Sometimes with art, as in life, the first step is just to START. When a creative block is standing in your way, don't worry about it being your next masterpiece; just begin!
We have put together eighteen simple sketchbook ideas to help you do just that.
Save for later
Want to come back to this story? Save it with your email so it is easy to find again.
Table of Contents
- 1 1) One-line self-portrait without lifting your pencil
- 2 2) Contour drawing of your favorite mug
- 3 3) Blind contour sketch of your hand
- 4 4) Five-minute sketch of a houseplant
- 5 5) Negative-space drawing around a chair
- 6 6) Continuous-line sketch of a bicycle
- 7 7) Geometric pattern inspired by a window
- 8 8) Tiny landscape inside a postage-stamp frame
- 9 9) Texture study of tree bark
- 10 10) Shadow-only sketch of a household object
- 11 11) Exaggerated portrait of a familiar face
- 12 12) Doodle based on three random shapes
- 13 13) Urban sketch of a nearby doorway
- 14 14) Monochromatic study using one colored pencil
- 15 15) Botanical sketch from a fallen leaf
- 16 16) Imaginary map of a fictional island
- 17 17) Animal silhouette filled with patterns
- 18 18) Still life arranged from kitchen utensils
1) One-line self-portrait without lifting your pencil
Our first is a one-line self-portrait. Challenge yourself by not lifting your pencil. Notice the features on your own face that you seem to know best.
Do you draw your eyes in great detail, or do you pay extra attention to your lips? The finished product may surprise you!
2) Contour drawing of your favorite mug
Sometimes the best place to start is with something familiar. Draw your favorite mug. Keep in mind the contours and do more than one.
See what observations you make the second time that you didn't the first time.
3) Blind contour sketch of your hand
For this one, keep your eyes fixed on your non-dominant hand. Let your other hand draw freely, making sure to draw every detail. Which feature do you find easiest to recreate?
4) Five-minute sketch of a houseplant
The timer gives this exercise some stakes without it being too serious. See what you can get done in five minutes. Will you spend time erasing and restarting, or will you see what you can really do, mistakes and all?
5) Negative-space drawing around a chair
The depth in this drawing makes it look like you can reach through the page and actually grab the chair. It's a great exercise in depth and should really help you see the beauty in the ordinary… a perfect way to get past your creative block!
6) Continuous-line sketch of a bicycle
Like the face exercise earlier, this one is a continuous-line sketch. Make the bicycle without lifting the pencil. Make a mistake?
No worries! That's part of the fun. See what your proportions look like the first time around, then try again, noticing what changes.
7) Geometric pattern inspired by a window
This geometric pattern is reminiscent of the stained-glass windows all over Europe. Feel free to brighten the colors or keep the varying shades for added depth.
8) Tiny landscape inside a postage-stamp frame
This take on a postage stamp has a whimsical quality all its own. Look out your own window at home and make the landscape more familiar to you, or put your own spin on the example drawing.
9) Texture study of tree bark
There's a tree at the house where I grew up that has bark in one spot that has formed into something resembling an eye. You can draw spots of bark on the same tree multiple times, and it will look different each time. See what shapes you can find in the curves and cracks.
10) Shadow-only sketch of a household object
Shadows tell their own stories. A small object can look large. A person can look like a ghost.
Pick something around the house and see what its shadow tells you.
11) Exaggerated portrait of a familiar face
This one would be a fun way to design a holiday card for your family: turn everyone into cartoons! What a fun way to break out of your creative block. You can exaggerate all your family's best features and brighten the recipient's day at the same time.
12) Doodle based on three random shapes
Make something simple into something complex. Turn three random shapes into a full-blown art piece and see what adventures you can create.
13) Urban sketch of a nearby doorway
As far as unblocking you creatively, a sketch of a door just can't help itself. I challenge you to sketch an urban door and NOT think about what's behind it. Who lives there?
14) Monochromatic study using one colored pencil
It's amazing how much complexity one can create with just a single color. This monochromatic drawing idea challenges your ability to make something beautiful using only one tool.
15) Botanical sketch from a fallen leaf
Every leaf is different, so this botanical sketch provides endless possibilities. Try both a dead leaf and a living leaf and see how different they look. Which makes the most interesting sketch?
16) Imaginary map of a fictional island
This imaginary map of a fictional island is giving all the vintage vibes. Take elements from your own neighborhood and add them to the island, or create something completely new. Is your island full of mountains, or is it covered in trees?
Let your imagination go.
17) Animal silhouette filled with patterns
This idea reminds me of the complex pictures found in adult coloring books. Pick whichever animal that inspires you. Try a couple of different ones, using a monochromatic color scheme in one and multiple colors in the other.
18) Still life arranged from kitchen utensils
This is a great way to practice shading techniques. Each utensil casts its own shadow, affecting the items around it. Be sure to pay attention so that your drawing doesn't lose its realism.
