see if they would be willing to pose while you draw a portrait of them.

256. Cleaning Supplies

Fact: It’s more fun to draw cleaning supplies than it is to actually do the laundry, dishes, and other household chores.

257. Wheels

From wagon wheels to car rims, there are all sorts of different types of wheels you could draw. You could also use wheels as a base for making repetitive patterns.

258. Sled Ride

Have you ever been on a sled in the winter? You can draw kids sledding or draw an old fashioned Christmas sleigh!

What’s behind that door? You can draw the door of your house, or draw a door that captures your eye and makes you want to open it…or avoid it.

260. Diamonds

Diamonds are easy things to draw and you can play with all sorts of different patterns and repetitions with them.

261. Favorite Things

What are your favorite things in the whole wide world? Draw them!

Waves are a very cool thing you can draw, whether its realistic waves in the ocean, or simply waves of lines that create a pattern.

263. School

Draw a picture of what you remember school looked like when you were a kid, or draw all the school supplies you remember needing.

264. Abandoned Warehouse

Abandoned warehouses are cool architecture places to draw, just remember that you shouldn’t actually go into an abandoned warehouse without proper permission and safety clearances – it can be VERY dangerous!

265. Cooking Spices

What’s on your spice rack? Draw it!

266. Favorite Place From Your Childhood

What is a place you remember from your childhood? It can be any place you visited that brings back happy memories.

267. Vase of Flowers

The classic still life is the perfect opportunity to practice drawing!

268. Vacation Spot

Think back on all of the places you’ve visited and vacationed at over the years. Draw a scene of one of your favorite spots!

269. News Headline

Look to the news today and draw a headline from the current events.

270. Village

Draw a whimsical village of cute little houses.

Artists like Van Gogh are famous for painting a chair, so get your start by drawing one!

Horses are incredible creatures admired for the beauty and strength. Draw wild horses or someone riding a horse.

273. Drum Set

Not everybody has room for a drum set in their house or the talent to play one, but you can always draw one!

274. Exercise Poses

Draw a figure in different exercise poses, such as yoga or aerobics.

275. Something That Smells Nice

What’s your favorite smell? Draw something that you think smells nice.

276. Illustrate Onomatopoeia Words

Onomatopoeia words are words that are spelled exactly like they sound – and they can be fun to illustrate. Some example words are splash, buzz, pop, fizz, and swish.

277. Detective

Take inspiration from Sherlock Holmes and draw a detective on the case to solve the next mystery.

278. Mythological Creatures

Centaur, griffins, and manticores are all examples of different types of mythological creatures you could draw in your journal.

Draw a game board, game pieces or make up a design that could be used on your very own deck of illustrated cards.

280. Picnic

Set the scene for the perfect picnic lunch – hopefully there won’t be any ants to ruin the fun!

With over 200 owl species to choose from, you could draw a barn owl, a snowy owl, or great horned owl. The above picture my daughter drew when she was six.

282. Your Favorite Decade

Draw a scene from your favorite decade, whether it’s the roaring 1920’s or the fun and colorful 1980’s.

283. Flash Light

No need to stay in the dark – you can draw your own light with a flash light!

284. Bathroom Cabinet

Draw your toothbrush, a bar of soap, or anything else you may regularly keep in your bathroom cabinets.

Idioms are expressions and phrases that generally don’t make any literal sense in the real world…one example being it’s raining cats and dogs. Illustrate a silly idiom or other expression that we don’t take literally. You can find more idioms at the Free Dictionary Idiom Search .

286. Rock Star

Everybody thinks about becoming a rock star at some point, take inspiration from one of your favorite artists or bands or draw yourself rocking out to your favorite kind of music.

287. Party Animals

Draw animals going to a party. Don’t forget their party hats!

What’s hiding up in the attic of that old house? Draw it!

289. Happy Couple

Draw a couple that is happy and in love together.

290. Neighborhood

Sketch a street scene from your local neighborhood.

291. Bar or Restaurant

Where’s the last place you’ve eaten or gone out to? Draw a picture of the exterior or interior of the building.

292. Time Machine

Time machines don’t exist yet, but here’s your chance to design one that will help you travel back and forth in time.

293. Runner

They say life is a marathon and not a sprint…unless a lion is chasing you. Draw someone who is running from something, or maybe they are competing in a 5k or marathon.

294. Treehouse

Wouldn’t it be great to live in a treehouse for a day? Design and draw a Pete Nelson worthy treehouse for you to escape to.

295. Museum

Museums are full of interesting artifacts from history. Visit a museum near you or do a virtual tour of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History online here .

Boxes can be empty or they can be full of surprises. You can draw just one box or a whole stack of them!

Draw a humanoid-like robot, or draw a robot straight out of a science fiction movie. Cartoon robots are also always fun!

Drawing glass can be a fun way to explore drawing reflections and shadows.

299. Mechanic’s Garage

Draw a mechanic’s garage with cars needing repaired.

300. Helicopter

Did you know the fastest speed of a helicopter ever recorded is 248 mph? That’s crazy!

301. Brick Wall

Brick patterns are a great idea for something to draw.

302. Lighthouse

Lighthouses help keep sailors and ships safe while out at sea. They are also beautiful tourist attractions all around the world.

303. Gifts and Presents

Did you receive any gifts or presents recently? Draw them! You could also draw wrapped presents.

304. Christmas Tree

Deck the halls and put up a Christmas tree, in your art journal or sketchbook at least! Not Christmas time or don’t celebrate Christmas? You could always decorate your tree to be more to your liking.

