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Drawing in your sketchbook has many benefits like it is relaxing, enjoyable, and enhances your artistic skills. But do you ever get stuck because you don’t have any ideas of what to draw?
If you take a look around you, you will discover you will never have to sit there trying to think of ideas of what to draw.
There are subjects all around you that will help you to enhance your drawing skills like value, perspective, proportions, and composition.
To make it easier to discover different ideas of what to draw, I came up with over a hundred drawing ideas for you.
I hope after this post, you will never have to sit there thinking about what you should be drawing again.
Before we get started I am going to share with you all of the drawing supplies you will find in my studio that pertain to graphite drawing.
I purchase all of my art supplies from Blicks.com. They have great prices, free shipping if you spend a certain amount, and ship items quickly.
Drawing Paper
- Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Board Pads 9″ x 12″ Smooth
- Strathmore 300 Series Bristol Board Pads 9″ x 12″ Velum
Blending
Shading Pencils Set
Value Finder
Erasers
- General’s Factis Magic Black Eraser
- Tombow Mono Zero Refillable Eraser
- Prismacolor Kneaded Rubber Erasers
- Alvin Dry Cleaning Pad
Extras
Airplane – Airplanes are a great way to learn proportions and to observe different lines.
Try drawing different types of planes like multi-engine piston, biplanes, gliders, jets, and helicopters.
Draw them on the runway and in the air for a different perspective.
Backgammon board – There are many different backgammon boards you can choose to draw.
Some are in a wood box, and others are gameboard. The triangle shapes will help you to draw perspective and the dice and checkers will be an additional bonus.
Bar of soap – All brands of soap have different textures, shapes, and curves.
Baseball – Baseballs are fun to draw but can be a challenge with the seams and stitches of the baseball. Try to add depth by adding the 5 elements of shading.
Baseball bat – Perfect drawing cone shapes by drawing baseball bats. Draw an aluminum bat and a wood bat for different textures. Notice how light reacts to the different materials.
Baseball cleats – If you want to challenge yourself drawing shoes, try sketching baseball cleats.
Baseball glove – Baseball gloves come in all different shapes and sizes and will help you to draw the texture of leather. Old gloves are fun to draw.
Baseball hat – Place your baseball hat at different angles of hanging it on a chair. If you have an old hat, grab it and capture all of the textures of an old weathered hat.
Basketball – Sketch a basketball and try to give it form with shading. Basketballs have a lot of bumps and valleys, remember sometimes less is more with drawings.
Bathtub – Old vintage bathtubs are fun to draw. Search for some vintage bathtubs on Pixabay.
Beach – Don’t forget to bring your sketch pad and pencils when you are enjoying a beautiful summer day at the beach.
Bicycle – There are many types of bikes to choose from like a regular bicycle, tricycle or even a tandem. Try drawing them all.
Birds – Birds are fun to draw, and you can find them in different posses on trees or the ground. Do a search on Pixabay for birds and you will have years of practice ahead of you.
Boots – Old and new boots are fun to draw. Don’t forget the shadow of the shoelace.
Books – Hardcover and softcover books are fun to draw and is an excellent practice for perspective drawing. Draw your books open, closed, and stacked on top of each other. You can even sketch your books on a bookshelf.
Bridges – I am a big fan of covered bridges. Drawing them is so much fun and rewarding. There are many other types of bridges to choose from like stone bridges, wooden bridges or even draw bridges. Visit your nearest bridge and sketch away.
Buildings – Buildings are made with different materials. You can have fun drawing a brick building and a challenge drawing a skyscraper with a lot of windows. Draw buildings using one-perspective and two-perspective.
Candles – Candles come in all shapes and sizes and are great practice for drawing cylinders. Draw candles in jars, large candles, skinny candles and candles with a flame and the wax dripping down the side.
Candy canes – Candy canes have a fun shape to draw. Just make sure that you follow the direction of the curves.
Candy – Candy comes in all kinds of shaps and wrappers. Draw the package and the actual candy.
Canned food – Grab a bunch of cans from your pantry and create a still life.
Cars – Cars are so much fun to draw and have multiple lines and curves. Practice drawing your car or your dream car.
Cats – Take a bunch of photos of your cat or a friend’s cat.
Chairs – Draw different types of chares. For an extra challenge, concentrate on the shadow and try to make it as realistic as you can.
Checkerboard and Checkers – This is a perfect subject for drawing perspective. The checkers will add an extra dimension to the composition.
Child’s wooden cars and trucks – The shapes of wooden cars and trucks are simple to sketch. Try to capture the grain of the wood.
Chocolate bar – A Hershey’s chocolate bar has to be included in the list of ideas of what to draw. Just be careful not to eat it while you are drawing the chocolate bar.
Christmas ornaments – Grab a box of your Christmas ornaments and start sketching all of the different shapes.
Christmas presents – Drawin wrapped Christmas present is a good exercise for perspective drawing. The bow can be a challenge but with practice, you will become a pro.
Christmas stockings – Sketch your Christmas stocking hanging off your fireplace mantel. Capture all of the texture of the shelf and the stocking. For even more fun, draw the fire in the fireplace.
