33 Easy Things To Draw To Banish Boredom And Boost Your Mood (2024)

Is your brain crying out for something fun to do?

And do you happen to have a writing tool handy, along with something to write on?

Maybe you’re thinking, “I’m not completely hopeless at drawing, but I’m no expert, either. So, what are some really easy things to draw?”

Or you might wonder where can you find ideas for easy things to draw that look hard (so that if anyone happens to notice, they’ll say things like, “How are you so good at drawing that?” Bonus!)

If you know what you want to draw but aren’t sure how to begin, YouTube is full of tutorials on stuff to draw — as well as more complicated drawing projects.

Go ahead and Google “easy things to draw when bored,” and see what comes up. You'll find some really cool things to draw that you never expected.

You won’t have to scroll down too far to see the related YouTube videos, along with pictures of easy things to draw step by step.

If you’re thinking, “But I can’t draw faces,” or “I don’t draw animals, because I always get the legs wrong (and the shape of the head, the nose, etc.),” YouTube has videos created by people who make it look easy.

Be sure to grab some inexpensive art supplies including a drawing pad and colored pencils so you're ready when inspiration strikes.

Whether you’re decorating a folder or doodling in a notebook or sketching a temporary tattoo on your hand, think of this article as a varied and fun sampling of your options.

33 Easy Things to Draw When You are Bored

Cute Things to Draw for Beginners

If you’re not really into tutorials, and you just want some ideas on cute easy things to draw, try any of these.

1. Dancing Stick Figure

Don’t underestimate how fun stick figures can be. You can vicariously enjoy their shenanigans (whatever you get them into) without having to draw more detailed human shapes.

2. Simple Nature Scene

You don’t even need to draw a straight line for this. How many landscapes have you seen that are perfectly flat, anyway?

Draw a line for the foreground; add some steeper curves further up to create hills for your background (or jagged triangular peaks for mountains), add some basic trees, clouds, etc.

Related:101 Fun Things To Do When You Are Bored

Or maybe you want the ocean in your background, with a boat drifting on the water. Think of a place where you’d love to hike, camp, or have a picnic, and draw that.

3. Cartoon Faces

This could be the face of a person, an animal, or something else.

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You’re not going for realistic, here, so don’t worry if the final product doesn’t resemble the character you were thinking of. You can also exaggerate certain features to create a caricature.

4. Outlines of Animals, Faces, Human Shapes

Start with a basic outline of whatever is on your mind and try to capture the main features.

You might start out with this and decide to fill it in and add more detail, or you may decide the outline looks great on its own.

5. Snowflake

Start with a large plus sign with a superimposed X. Add symmetrical branches of varying lengths wherever you want them. Make your snowflake as simple or as ornate as you like.

Simple Things to Draw

Maybe you’re not a beginner, but you’re still inclined to stick with easy drawing projects. You still have plenty of options, and if you’re going for cute, these are a few to try.

1. Bee, Butterfly, or Other Insect

These can be simple and cartoonish or more realistic — either in outline or with detail. You can also draw an insect of your own imagining.

2. Dolphin or Fish

Fish come in many shapes and sizes and are pretty easy to draw. Dolphins are trickier, but if you have the shape clear in your head, draw the outline and add as many (or as few) details as you like.

3. Dog or Cat Face

If you want this face to resemble a favorite pet, you probably have a basic idea of the shape of your pet’s face. If the realistic features are too challenging, try making a rough sketch or outline and add details that remind you of your pet.

4. Tree

Sketch the outline of a tree you can see from where you are.

If its branches are bare, see if you can capture the angles and curves of each major branch.

If they’re not bare, you can still get the overall shape of the tree using smooth and jagged lines.

Related: 29 Fun Things To Do At Home

5. Flower

So many options! Look for step-by-step guides online if you have a specific flower in mind (like a rose or an orchid). Otherwise, you can freestyle this to create a flower of your own design.

Fun Easy Things to Draw

All the drawing ideas in this article are meant to be enjoyed, but some come to mind more easily with the word “fun.”

1. Human face

Again, make this as fanciful or as realistic as you like, adding as many details as you consider necessary. Don’t cheat yourself by thinking you can’t draw faces.

If you’re not interested in watching one of the many YouTube videos on this, go with a freestyle approach.

2. Sketch of an Imaginary Character

You can start with an outline or with a stick figure and add details.

Try to capture the key features of this character, whether it’s a signature hairstyle, distinctive shoes, or something else.

If you write fiction, try sketching your main character in a scene from one of your stories.

3. Line Art

From straight lines to waves to squiggles and swirls, you can draw something pretty interesting without using recognizable closed shapes.

Your final creation could be a simple leaf shape of smooth, concentric lines surrounded by swirls or other patterns.