Towers have been used historically for many different reasons, and they stand tall along the skyline. Draw one!

There are so many famous hotels you could choose to draw, or draw the outside of the last hotel you stayed at.

307. Ant Farm

Ants build the most fascinating tunnels in ant farms. Illustrate an ant farm to show their secret lives in their homes.

308. Battle

You could draw a historic battle or you could draw a fantasy battle between an ogre and a dragon.

309. Waterfall

There are so many waterfalls in the world, experts can’t even agree how many there are! They are beautiful cascading natural elements perfect for sketching.

310. Remote Control

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a remote control that does everything? Take inspiration from the remote control you have for your TV or design your own with custom buttons you could use in your life.

311. Bakery

Cakes, cookies, bread…mmmm…all of my favorite foods can be found at a bakery, so draw one!

312. Suitcase

Packing to go somewhere? You could draw a suitcase ready to travel the world, or draw yours.

We live on this great big earth, so draw it.

314. Mandala

A mandala is a geometric figure that represents the universe. They are often used for meditative purposes and can be so relaxing to draw.

315. Cassette Tape

Am I showing my age here? Even if everything is digital today, cassette tapes are still cool to draw in my book.

316. Antique Car

Cars from the 1900’s look a lot different than the ones we drive today! Draw an antique or classic car that was manufactured before 1970.

317. Castle

You drew the queen and king in prompt number 177, now where are they going to live? Draw a castle fit for royalty, or take inspiration from one of the famous 500+ castles that already exist in the world.

318. Lightning

Lightning can be mesmerizing and the earth is struck by lightning an estimated 1,400,000,000 times a year – now that’s electrifying!

319. Snakes

Some people are scared of snakes, but the best way to overcome that fear is to draw one on paper. Besides, it’s your imagination – you can make the snake a friendly, non-biting one!

I heard you can really draw a crowd…haha…I know, that’s a terribly punny joke but I couldn’t resist.

Swords are often seen in coats of armor and in historical fiction stories like the sword in the stone…try drawing one!

322. Compass

Which way north? Draw a compass rose.

Pigs are very intelligent creatures…and they are cute!

Be careful if you drew three pigs in the last prompt, this could get hairy and become the story of three little pigs quick, which doesn’t end too well for the wolf.

325. Anchor

Anchors are symbols of strength and safety and often used in logos and tattoo designs.

Who doesn’t love a good donut? Draw your favorite flavor donut.

327. Hummingbird

Hummingbirds are very fast to see in real life, but they are beautiful birds to draw.

328. Statues and Sculptures

Draw your own life-like statue or sculpture, or try to draw a realistic rendition of a famous statue such as The Statue of Liberty or the sculpture of Discobolus .

329. Zipper

Zippers are something we use all the time, and they are fun to draw! You can also use the basic shape of a zipper for all sorts of pattern drawing ideas!

330. Television Set

You can draw a retro TV set or draw a more modern day version of a smart TV.

That alien that you drew in prompt #25…what kind of spacecraft were they flying? Draw an unidentified flying object.

332. Scarecrow

Scarecrows are not really all that useful for scaring away crows, but they have become an iconic decoration around the fall and autumn season.

One of the popular games for kids to play in the woods is to go snipe hunting…of course you never find one because snipes don’t exist. No one knows what a snipe really is, but this is your chance to imagine what one would look like if it were real.

334. Chameleon

Chameleons are best known for being able to change their colors to blend into their environment. This is a great opportunity to practice shading or draw with multiple colors.

335. Jellyfish

The nice thing about drawing a jellyfish on paper is they can’t sting you! While you’d never want to get too close to one in real life, they are beautifully amazing creatures of the sea.

336. Unicorn

A unicorn is a mythical creature that looks much like a horse with a single horn on its forehead. They are often depicted in art and folklore, making it the perfect drawing prompt.

Tulips mean spring is coming, and they are fun beautiful flowers to draw in any weather or season. Because they are bulbs, you can even force them to grow in the winter like I did with my flowers. See my post on the seasons of being an artist .

338. Pinwheel

Pinwheels are toys that twirl around when someone blows on them. They are symbolically seen as a way of “turing one’s luck around” and often signify playfulness and happiness.

339. Palm Tree

Did you know palm trees are actually evergreen trees? They are characterized by broad fan-like leaves and usually found in tropical regions around the world.

340. Rainforests

Rainforests are home to thousands of exotic plant species and animals and are typically found around the earth’s equator.

341. Deserted Island

What would you do if you were stuck on a deserted island? What would it look like? I hope you brought a notebook and pencil!

342. Snowflakes

No two snowflakes are alike, and you can have so much fun drawing different patterns and designs of snowflakes.

343. Ball or Sphere

Balls and spheres are a great opportunity to play around with drawing different shadow angles and light sources.

344. Goldfish

Goldfish are easy to draw and are a favorite pet for many people.

345. DNA Helix

It’s crazy to think we have DNA and I even recently just did a DNA test on Ancestry.com – it’s so fascinating to me to trace back all of my ancestors. Drawing the helix is a great way to practice different shading techniques as well.

One of my favorite songs is You Are the Moon by the Hush Sound , and I can’t think but illustrating a beautiful moonlit landscape everytime I hear it.

347. Trapeze Artist

Trapeze artists are highly skilled entertainers who perform all sorts of aerial tricks on ropes. Often seen at circuses, many modern artists can be seen in cities and other places.