Christmas tree – When you are enjoying an evening in front of your Christmas tree, grab your pencils and start drawing what you see. Notice how the lights reflect off of the tree and ornaments.
Christmas wreath – There is so much going on with Christmas wreaths. The texture of the pine needles and pinecones are fun to draw and all of the accents on the wreath will have you sketching for hours.
Cigars – Draw a smoldering or new cigar still in the wrapper. A cigar box filled with cigars is always fun.
Clock – Grandfather clocks, cuckoo clocks and old alar clocks with the bells on top are always fun to draw. Pay close attention to the face of the clock.
Clothes – Go in your closet and grab a pair of jeans or a sweatshirt and stage it on a bed or chare.
Coffee maker – Coffee makers come in all sizes and shapes. You will have fun drawing the different textures of glass, metal, and plastic. Observe how light reacts to all of the different materials.
Coffee mug – Sketch your coffee mug while you are enjoying your first cup of coffee in the morning. Use different mugs and look at them from different angles.
As you can see you can come up with so many ideas of what to draw just in your kitchen.
Couch – Sketch your furniture at different angles. Place a quilt on it for an extra challenge.
Cubes, spheres, and cones – These are always good to practice especially when you are practicing the 5 elements of shading.
Deck of cards – Stage some cards on a table. Have the cards sticking out of the card box or have them overlapping each other.
Dice – If you want to have more fun drawing cubes, try drawing dice.
Dogs – Take a bunch of photos of your dog or friend’s dog. Try to capture their personality and expressions.
Doorknob – Vintage or modern doorknobs are great practice for perspective drawing and practicing your lines. Add the shadow the doorknob casts.
Eggs - Drawing eggs is a great way to master soft value changes.
Erasers – Grab your eraser and start drawing. Draw a new eraser and a used eraser.
Eyes - Eyes are thought of as the windows to the soul and capture the character of the person or animal you are drawing.
Sketching eyes will enhance your portrait drawing skills.
If you run out of ideas of what to draw just draw eyes. Draw cat eyes, dog eyes, human eyes any type of animal's eyes.
Farm animals – There are so many beautiful farm animals you can draw like pigs, cows, and goats.
Fish – Draw the fish in your fish tank.
Flowers – There is a variety of flowers you can draw. Draw each flower separately of display a bunch of flowers in a vase.
Forks – Forks have some great curves and lines. Grab a fork and place it at different angles on your kitchen table and draw away.
Fruits – Fruits are a subject many artists enjoy sketching. There are so many different varieties to choose from. Set up a still life with some fruit you have in your kitchen.
Game controllers – Grab all of your different game consoles and practice drawing how light reflects off of various plastics. You will have fun drawing all of the different buttons and joysticks.
Globe – Globes are fun to draw and excellent practice for symmetry and proportions. Try adding ass much detail as you can.
Hair – Practice sketching long hair, short hair, curly hair, wavy hair, and straight hair.
Hammer – Go to your toolbox and grab your hammer. A hammer has a lot of gentle curves to capture. Place a few nails next to the hammer for an extra challenge.
Headphones – Grab your headphones and arrange them on a desk, hanging on a chare or even in a tangled mess.
High heels – High heels come in all sizes and shapes. Grab some from the closet or ask to borrow someone's high heels. Create a still life composition and capture all of the different lines and shapes.
Horses – Horses are so much fun to draw. Draw a horse standing tall and proud. Draw a horse eating hay or even galloping.
Houseplants – houseplants have different shaped leaves that will be fun to sketch. Take a walk around your house and see what different plants you can draw.
Houses – Draw the homes in your neighborhood. Drawing houses is an excellent practice for perspective drawing.
Ice cream – Who doesn't love icecream? Put a couple of scoops of ice cream in an ice cream cone and draw away.
Jars - Medicine jars, mason jars, and vintage jars are great to draw.
Knife - Grab a butter knife, bread knife, and a steak knife and capture all of the curves of the knives. Pay attention to how the light reflects off of the surface.
Lamp - Walk around your house and start drawing all of the lamps in the rooms.
Leafs - Drawing leaves might seem easy but when you really observe leaves you will discover that there is a lot of texture you can have fun sketching.
Light switch - While you are sitting on your couch, take a look at the nearest light switch and try to draw it while keeping the proportions correct.
Lightbulb – Draw a bulb on a table or in a light fixture.
Mountains - Mountains are excellent practice if you enjoy drawing landscapes.
Mouse and keyboard – Challenge yourself to sketch your mouse and keyboard. Capture all of the value changes between the keys and the curves of your mouse.
Musical instruments - There are so many musical instruments to choose from like brass instruments, violins, guitars, ukeleles, drums, bongos. Pick your favorite musical instrument to draw.
Paintbrush - There are a variety of paintbrushes you probably have right in your home.
Pair of Sneakers – Grab your sneakers and set up a still life composition. Have them staged next to each other, have one on top of the other, or even have one lying on its side. Draw your sneakers on your feet or someone else’s.
Paper towels – You will be surprised how much detail is in paper towels. You might think paper towels are an easy subject to draw but once you get into it and discover all the different details and textures, you will find yourself sitting there for hours.
