Drawing ideas · When bored
What to draw when you are bored
Boredom is actually a great moment to draw — your brain is begging for something to do. The trick is to skip the “what should I draw?” stage, because that is where the boredom wins.
So here is a list built for exactly that moment: things you can draw right where you are, silly ideas, doodle games and quick challenges. Pick the first one that makes you smile.
Fun things to draw when bored
40 ideas
Draw what is around you
Tip · Boredom usually means “nothing to look at”. Look closer: the most ordinary object becomes interesting when you draw it.
- Your shoes, exactly as they are right now
- The view from your window
- Whatever is left on your plate
- The messiest corner of the room
- A tangle of cables
- Everything on the bathroom shelf
- The person nearest to you, from behind
- Your non-drawing hand
Silly what-ifs
Tip · Ask “what if” and draw the answer. Absurd ideas are the best cure for boredom because there is no wrong way to draw them.
- What if fish could walk?
- Your city if everything was made of cake
- A cat as a medieval king
- Furniture that comes alive at night
- Rain, but it is raining spaghetti
- A dinosaur in an office job
- Your house as a spaceship
- What your brain looks like when you are bored
Doodle games
Tip · Turn off the inner critic with a rule-based game. The rule decides, you just follow it.
- Scribble randomly, then turn it into a creature
- Draw something with your eyes closed
- Draw with your non-dominant hand
- Ten objects in ten minutes
- Turn the letters of your name into animals
- Roll a die: that many eyes on your monster
- One continuous line, never lift the pen
- Draw shapes you see in clouds or stains
Draw from your head
Tip · Memory drawing is hard and that is the point. Compare it with reality afterwards to learn what you actually notice.
- Your childhood bedroom
- Your perfect meal
- A map of your neighborhood from memory
- Your favorite toy as a kid
- Something from last night’s dream
- A scene from the last movie you watched
- Your best friend’s face
- Your last holiday
Quick 5-minute challenges
Tip · Set a timer. When it rings, stop — even mid-line. Short deadlines make starting much easier.
- Something using only three colors
- A tiny object drawn huge
- The same cup from three angles
- A silhouette with no details at all
- The song you are listening to
- Today’s weather as a character
- The last thing you bought, gift-wrapped
- A houseplant with a secret life
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Play Draw Now →Frequently asked questions
What can I draw when I am bored?
Draw whatever is in front of you — your shoes, your window, the mess on your desk — or play a doodle game like turning a random scribble into a creature. Both remove the need to come up with an idea.
What are fun drawing games to play alone?
Draw with your eyes closed, use your non-dominant hand, draw ten objects in ten minutes, or roll a die to decide how many eyes your monster gets. Rules make drawing playful.
How do I stop overthinking what to draw?
Let something else choose. A random prompt generator like Draw Now picks a subject and gives you 60 seconds, so there is no time to overthink.
Is there an app that tells you what to draw?
Yes. The Midnight Gallery gives you a new drawing theme every day on iOS and Android. You get one attempt, no undo, and your sketch joins the community gallery at midnight.
Get a new theme every single day
The Midnight Gallery drops one drawing theme every day at midnight. One sketch, no undo, published to the community gallery — and a streak that keeps you coming back.