348. Atoms and Molecules

You don’t have to be a chemistry major to recognize that atoms and molecule diagrams can be fascinating subjects for drawing ideas!

349. Carousel

I’ve always loved merry go round carousel rides and still ride them even now whenever I get a chance. You can choose to draw the whole carousel or just draw a carousel horse.

350. Cabin or Cottage in the Woods

Draw your own artists retreat place in the form of a cabin or cottage in the woods.

351. Buttons

Buttons make for great doodles, or you can always draw a magic button that you can push for when things go awry.

352. Pot of Gold

What’s at the end of your rainbow from prompt #153? Shamrock optional.

353. Doctor’s Office

Have you ever noticed all the different things they have at the doctor’s office when you go in for a check-up?

354. Panda Bear

Panda bears are just cute and that is why you should draw one.

355. Building Blocks

Building blocks are a great way to play with different angles, lines, and shadows.

356. Ferris Wheel

Ferris wheels are popular carnival rides and a great thing to draw.

357. Turkey

You can draw a turkey – it’s as simple as tracing your hand. Of course, you could always opt to draw a turkey that’s a bit more realistic.

358. Lollipops and Candy

Craving something sweet? Draw a lollipop or another favorite type of Candy.

You could draw a city bus, a school bus, or even a double-decker bus.

360. Flamingo

Flamingos are graceful birds most well known for their ability to balance on just one leg.

361. Ukulele

Ukulele’s only have 4 strings and are smaller and higher pitched than a guitar. Both of my daughters play the Ukulele!

362. Strawberry

Strawberries are amazingly detailed when you look at one up close, making them a great option for a close-up sketch.

363. Sandcastle

Did you know people build sandcastles at a competitive level? It’s amazing what architects, engineers, and creative designers and make out of sand at sand castle competitions!

364. Record Player

We may not play records that often anymore, but they are still a totally fun vintage thing to draw.

365. Magic Wand

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a magic wand? Well, you can always draw one!

I hope you enjoyed this list of 365 Drawing Ideas and of course if you create any of these things to draw I would love to see it in our Artjournalist Facebook community group !

Do you have any ideas for things to draw that I might have missed? I’d love to hear your ideas and how you will use these drawing prompts – tell me in the comments below!

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19 Comments

How about flowers

she said sunflowers which are technically flowers

great list of inspiration

This was a wonderful list

i like these thanks for curing my dreadful boredom 😃😄😊

I’ve read a lot of lists for drawing prompts, this one is by far the best! Thank you so much! I’m sure it took some time to come up with all of these!!

I’m glad you’re enjoying them!

Can you please share some painting ideas?

Sounds like a great idea Amy, I will get on it 🙂

great list i cant wait to fill lots of sketchbooks up with ideas oh also how about fidget toys they are great to draw

Hmm cant think of any! It sure helped me. I run art contests every week and like gettin opinions from people on themes, seeing this I may never have trouble picking a theme again! lol😂

I was stuck trying to think of ideas of what to draw during a pandemic. Thanks for all the great ideas. I better get started, I have hundreds of drawings to do. Joyce

Glad it inspired you Joyce!

I actually had a drawing competition in my school and the topic was “dreaming with eyes open” and this really helped thanks!

thanks for this great list of inspiration. defiantly cured my boredom. I really liked the coffee idea. i made a really good painting for my kitchen with it. it says: “Key To My Morning. it is is painting of a blue coffee cup, with i red back round. my parents drink coffe every morning so i made it for them.

you should add hallway

101 Sketchbook Ideas to Make Your Drawings Interesting

By: Author Jae Johns

Posted on Last updated: April 8, 2024

Categories Drawing

Home » Drawing » 101 Sketchbook Ideas to Make Your Drawings Interesting

So, you love drawing but run out of the sketchbook ideas that you can use in your drawings and finished works to make them even more interesting?

You’ll discover some great ideas for beginners or if you’re an artist that just needs some extra inspiration.

You have a habit of keeping a sketchbook, but it has become a challenge for you to know what to draw in your sketchbook.

Do not get worried guys, we have got you covered with these amazing sketchbook practice ideas.

Just read till the end and explore over 80 ideas for those days when you are looking around like what should I draw in my sketchbook?

At times, it is difficult to think about ideas for our sketchbooks.

We look at our blank sketchbook pages but we fail to get some ideas to jumpstart our creative juices.

The only solution to this is to draw more because the more we draw, the better we will get ideas.

A sketchbook is not just a piece of paper and a place to practice, it is one of the best places to plan, draw, and find some drawing inspiration.

Drawing in a sketchbook is not only relaxing but fun as well.

But studying the fundamentals of drawing and practicing your drawing skills is very important.

To perfect your drawing skills, you need to learn the basics of drawing including value, perspective, composition, and proportion, and repeat them over and over again.

Get ready to try these amazing sketchbook ideas and say NO to blank pages!

So, you want to expand your sketching capabilities and get drawing ideas for your sketchbook that’ll help you create an amazing sketchbook!

You want to try out some new ideas.

Have no fear because, in today’s blog, we have created a list of 80 drawing ideas that can get you sketching right now and can surely make your drawings beautiful and attractive, no matter what your drawing expertise is.

Why Sketching These Ideas are Important

These ideas may range from everyday objects of your home to architectural drawings and life drawing.

We recommend you to try out all the ideas so that you can get to know sketching from every perspective, whether it’s observing how to draw a one-point perspective or a two-point perspective.