4. Random Doodles

Whatever is on your mind — whether it’s lunch, the ocean, or random objects from someplace you’d rather be — doodles are a fun and relaxing way to pass the time.

5. 3D Shapes and Illustrations (Including Dice)

Dice are essentially cubes with dark circles, and if you know how to draw three-dimensional shapes, this is just one variation.

Whether your dice are still rolling or they’ve landed, they’re fairly easy to draw.

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6. Earth

Start with a ball; add some shadow, if you’ve got the skills; then add vaguely recognizable continental shapes. If the final product doesn’t resemble Earth much, you can just tell people you’re drawing “future Earth.”

7. Comics or Comic Strips

Draw your own characters and make them talk. You could become the next Gary Larson of The Far Side fame, especially if you have a dry and deliciously warped sense of humor.

8. Mandala

If just coloring mandalas isn’t enough for you, and you’d like to create your own, websites like this one explain mandalas and teach you how to draw one.

Cool Easy Things to Draw

These ideas are as cool as they are fun to draw. The last one is a winner if you’ve ever wanted to design your own font or create some keepsake wall art with a quote you love.

1. Space Alien

Make this as cartoony and kid-friendly or as dark and strange as you like. Add a caption or thought bubble if your alien has something to say.

Related: 37 Fun Things To Do By Yourself

2. House (or Other Building)

It’s not hard to find step-by-step tutorials on drawing simple houses and other buildings — in both 2D and 3D. You can also just wing it using the general shape and distinctive features that come to mind.

3. Dragon (or Other) Tattoo

Whether you’re drawing this on your own skin or on paper, this can be a fun project. If a dragon sounds too ambitious, go with a meaningful symbol or icon, or stylized letters.

4. Human Figure

Picture a mannequin to start with, draw the outline as best you can (keep it simple, at least for starters), and add any features you want: a face, hair, an outfit, etc. Give it some attitude if you’re so inclined.

5. Calligraphy

Calligraphy is not dead, and you can either copy the lettering from a book or download a calligraphic font to your computer or tablet and copy that by hand. There are even online tutorials (and articles) on “faux calligraphy,” which is modern calligraphy using a standard pen rather than a dip pen with nibs and ink jars.

Cute Easy Things to Draw for Kids

Kids will enjoy the following easy drawing ideas.

1. Minion (from Despicable Me) or Another Cartoon Character

SpongeBob and Pokemon characters are also fairly easy to draw, especially if you can find a step-by-step drawing guide online or in a book. Disney characters like Olaf from Frozen are also fun and easy to draw.

2. A Christmas Tree

Kids love celebrating the season by drawing a colorful tree that is fully decorated. This tree is simple to copy and can be an inspiration for their own design.

3. Batman or Another Superhero

You can draw the face or more of him. These don’t have to look like comic book characters, but if kids want some help, a coloring book with outlines of the favorite superhero can give them an easier image to copy.

Related: 7 Fun Mindfulness Activities for Kids

4. A Sweet Fairy Resting on a Flower

Let a child's imagination run wild with this whimsical fairy resting on a flower. Your little artist will delight in drawing this precious creature.

5. Home or a Favorite Place

Kids usually practice drawing home and stick families pretty early in school — either because they have to or because they’re homesick.

This doesn’t have to be a view from outside (of the house, the trees, etc.); it could be the kid’s room or another favorite room. It could also be a tree fort or other refuge when your kid wants time alone.

6. A Friendly Dinosaur

What child isn't fascinated with dinosaurs? But this one isn't dangerous or scary. A friendly and colorful T-Rex is perfect for younger kids to draw.

7. Planes, Trains, and Cars

These can be as simple and cartoonish or as realistic as the artist wants to make them. Books and the internet are full of images for inspiration.

Spaceships are also fun to draw, and so are bicycles, motorbikes, and skateboards.

8. A Simple Outdoor Scene

A sunny day outside with trees, clouds, and grass is the iconic setting for children's art.

9. Fantasyland

Kids love to imagine a better place, so encourage them to draw what they have in mind and what their home in this fantasy land might look like.

10. Playful Pets

Your little ones love their furry friends, and this playful pair are adorable and easy to draw.

Did this give you some ideas on things to draw that are easy?

Did this article give you some fun ideas on what to draw to beat your boredom?

Would you like to help others add some fun to the duller moments of their day? If so, please pass this on to perk up your fellow creatives.

Anytime you’re looking for random easy things to draw to pass the time more pleasantly, revisit this article and follow the links to learn more.

Sure, you could also just Google “easy things to draw,” but I hope this article was just the thing to inspire you right now– and that you enjoyed it enough to share it.

May your creativity and thoughtfulness influence everything else you do today.