When you’re out of drawing ideas, start small and low-pressure. Doodle random shapes, sketch what’s right in front of you, or grab a prompt from a challenge list. The goal isn’t to make great art. It’s to get your hand moving so inspiration has a chance to catch up.
In this guide:
- Start with random doodles
- Draw from nature
- Sketch people in public
- Redraw your old art
- Use food and seasons as subjects
- Join a drawing challenge
- Illustrate a scene from a book
- Follow a tutorial
- Let music guide you
- Travel through art
Why drawing blocks happen (and why they’re normal)
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I used to skip drawing sessions all the time. Not because I didn’t want to draw. I just couldn’t think of anything to make. Those skipped sessions add up, and they stall your progress.
Here’s the good news: idea blocks aren’t a sign you’re losing your edge. They’re usually a sign your input well is low. The fix isn’t to push harder. It’s to give yourself more things to react to.
Below are ten strategies I pull from whenever my head feels empty. Pick two or three that suit your mood today.
Start with random doodles
The lowest-pressure way to begin. No plan, no concept. Just move your hand across the page and see what surfaces.
A few loose marks can turn into:
- A pattern you want to push further
- A texture that fits a bigger artwork
- A character you didn’t know was in there
- A landscape built from abstract shapes
I’ve started full illustrations from a scribble I made while waiting for coffee. The point is to remove the pressure of “what should I draw” and replace it with “what’s this turning into.”
Key takeaway: Doodling bypasses decision fatigue. Start with shapes, and the subject often finds you.
Draw from nature
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Nature is my main source of inspiration, and probably always will be. You don’t need a forest hike either. A single houseplant on your desk has enough detail to fill a sketchbook page.
Things worth studying up close:
- Leaf veins and how they branch
- How light bounces off petals or water
- Roots, rocks, and fallen bark
- The same object in morning vs. afternoon light
A 20 minute walk through a park usually gives me two or three ideas for new artworks.
Sketch people in public
Cafes, trains, and parks are perfect for this. I sit with a coffee and draw people who hold still for more than a minute. Readers, knitters, people absorbed in their phones.
The goal isn’t a perfect likeness. It’s to catch a mood or a pose in as few lines as possible. Start with basic shapes to block in figures quickly. This trains your observation in a way studio work can’t.
Quick tips for public sketching:
- Use a small notebook so you don’t feel exposed
- Work in pencil or a single pen to avoid fussing
- Give yourself 60 seconds per person, then move on
Redraw your old art
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Pick an artwork from a year or two ago and draw it again.
This gives you an instant subject and shows you exactly how much you’ve improved. The comparison is motivating. Sometimes I find an illustration I was proud of and realize how much my understanding of color or anatomy has shifted since then.
Key takeaway: Your old work is a free prompt library. Use it.
Use food and seasons as subjects
Food is everywhere, and it changes with the seasons. That makes it a reliable well of subjects.
In December I love drawing Christmas cookies, mulled wine, and wrapped gifts. Each season brings its own palette and mood:
- Spring: fresh blooms, soft greens, pastel light
- Summer: saturated color, strong shadows, lots of energy
- Fall: rich warm tones, texture, harvest subjects
- Winter: cool calm, low light, cozy scenes
You can also blend two seasons. One of my favorite recent illustrations mixed fall’s bright colors with winter’s quiet mood.
Join a drawing challenge
Prompt-based challenges remove the hardest step: deciding what to draw.
I recently used the prompt “warm and fuzzy” and sketched a cozy cabin scene: a fireplace, fuzzy socks, someone reading a book, deer visible through the window. That whole illustration came from two words.
Challenges worth trying:
- Sketchtember (September, open media)
- Huevember (November, color-focused)
- Weekly prompts from artists you follow
- or 💡 explore my guide to 70+ art challenges
I share prompt lists through my newsletter, so if you want those monthly, that’s where to find them.
Illustrate a scene from a book you love
If you read, this one’s a gift. Pick a scene from a favorite book and draw your interpretation.
It could be:
- A dramatic moment with strong action
- A quiet landscape the author described
- A character portrait in your own style
- A single object the story made memorable
The source material gives you atmosphere, detail, and emotion to work with. You’re not starting from zero.
Follow a class or tutorial
When I’m stuck, I’ll sit down with a tutorial and follow along. Not to copy, but to pick up a new technique or workflow.
This almost always sparks ideas for my next illustration. A new brush method makes me want to try it on my own subject. A new process opens up directions I didn’t see before.
Key takeaway: Learning and creating aren’t opposites. A good class often ends with three ideas you want to make on your own.
Let music guide you
Put on a piece of music and draw whatever comes up. Rhythm, melody, mood, all of it.
This works best for abstract or expressive work. The results tend to be emotional and loose, which is a nice break if you usually draw tight and realistic.
Try matching your medium to the track:
- Ambient: soft, blended watercolor
- Jazz: scratchy pen and ink
- Classical: careful line studies
- Upbeat pop: bold color blocks
Travel through art
Draw places you’ve been, places you want to visit, or places that only exist in your head.
I love combining references from different locations into one imaginary place. A building from one city, a coastline from another, lighting from somewhere else. It stretches your visual vocabulary and you end up with something no one else could make.
Quick recap
- Doodle first, think later. Random marks unlock ideas better than sitting and staring.
- Your environment is full of subjects. Plants, people, meals, seasons.
- Revisit your old work. It’s the fastest way to see your progress.
- Use prompts when your brain is empty. Challenges take the decision off your plate.
- Borrow from other art forms. Books, music, travel, tutorials all count as fuel.
The real trick isn’t finding one perfect idea. It’s having a short list of strategies you can pull from when you’re stuck.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start with the lowest-effort option: a five-minute doodle, a quick sketch of the object nearest to you, or a prompt from a challenge. The point is to draw anything, not the right thing.
Change your input. Switch tools, visit a new place, follow a tutorial in a style you’ve never tried, or redraw an artwork from a year ago. Art ruts are usually input problems, not talent problems.
“Draw your breakfast” and “draw your workspace” are two of my favorites. Both subjects are sitting right in front of you, and neither requires imagination.
Ten minutes is plenty. Long enough to loosen up, short enough that you won’t feel bad if the result doesn’t work out.
No. Some drawings are warmups. Some are experiments. The unfinished ones still count as practice.
Your turn
If you try any of these drawing ideas, I’d love to hear which one worked. Drop a comment and share your own ways to break through a creative block. Someone else reading might need exactly what you say.
Hi, I am Iva (rhymes with “viva”). I am a full-time self-taught artist behind Art Side of Life® and a Top Teacher on Skillshare. I have 15 years of experience in the creative field as a concept designer, illustrator, art director, and now freelance artist, content creator, and art instructor. My goal is to help you get your creative groove on with Procreate and make awesome art through practical classes, tutorials, Procreate brushes, and guides on art tools, supplies and resources. About me »