Plus, it is equally important to invest in good drawing supplies to get the best results.

You need to get the best drawing pencils and colored pencils along with a good sheet of paper.

What to Draw in your Sketchbook

I have divided the sketchbook ideas into three main categories – simple drawing ideas, challenging drawing ideas, and drawing from imagination.

Challenging drawing ideas will give you a bit challenging of course but they will be completed in just no time, resulting in beautiful artworks.

Even though they might be a challenge, these are all things to draw in your sketchbook that shouldn’t be too difficult and will make an interesting drawing.

So, let’s learn these drawing ideas with step-by-step tutorials that will show you exactly how to implement those ideas.

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Simple and Easy Drawing Ideas

Let’s begin with simple drawing ideas.

We are calling them ‘easy’ because the shapes or lines used in such drawings are simple and do not need many techniques.

You might even be surprised that these are simple drawing ideas but will still give you such creative sketchbook ideas.

I highly recommend the following sketchbook prompts for beginners.

01. Draw a Stack of Books

One of the simplest yet interesting sketchbook ideas is to draw a stack of books.

Find some old books from a book corner in your room and stack them up.

Draw it from different angles.

If you want to draw books with a pencil sketch, all you need for this is a sharpened pencil, an eraser, and a nice sheet of paper.

You can also fill the books with your favorite colors.

02. A Houseplant

A houseplant always makes a good subject for drawing.

It’s an easy sketchbook idea that you draw while your mind is thinking about other things.

By drawing a houseplant, you can combine natural features with some solid elements such as you can draw a potted plant having some light effects on it.

Before starting to draw, get your art supplies so that you can concentrate on drawing instead of collecting supplies.

03. A Pair of Shoes

Open your closet and find an ordinary item in it.

That’s a pair of shoes, go and draw it.

You can go for a pair of shoes that fit a businessman or you can draw your favorite sneakers.

For this piece of drawing, try to start with rough but light pencil strokes.

04. Sketch the Shape of Clouds and Sky

One of the simplest sketchbook ideas is to sketch the shape of the cloud and sky.

You can draw a sunny sky, a starry sky, or clouds.

You can draw clouds and the sun in your other paintings to make a scene look more beautiful and attractive.

With a pencil, eraser, and paper, you will need cotton or a blending stump to blend the shading area.

Drawing clouds and skies are some of the easiest sketchbook practice ideas that are relaxing and anyone can do.

05. Kitchen Utensils

Want to get some drawing inspiration?

Go to your kitchen, get some utensils, toss them on a table, and draw them as they land.

As you cook with adventures, similarly add some fun in your drawings by sketching kitchen utensils.

You can put some fruits and vegetables on a table and draw them from various angles.

06. A City Skyline

If you are a country lover, drawing a city skyline is a great idea for you.

Most people think that a city skyline is a bit complex to draw but the fact is it is quite simple and easy to draw a skyline.

With some lines and connected rectangles, you can add layering to draw more rows of buildings.

It will be a great sketchbook idea if you want to practice your drawing skills or you are just looking to fill an empty space.

07. Cats and Dogs

If you have a cat or a dog in your house, draw them.

Here’s a step-by-step on how to draw a dog .

In case you do not have a fuzzy animal with you, do a quick search on Google, and make a drawing.

Drawing a cat or a dog is a good drawing idea because it’s a way to instantly attract people’s attention to your illustration when you have pets in your scene.

08. An Open Book

If you are not interested in drawing a stack of books, take one book, open it, and make a drawing on it from different angles.

09. A Piece of Jewelry

Another sketching idea that you can try is to draw a piece of jewelry.

Open your jewelry box, take out a ring, a necklace, or a bracelet, and draw it.

You can also do a pencil sketch on it on you can fill it with colors if you want.

10. Draw a Towel in Different Positions

One of the simplest sketchbook ideas is to draw a towel in different positions.

You can draw a hanging towel or a crumpled towel as you want.

This drawing idea will definitely assist you in bringing some creativity as well as positivity to your days!

11. Draw Items from Your Fridge

While you are making drawings of kitchen utensils, why not open your fridge and draw whatever inside it?

You can draw a bottle of jam, a pouch of sauce, or a pot of fruits and vegetables.

By opening up your fridge, you’ll have many drawing ideas for your sketchbook.

12. Draw Roses

Drawing roses is not only easy but have fun and adventure in it as well.

As the rose is said to be a symbol of love, so you can draw it and present it to your loved one.

For a beautiful sketch of roses, you need to take a bit of practice but if you try it over and over again, you will have a lot more beautiful sketches of roses all over your house.

Drawing a rose is an easy sketchbook idea that you can do in 7 easy steps.

Here’s a step-by-step to show you how to draw a rose.

13. Your Smartphone

We always have our smartphone with us so it will not be a bad idea to pull it out from your pocket, lay it down, and start drawing.

Beginning with the general outlines of the smartphone, draw its buttons.

You can give them color as well.

14. An Unfolded Laundry

Another great idea is to draw a pile of folded or unfolded laundry.

Drawing folds of laundry is a bit challenging.

To show cloth folds, you can implement line drawing as well as shading to show compression and tension applied to the fabric.

Believe me, your portraits will look realistic due to these techniques.

15. A Globe

If you are fond of studying the planet Earth, why not learn how to draw a globe.

It is a great activity if you want to practice symmetry and proportions at the same time.

Get a nice sheet of paper with sharpened pencils.

