14 Things to Draw When You're Feeling Bored

Whenever you're feeling bored and unsure what to do, drawing can be a simple and quick way to entertain yourself. But what should you draw? Don't worry, if you're lacking ideas, this article will offer some suggestions for you. Whether it's portraits, characters, landscapes, or anything else, the following list will help inspire your drawing. Grab a piece of paper and a pencil to get started!

Fill the page with beautiful flowers. Flowers are a captivating and versatile subject to draw due to their diverse shapes, sizes, and colors. Choose a flower you like, sketch its basic outline with soft strokes, then add petals and other details. Don't hesitate to use a real-life reference to improve your skills!

• If you have a garden, go outside and draw the first flower you see. If not, you can search for images of the flower you'd like to draw online.
• For instance, you can easily draw a blooming rose by starting with a small circle as the center, then adding uneven petals around it.
• You can also draw a pine cone instead of a flower. Start by drawing the teardrop shape of the pine cone, then layer its scales on top of each other.

If you're a fan of fantasy worlds, try drawing a dragon, a unicorn, or a sea monster. The drawing process is quite similar to sketching real animals, but you need to tap into your imagination a bit more! Start by sketching a dragon with basic shapes for its head, body, and joints, similar to a reptile, then add more details. To draw a unicorn, follow the same steps as drawing a horse and add a horn. For a simple sea monster, begin by sketching its serpentine body with scales like a snake.

• Get creative and try imagining a mythical creature if you're ready to push your imagination even further.

Master drawing spheres and cubes before progressing to more complex objects. Start with a basic pencil sketch of a round shape to form a sphere. Cubes are a bit easier because they consist of straight lines; draw two identical squares that overlap, then connect their corners to form the cube.

• Try sketching other 3D shapes like cones, pyramids, and prisms. This will help you develop your ability to represent 3D objects on 2D paper.

Observe the branches and overall shape of the tree to capture its details. Every tree has a unique silhouette, so start by sketching its basic form, then add in the smaller details. Once you've outlined the trunk and canopy, draw in the branches where you can see them. Finish by sketching gaps in the canopy where you can glimpse the sky through the leaves.

• When drawing the foliage, focus on large clusters, especially when you are looking at the tree from a distance. Avoid drawing each individual leaf; instead, concentrate on the spaces between the leaves, where you can clearly see the shape of the tree's foliage.

Pick an animal you love and try drawing it in a realistic or cartoon style. If you're looking for something simple, go for a basic cartoon style; you can easily create a cartoon animal by starting with simple shapes and adding details. For a more realistic animal, begin by drawing its joints and using circles to form the head, body, and limbs, then sketch the animal and add details.

• Take inspiration from your pets. You could draw a dog, rabbit, cat, bird, or any animal you have.
• If you're into big cats, try drawing a jaguar.
• If you love marine life, give drawing a shark, dolphin, or any colorful fish that catches your eye a try.

Be creative by combining features from different animals into one drawing. If you want to go beyond realistic depictions, use your imagination to design your own creature. Pick two or three animals you like and carefully observe them to select traits you want to include in your drawing. Then, sketch the basic outlines and add details to complete your creation.

Practice your portrait-drawing skills if you have a few hours to spare. Portraits can take more time, especially if you're aiming for a realistic style, but practicing will help you improve. Choose a reference photo and sketch the face: start by drawing the overall shape, then add lines to mark the positions of the eyes, nose, and mouth. Once you have these basic shapes, you can begin refining the facial details.

• Be sure to choose a photo where the subject is at eye level with the camera. This way, you won’t have to draw the portrait from an awkward angle.

Add your unique touch to a character you enjoy. There are countless cartoon characters to choose from, ranging from Mickey Mouse to the mischievous SpongeBob. If you haven't drawn that character before, it's helpful to have a reference image, and be sure to check it regularly to stay accurate. Start by sketching the basic shapes before adding defining features, then finalize with details like clothing, fur, or facial expressions.

• If you're a fan of the How to Train Your Dragon movies, try drawing Toothless.
• If you enjoy Peanuts cartoons, you can always draw the dog Snoopy.

If you create original characters, illustrations can help you develop them further. Whether writing stories or playing role-playing games, you’ve probably imagined not just one or two unique characters. Begin by choosing the figure and distinctive style of your character before sketching and refining them. Draw a few variations to select the one you like best.

• You might consider setting the scene for your character before you begin drawing to help you visualize it, including a brief description of their appearance and role in the story.

Find a photo on your phone or look out the window for inspiration. Once you have a reference image, you can start sketching the largest shapes in the scene, then refine them with shading and smaller details like rocks and trees in the background. Finally, you’ll add the finishing touches such as leaves, grass, or the texture of the trees and stones.

• You can use grid lines to ensure accuracy. Draw grid lines on the reference photo and on your paper with equal proportions. This will give you a clearer guide while drawing the landscape.

Look at your reference object and draw without looking at the paper. This simple exercise has two main rules. First, choose an object as a reference and sketch it without glancing down at your paper. Second, once your pencil touches the paper, do not lift it off. This exercise will help improve your skills and train your eye-hand coordination.

• Observation is the most important factor for a successful drawing. If you want to create a beautiful drawing, careful observation of your reference object is key.

Drawing interesting people is a great way to enhance your sketching skills. Observe people in the park, sketching them as they chat, eat, or sunbathe. Go to a café and sketch the people who walk in. Observing and completing quick sketches will help you get familiar with drawing people of all shapes and sizes – and it’s fun, too!

• Find a comfortable spot in a public area and try not to draw attention to yourself; wear headphones and sit against a wall if you don’t want anyone to see your drawings.

Choose a piece of artwork you admire and recreate it to understand how it was created. Print an image of the artwork you want to copy as a reference or use transfer paper and pencil to trace the image onto your paper. This method will help you learn different drawing techniques while also improving your own skills.

• Whether you're a beginner or an experienced artist, you probably have favorite painters. You can replicate works from any era, whether it's da Vinci's paintings or a character artist on Instagram.

Refine your technical drawing skills by sketching three-dimensional buildings. The technique of two-point perspective drawing allows you to create precise renderings of depth. Start by drawing a horizontal line and placing two dots at both ends, which represent the 'vanishing points.' When sketching the building, use a ruler to ensure that all parallel lines of the building recede toward one of the vanishing points.

• If necessary, you can draw lines extending all the way to the vanishing point when adding details to the building and then erase them later.
• The vanishing points don't necessarily have to be on the paper. Marking them on paper is helpful when you're new to drawing, but typically, they exist as imaginary points far off beyond the edges of the page.