Pens – Pens come in all different sizes and shapes. Grab a handful of different pens and start sketching.
Pencils – you are sketching with a pencil as we speak. Why not draw your pencil. Take a handful of pencils and drop them on the table. Capture how they land. Every time you do this, you will be practicing different shapes.
Pizza - When you are having pizza on the weekend, take a slice and hide it in the back of the refrigerator so you can draw it when nobody is around. When you finished your drawing you can enjoy a nice snack.
Pizza box - Before you throw away the pizza box why don't you try sketching it. Look at it from different angles.
Pliers - Go grab a pair of pliers to sketch. You can come up with many ideas of what to draw right in your garage or toolbox.
Pumpkins - Pumpkins are a fun subject to draw in the fall.
Puzzle pieces - If you want to have practice drawing odd shapes, grab a bunch of puzzle pieces. Draw one piece at a time or drop a handful on the table and try to draw what you see.
Reading glasses – Reading glasses come in different sizes and shapes. Pose your reading and sunglasses and start drawing.
Refrigerator - Drawing rectangles can become manganous after a while but drawing real-life subjects that take on the form of a rectangle makes drawing exciting.
Rocking horse - Are you having a difficult time sketching horses? Maybe drawing a rocking horse will make it a little easier.
Rocks - Rock comes in all sizes, shapes, and textures. Rocks are one of the basics you will want to practice drawing if you enjoy drawing landscapes.
Rowboat - Old wooden rowboats are fun to draw. For extra practice sketch a rowboat on land and in the water.
Ruler - take a rule and place it in different angles on a table. Drawing rules is great practice for perspective drawing.
After you have exhausted that, create a still life of all your drawing supplies.
Your drawing supplies alone give you a large number of ideas of what to draw.
Sandals - Drawing different styles of clothes and shoes will come in handy when you are drawing people.
School desk – old and new school desks are great to draw. Capture the textures of the wood on old desks and capture how light reflects off of the metal on more modern desks.
Screwdriver - A screwdriver is another fun tool to draw that comes from your toolbox. Stage a flat head screwdriver and a phillips screwdriver and see if you can get the proportions down.
Seashells - Seashells come in all different shapes, sizes and are so much fun to draw.
Skateboard -A skateboard has so many different lines and is a perfect subject to practice drawing proportions.
Smartphone – You always have your smartphone within arms reach. You are probably reading this list of ideas of what to draw on your smartphone. Lay it down and start drawing. Try drawing it at different angles.
Soccer ball - Soccer balls might seem easy to sketch but the geometry shapes that are on a round surface make it a challenge.
Spoon – spoons are another fun utensil that is fun to draw. Capture the shadow the spoon creates. You can even grab a fork and stage the fork and spoon together for extra practice.
Staircase – Drawing stairs is a great practice for drawing perspective. Draw the stairs at different angles including looking up, looking down and from the side.
Stapler - Create a still life composition of your stapler and scissors. Place some staples on the table for an extra challenge.
Stove - If you are in the kitchen drawing your refrigerator and coffee maker you might as well draw your stover.
All of the knobs and angles on your stove will make drawing fun.
Swingset - Swingsets have a lot of strait lines that are excellent to practice sketching. For ideas of what to draw try drawing a tire hanging from a tree branch.
Table fan - Depending on what type of table fan you own, this drawing project might be a challenge.
To challenge yourself, even more, try drawing the blades of the fan in motion.
Teacup - Teacups are more fun to draw than mugs. Teacups come in different sizes and shapes. Most of them have designs on them which will create another layer to your sketch.
Toaster - Toasters are another subject to draw while you are in your kitchen.
You can start to see you can come up with an abundance of ideas of what to draw in every room of your home.
Trees and bushes – Trees and shrubs come in all different shapes and sizes and are excellent practice for when it is time to draw landscapes.
Truck - If you like drawing cars, you probably would love drawing trucks as well. Vintage trucks have classy curves that are fun to sketch.
Vegetables - There is a large variety of vegetables you can choose from. For more fun, slice them up and draw the texture of the inside of the vegetable.
Wallet - Draw your wallet closed, open and with money hanging out of it.
Water bottle – Draw your water bottle at different angles. Fill the water bottle with varying levels of water and capture how light reacts to the plastic and water.
Wine bottle - The next few ideas of what to draw are based on wine. Whether you like to drink wine or not, Wine bottles, wine glasses, wine corks, and grapes are common subjet artists practice sketching.
- Wine bottle cork
- Wine bottle corks in a stack
- Wine bottle with grapes
- Wine glass
- Wine glass filled with wine
Yarn ball – You will get hours of practice sketching yarn balls. The yarn has a challenging texture to sketch and makes an excellent study.
Your feet - Feet and hands are one of the most challenging things to draw. Grab your sketching pad and sketch your bare feet.
Your hand – Hands are another important part of figure drawing and can be a challenge for many artists. Grab your sketching pad and start drawing your hand in all positions.
This is the last of the ideas of what to draw. I hope you never run out of ideas again. Have fun drawing.
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