First, draw a big circle and then go for drawing curved, horizontal, and vertical lines to add a final detail to your globe.

16. A Fresh Bouquet of Flowers

You can create a stunning drawing of a fresh-cut bouquet of flowers.

For drawing flowers, try colored pencils, hone your drawing skills, and masterfully create lifelike drawings.

17. The Inside of Your Closet

Drawing the inside of your closet with clothes is another sketchbook idea you can try.

18. Pencils

Sitting idle?

Take out your colored pencils and paints and draw them.

It is very easy to draw a pencil as you need to draw only three parts – point, cap, or barrel.

19. Trees Outside the Window of Your Room

It would not be a bad idea if you try to draw trees outside the window of your room.

All you need to do is draw the branches and the crown and then find a balance that you are happy with.

Take a regular sketching pencil and start drawing.

If you know nothing about drawing, you may go for drawing a simple tree.

20. Draw Smokey Eyes

If you love doing makeup especially eye makeup, then the best thing you can draw is smokey eyes.

Yes, it is right.

Take a sheet of paper with some good drawing pencils .

With the help of this drawing, you can try different eye shapes as well.

Drawing eyes is another good drawing idea that you can do in less than 10 minutes.

Here’s a step by step to draw an eye .

21. A Robot

Why not draw a robot today?

Drawing a robot is one of the simplest sketchbook ideas that you must try if you are sitting alone and want to draw something to get some inspiration.

22. Your Headphones

So, you love listening to music on your headphones?

Why not try drawing your headphones?

Believe me, it will be a great idea that will not only give you inspiration but will make your drawing fun as well.

Arrange them neatly or put them on the table as they are, I mean in a tangled mess and then draw.

If you want to enhance your drawing skills and are exhausted with every drawing option you have, it is the best time to draw a car.

It is not only simple and easy but can increase your drawing skills as well.

24. A Fruit Cut in Half | a Unique Sketchbook Idea

A unique sketchbook idea is to draw a fruit cut in half.

Take your favorite food, put it on a plate, and cut it in half. Now take a paper and draw this fruit.

You can also add colors to enhance your drawing.

25. Draw a Dragon

To draw a dragon, the first step is to draw two circles that may serve as the guide to the dragon’s body.

Try to maintain the proper size and spacing of the circles as it may determine the dragon’s size.

Besides pencil sketch, try to give a color to your dragon. Use dark colors on the top of the head and neck.

26. Pillows

So, you want to draw something without having to leave your comforter’s warmth.

Making a sketch of your pillows is not a bad idea at all.

You can show folds of cloth with the help of a pencil sketch.

27. House Keys | an Easy Sketchbook Idea

Another easy sketchbook idea inspired by real-life is to draw house keys attached to a key chain.

If you want to acquaint your children with domestic animals especially cows, it is not a bad idea to make a drawing of a cow. It is very easy guys.

You just need to learn some simple shapes and it will not only become a doable task for you but a lot of fun as well.

You can add colors also.

29. A Cup of Coffee

Do you love coffee?

While drinking coffee in the evening, it would not be a bad idea to draw a cup of coffee.

Put it on the table and start drawing it from different angles.

You can also go to a coffee shop and try drawing there.

30. Draw a Penguin

To add creativity to your drawings, start making a drawing on a cartoon penguin wearing a scarf.

By drawing some simple shapes, you will get a drawing of a penguin.

All you need is a drawing paper, a black marker, and some crayons.

31. Butterflies

For making your drawings fun, try making a sketch of butterflies.

Add colors to enhance your artwork.

32.A Spider

Get outside of your comfort zone and draw a spider with its web.

34. A School Desk

So, you are waiting for a class to begin.

Pass your time by drawing a school desk.

35. A Cup of Pencils

Take a cup of pencils, put it on a table, and start sketching.

36. Draw an Octopus

Choose your favorite creature who lives in the water.

If you like an octopus, start making a sketch on it.

37. Draw Leaves of a Flower

Go outside and start drawing the leaves of a flower.

38. Draw a Smile

For drawing a lifelike portrait, know how to draw a smile. You can draw other facial features as well such as eyes, nose or ears, etc.

39. Balloons

Take a picture of balloons from the Internet or buy a few.

Take a paper and draw them. Use good-quality colors as well.

If you want to draw something unique and different, try making a sketch of fish.

Challenging Drawing Ideas That Will Give You an Interesting Drawing

Every artist wants to discover things and implement them in his/her drawings.

If you are an artist, whether a beginner or an expert, you should try something unique and challenging.

Although trying simple ideas save you a lot of time, if you spend all your time in sketching simple and easy things, you will fail to get improvement.

So, for you, we have compiled a list of some challenging drawing ideas so you can master in your field.

41. Drawing a Mandala

An abstract design that is circular in form is known as a mandala.

It may also carry some images in it that has a special meaning for the one who draws it.

It seems really complicated to draw a mandala but once you know the steps, it becomes very easy to draw.

Adding a variety of colors in a mandala may show your connection with your inner world and reality.

42. A Glass of Water

Creating a realistic drawing of a glass of water is another sketchbook idea that will make your drawings interesting.

With the help of this type of drawing, you can show reflection and transparency at the same time.

You can also show light passing through a glass of water to add to its uniqueness.

Plus, add light and dark tones as well to give a finishing touch to your drawings.

43. A Family Photograph

A family photograph is the next challenging yet stunning artwork you can draw in your sketchbook.

Take out an old photo with all of your family members and begin to draw a stunning family photograph that you will treasure forever.

You can also get inspiration from the separate photos and draw them as everyone is together!

44. Draw a Dandelion

By practicing to draw a dandelion flower, we are sure you will draw it in no time. It will be fun to draw.

You will need to have a watercolor paper, a good set of markers and paintbrushes, and a bleeding tissue paper.

45. Draw with Your Non-Dominant Hand or Use Your Both Hands

Using your non-dominant hand or both hands for drawing is a challenging task.

Using a non-dominant hand means that if you are right-handed, try to draw with your left hand.

Learning this type of drawing will definitely increase your creativity.

46. Your Hands or Feet

One of the most challenging sketchbook ideas is to draw your hands or feet.

Most people believe that it is quite difficult to draw a hand but once you know how to look for specific shapes, the task will become easier.

47. A Person You Admire

Drawing a photo of a person you admire is a good drawing idea.

So, take out his/her photograph and start drawing.

It may be a challenging task even for the expert artists so it is better to know the simple tricks by which you can sketch the basic outline of the person and then make minor adjustments.

48. Do a Blind Contour Challenge

Another great sketchbook idea is to do a blind contour challenge.

Take a paper and a pencil and draw anything without looking at the paper.

You can go for a simple drawing or you can draw anything that comes to your mind.

Another challenge that you can take is to draw with a pencil without lifting your hand from the paper.

49. A Scene in a Restaurant

Having dinner in your favorite restaurant?

Make some memories by sketching a scene in a restaurant.

Sit in the corner and start sketching!

50. A Pair of Glasses

Besides drawing a glass of water, if you want to learn more about reflection and transparency more, draw a pair of glasses.

You can also color this drawing and can decorate your room with your lovely coloring drawing pages.

51. Draw a Person Sitting in a Chair

Another challenging drawing idea is to draw a person sitting in a chair at different angles.

52. Shrubs and Bushes

Take your sketchbook out, find a shady spot, and practice drawing shrubs and bushes.

53. Play with Lighting

The next big and challenging sketchbook idea is to play with lighting.

Go outside of your house, choose your favorite spot, and start drawing different scenes of the day in the morning, evening, and at night.

54. A Spaceship

If you like to explore space and different planets, it is the best idea to draw a spaceship that is capable of returning from space to Earth.

This type of drawing will look very impressive.

You can also draw a cartoon spaceship if you want!

55. Draw an Image of an Old Person

It would be a challenge for you to draw an image of an older person.

Show the wrinkles on the face with drawing pencils.

You can also show an old man sitting in a chair or walking with a stick.

56. The Back of Someone’s Head

Waiting for your order in a restaurant? Want to do something to pass some time?

Take a paper and a drawing pencil and draw the back of someone’s head.

Or you may sketch someone on public transit as well.

It will be a little difficult but with practice, you will learn to draw.

57. Your Favorite Landscape

So, you wanted to go on a vacation but your plan canceled due to some reasons.

Do not be sad!

To feel like you are on your favorite spot, it is a good idea to draw your favorite landscape.

58. Draw a Statue from a Museum

If you want to learn more about art, try sketching a sculpture from the past.

Go to a museum, work on your ideas, and draw a statue.

With good-quality drawing pencils, make a sketch and keep it in your art gallery.

59. Make a Sketch of an Old Camera

So, we are talking about taking photos and drawing something for example a family photograph.

Now it is time to take an old camera and make a sketch of it.

The shape of the camera, its buttons, and the text on them will definitely give you a nice challenge.

60. Give an Object a Face

Create stunning artwork by giving an object a face.

61. Metal Objects

Metal objects do not only have a unique texture in them but reflect light as well.

It is also fun to draw metallic objects.

It would be a challenge for you to draw metal effects effectively.

The materials you will need for this will be a sharpened pencil, a ruler, an eraser and some good sketching pencils.

62. A 3D Sphere

One of the most challenging sketchbook ideas is to draw a 3D sphere.

63. Draw Ocean Waves

It would be a real challenge for you to draw ocean waves as it is always challenging to make sketches of the things that are in constant motion.

64. Make a Sketch of an Old Factory

If you live in the city, go out with your sketchbook, find an old factory, and make a sketch.

It will be a great experience to draw the years of aging of an old factory.

65. Draw People Standing in a Line

Another amazing drawing activity is to draw people who are standing in a line.

It is always challenging to draw people.

So, if you want to improve your drawing skills, it is the quickest way.

Draw from Imagination

At times, you want to practice but there is not a suitable object to work on.

At this time, it is better to draw from imagination.

66. Create a Fun Pattern

Another amazing drawing idea is to create a fun pattern using dots, lines, swirls, curves, zigzags, and stripes.

67. Draw a Scene from History

Another drawing idea when working from imagination is to draw a scene from history.

Look back at the events of history and draw them on paper as if you were there.

68. Draw a Room You Want to Have in Your New House

If you are planning to move to a new house, it is a great idea to draw a room you want to have in your new house.

Sketch out the basic things like a bed, sofa, or dressing table.

Go for a pencil sketch or if you want, add colors to enhance your artwork.

This is also a great drawing idea if you are sitting idle and have nothing to do!

69. A Person Hitting the Ball

Another drawing from imagination practice is to draw a person hitting a ball.

Take a paper, draw a grid layout, and mark off the width and height of the picture.

Outline the shape of his body and draw his facial features.

You can make it simple or funny.

Let your imagination go!

70. A Moving Object

Get an observation from a photo and draw a moving object.

It could be anything like a car, a motorcycle, or an airplane.

71. Draw Your Meal

Another thing that you can draw is to imagine the meal you will eat for a week.

You can draw every portion of your meal with a pencil sketch.

72. A Couch

So, you have a couch in your living room on which you sit and enjoy watching TV.

Look at it deeply and get some practice of drawing a couch and show its soft material through the sketch.

You can also draw your favorite piece of furniture from your room.

73. A Tea Party

Planning for a tea party with your friends?

Let’s try out making a sketch of a tea party.

74. Draw a New Font

Take a paper and draw a few letters on it.

Also, try to draw a new font.

This will definitely boost your drawing skills.

75. The Items on your Coffee Table

If you want to draw something unique and creative, reproduce the items on your coffee table.

Plus, think about what more items you can add to your coffee table and start making a drawing on them.

76. Scenes from Everyday Memory

Think of two favorite scenes from your everyday memory.

Dedicate your time in drawing those scenes.

77. Superheroes

Pen a comic book and make a drawing of your favorite superheroes.

Not only this, but you can also create your own superhero in your own style.

You may go for drawing Superman, Hulk, Spiderman, Aquaman, and much more.

78. Draw Your Favorite Things

Get an idea of your favorite things in mind. Start drawing them.

As there will be a variety of things, so you will also get to learn drawing things from various aspects.

Try to add color in a few things while keeping a few items without color.

79. Draw Your Dream House

It will be a lot of fun to draw your dream house.

80. A Sailboat

Another classic subject for practice is to draw a sailboat.

81. Make a Sketch of Your Home in Space

To enhance your creative thought, make a sketch of your home in space.

More Sketchbook Prompts

Get ready to bring your A-game to art class. These sketchbook prompts are gonna take your creativity and imagination to the next level. These ideas are gonna inspire you to flex those illustration skills and make the most of every art session.

82. Draw Your Favorite Animal

You can draw your favorite animal. It could be anything from a pet to a dangerous predator. Give yourself some freedom and get creative with the pose, surroundings, and overall look of the animal.

83. Draw a Scenic View

Bring a landscape to life. It could be a cityscape, seascape, or a mountainous view. Add some details, like trees, buildings, and clouds, to make it more interesting.

84. Design a Fantasy Word

For artists, who love using their imagination, a fantasy scene prompt is a no-brainer. You can create a world filled with mythical creatures, enchanted forests, and otherworldly landscapes. How cool is that?

85. Sketch Your Dream Vacation

Turn your dream vacation into a reality with a sketch in your sketchbook. From the tropical beaches of the Caribbean to the bustling streets of Tokyo, capture the essence of your dream destination and exercise your artistic skills. So go ahead, grab your sketchbook and start planning your next adventure today!

86. Draw Your Fam Portrait

A family portrait is a great way to create something and focus on the people you love. Try to include all members of their family, including pets, in the portrait.

87. Draw a City Skyline at Night

City skylines are incredible. (They look even cooler at night). Artists can draw their favorite city skyline lit up with the bright lights of the city. Focus on the architecture and details of the buildings and make it look as realistic as possible.

88. Sketch a Park Scene

Parks are great places for artists to unwind, relax, and draw some inspiration. Draw a park scene with people, trees, and anything else you find interesting. You can add some color to the picture to make it pop.

89. Design a Comic Strip

For artists who love to tell a story, a comic strip prompt is a must. Use your imagination and create a series of drawings to tell a story. Whether it’s a funny joke, an action-packed adventure, or a heartwarming tale, you can get creative and have some fun with this one.

90. Sketch Your Favorite Food

Who doesn’t love food, my friend? Draw your favorite dish or cuisine. Whether it’s a delicious pizza, a mouth-watering burger, or a fancy steak, you can draw your favorite food and make it look as tasty as possible.

91. Draw a Self-Portrait

Self-portraits are a great way for artists to reflect on themselves and their unique style. Draw a self-portrait—one that captures your essence and personality. You can add some color, background, and props to make it more interesting.

92. Create a Still Life Drawing

Still life drawings are fantastic! They’re a classic way to hone in on those observation skills and show off your attention to detail. Grab a vase of flowers or some other object from around the house and get to sketching! Make it as detailed as possible, let’s see those skills shine! Here are some still life drawing tips .

93. Sketch a Sweet Ride

For all the gearheads out there, this one’s for you! Draw your favorite ride in all its glory! Make it look as sweet as possible with all the details, whether it’s a fantastic car, truck, or motorcycle. Let’s see those flashy and impressive drawings!

94. Draw a Beach Scene

Time to hit the beach and bring out your drawing skills. Draw the sand, water, and all the cool stuff you see around you.

Add some people chillin’, boats, and palm trees to make it look like a tropical paradise.

95. Design a Character

For all the storytellers out there, it’s time to let your imaginations run wild.

Design a fantastic character—whether it’s a superhero, a monster, or anything in between. Show off your creativity and have fun with it!

96. Sketch a Tree and its Surroundings

Nature lovers, this one’s for you. Draw a tree in all its glory, with its branches, leaves, and everything else that makes it special.

Add some birds, animals, and flowers to make it look like a real-life forest. Get ready to bring the outdoors inside with this sketch!

97. Create a Space Scene with Planet and Stars

Discover the wonder of space and bring it to life with a mesmerizing space scene in your sketchbook. Use color, light, and shadow to capture the vastness and diversity of the universe, highlighting the planets and stars that make it so special.

98. Draw a Water Scene

Take advantage of the peaceful and calming effects of water by sketching a beautiful water scene.

Whether it’s a river surrounded by trees and rocks or a lake surrounded by mountains, you’ll learn about the value of nature and have the chance to experiment with different techniques for creating serene landscapes.

99. Create a Jungle or Forest Scene

Explore the beauty and intricacy of nature by creating a scene inspired by it. From jungles filled with animals and plants to forests with hidden creatures and foliage, you’ll have the chance to learn about ecology and biology while honing your skills!

100. Sketch a Historical Monument or Building

Discover the rich history and cultural heritage of humanity by sketching a historical monument or building in your sketchbook. From the Colosseum in Rome to the Great Wall of China, you’ll learn about history and architecture while improving your artistic skills.

101. Draw a Favorite Mythical Creature in a Whimsical Setting

Bring your favorite mythical creatures to life with a whimsical scene in your sketchbook. Whether it’s a unicorn in a magical forest or a dragon in a magical castle, you’ll hone your skills in creating a fantastical landscape.

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For Political Journalists, Neutrality Isn’t the Goal

It’s objectivity, and being on the side of the truth in an intellectually dishonest era.

Two people, Governor Gavin Newsom and Republican challenger state senator Brian Dahle sit at the desk to the left. The desk has the California state symbol in front. On the desk on the right is Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos. Their desk has the letters "KQED" on the front. The background large digital screen reads "California Gubernatorial Debate."

Political journalist Marisa Lagos argues that now more than ever, reporters cannot remain neutral in the face of untruths. Marisa Lagos (far right) co-moderates the California gubernatorial debate on October 23, 2022. Courtesy of Aryk Copley/KQED.

by Marisa Lagos | May 16, 2024

Can we, and should we, ever really be neutral? In a new series, Zócalo explores the idea of neutrality—in politics, sports, gender, journalism, international law, and more. In this essay, political reporter Marisa Lagos argues that journalism’s goal isn’t neutrality.

My ability to be neutral as a political journalist depends on the intellectual honesty of the people—and the society—I cover.

But in an era when one side of the political spectrum is not always operating in good faith, and when people in my position are increasingly losing the trust of the audiences we serve, I don’t think neutrality should be the final goal. Instead, perhaps, we should think about neutrality more as a means to an end: uncovering the truth, without fear or favor, and presenting that truth to the public.

The dictionary defines being neutral as, “not aligned with or supporting any side or position in a controversy.” There are certainly aspects of my job where this is core to the work, such as in reporting, where being neutral means asking open-ended questions and dispassionately following facts, wherever they may lead.

Take criminal justice policy, one of the most challenging beats that I have ever covered. When I began reporting on the topic 15 years ago, California was grappling with prisons so crowded that, eventually, the U.S Supreme Court stepped in and ordered the state to reduce the populations.

This record incarceration was the result of a “tough on crime” movement that correlated safety with long prison sentences. But that correlation wasn’t borne out by the facts: People were receiving decades-long sentences for drug possession or property crimes, taking state funding away from schools and other core state services. California also had a very high recidivism rate, meaning most people who were released from prison would quickly return—but it often wasn’t for a new violent crime, rather for a simple violation of their parole rules.

I felt it was crucial to tell this story from all angles—and not just from the perspective of crime victims or law enforcement, who had dominated the discussion during the “tough on crime” era. I wanted to capture the points of view of the people who were incarcerated, and their families and communities who were impacted by their crimes and the punishment meted out. I tried to center my reporting not just on anecdotes but on data and research—even if that research did not comport with widely accepted assumptions and beliefs.

It was not always popular to do so, even with my editors, who were used to relying on conventional sources and well-worn narratives. Now, a decade or so into the reforms sparked by the prison overcrowding crisis—and as we face new challenges around property crimes and drug use—I am digging back into this issue to assess whether the reforms worked, or if they are to blame for the problems so evident in California.

I don’t yet know what I will find. But I do know that my job is to report it, no matter who likes or dislikes the findings.

Eventually, I’ll come to the point in my work when I have to leave neutrality behind and seek objectivity. Once I have answered the questions that I set out to ask, I have to make a call about what I found.

That doesn’t mean taking a side in the political sense. It means taking the side of the truth.

This can be a challenge in itself. It’s particularly hard when you are interviewing someone on live TV or radio, where you must push back against falsehoods in real time. Recently, we had U.S Senate candidate Eric Early, someone who believes that the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump, on my radio show.

This is not an intellectually honest argument to make, even if many Americans agree with it: The facts don’t bear out. So, when I am in the studio with Early in that moment, it’s not my job to stay “neutral” and simply listen. It’s my job to question, to push back—and, yes, call out the lies when they are uttered. It doesn’t have to be confrontational or uncivil, but it is key to doing my job responsibly.

This is where objectivity becomes key—the ability to set aside personal feelings or opinions and look at the facts, then make a judgment based on that information. Neutrality alone—the idea of not aligning yourself with one side—doesn’t cut it when you’re faced with someone who is lying, obfuscating, or being intellectually dishonest, even if they believe what they’re saying. But it’s also a mistake to see objectivity in this kind of situation as taking a side, other than the side of the truth.

Because the role of a journalist is to seek, uncover, and broadcast the truth. Without fear or favor. Without my own beliefs getting in the way. Even if, in this moment, it is harder than ever.

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