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101 Drawing Ideas: & Sketchbook Exercises
101 Drawing Ideas: & Sketchbook Exercises
I’ve listed 101 interes ting s u bj ec ts that w il l m ak e great s k etc h e s a n d d raw i n g s. I’ve s p l i t t h e i d e a s up i nto
a few b ro ad categ o r ies s o it ’s eas ier fo r yo u to s c an.
2 1 0 1 D r a w i n g I deas a n d s k e t c hb o o k e x e r c ises
contents
4 Whe r e to g e t f r ee r efe r e n c e ph oto s f o r yo u r d r aw i n g ideas
10 i n t e r es t i n g o b j e c t s
11 a n i m als
12 F OO D
13 F I GUR E S & FA C E S
15 B U I L D I NG S & UR B A N
18 TR A N S P ORT
19 A ROUN D T H E H OU S E
21 7 - D AY D R AW I NG & S K E TC H I NG C H A L L E NG E
3 1 0 1 D r a w i n g I deas a n d s k e t c hb o o k e x e r c ises
w here to g et f ree
re f erence p hotos f or y our
dr a w in g ide a s
Th ere are lo t s o f s ites now w here g enero u s pho to grapher s s hare t h e i r wo r k un d e r a CC0 l i ce n ce ( e f fe c t i ve l y
p lacin g it in t h e pu bl ic do m ain). Yo u c an s pend ho u r s brows in g e a c h o f t h e s e s i te s b ut to s ave t i m e, j us t
use t h ese t wo…
Pix ab ay sco urs a l l the o ther pu bl ic do m ain im ag e s ites s o yo u d o n’t h ave to. Th i n k o f i t l i k e a m i n i G o o g l e
just fo r pub lic dom ain pho to s.
4 1 0 1 D r a w i n g I deas a n d s k e t c hb o o k e x e r c ises
7 ti m e s a v in g ti p s
f or dr a w in g & S ketchin g
R ight ly o r wro n g l y, ho bby tim e is s c arce fo r m o s t o f u s. And ce r t a i n fo r m s o f d raw i n g c a n b e ve r y t i m e
co n sumin g.
I’ve h ad to lear n to s peed u p my draw ing s s o that they are m ore co n s um a b l e a s l e s s o n s o n c a m e ra . H e re’s
a ran do m co llec t io n o f tips that have hel ped m e do that…
1 Us e c harco a l pen c i l s
2 M ake u s e o f i s o l ated s t u d i es
5 1 0 1 D r a w i n g I deas a n d s k e t c hb o o k e x e r c ises
7 ti m e s a v in g ti p s f or dr a w in g & S ketchin g
( cont . )
3 Whe n d raw i n g po r t ra i t s, co n s i d er zo o m i n g i n
4 G o fo r t he u n f i n i s h ed l o o k
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7 ti m e s a v in g ti p s f or dr a w in g & S ketchin g
( cont . )
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7 ti m e s a v in g ti p s f or dr a w in g & S ketchin g
( cont . )
6 Po s te r is e yo u r referen ce ph o to s
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7 ti m e s a v in g ti p s f or dr a w in g & S ketchin g
( cont . )
7 G i ve yo u r s el f a t i m e l i m i t
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interestin g ob j ects
Yo u can f in d lo t s o f ever yday thing s aro u nd the ho u s e to draw a n d yo u c a n t ur n e ve n t h e m o s t m un d a n e
o b jec t into so mething ver y interes ting. That ’s the beau t y o f ar t !
3 Th is o ld keros e ne l a m p o r this s im il a r o ne
(a n o th e r o n e I’d like to have a go at )
4 S o me chess p ie ce s l ike t he s e
(p e r fe c t fo r p rac t i si ng ‘ t ur ni ng o f t he fo r m’ and m o re interest ing t han
d raw i n g g e o m e t r i c shap es like c y li nder s and co nes! )
6 Th is brow n le at he r s atche l
(l ove l y tex tu re s to render here)
9 A st ack o f ver y o l d b o o k s
(gre at pe rs pe c t ive exerc i se and a c hance to render so m e ver y interest ing patter ns )
10 A classic N iko n c a m e ra
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Ani m a l s
Drawin g an imals is tr ic k ier than draw ing l ands c apes, f l o ral s o f m o s t s t i l l l i fe co m p o s i t i o n s. B ut t h e y ’re
simp ler t h an t h e hu m an f ig u re s o they prov ide a nice m iddl e gro un d fo r p ra c t i s i n g g e t t i n g yo ur p ro p o r t i o n s
r ight.
Use b asic sh ape s ! G et the overal l pl acem ent and pro po r tio n o f t h e us e co r re c t f i r s t b e fo re yo u s t a r t
sk etch in g in det a il. I have a v ideo l es s o n o n Yo uTu be that w il l t a k e yo u t h ro ug h t h e b a s i c p ro ce s s - watc h
it here.
12 A giraffe
(gre at fo r p ra c t i si ng p ro p o r t io ns t hat yo u ac t ually see, no t what yo u t hink you s ee)
13 Th is st un n ing p ro f il e o f a ho rs e
(a n o th e r o n e on my list wi t h it s b eaut if ul shadows! )
15 A flamingo
(a n i ce e a s y o ne wi t h si m p le shap es)
16 Th is st ir r in g po r trait o f a fox
(d o n’t wo r r y a b o ut f ur det ai l if it ’s a qui c k sketc h)
20 A farmyard he n
(d o th e h e a d i n so m e ni ce det ai l and go lo o ser fo r t he rest o f t he b o dy )
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FOOD
Fo o d is n o t n o r mal l y my f avo u r ite s u bj ec t m atter to s k etc h an d I t h i n k i t l e n d s i t s e l f b e t te r to co l o ure d
mediums. B ut I’ve inc l u ded ideas and pho to s bel ow that I think wo ul d m a k e te r r i f i c s k e tc h e s o r f ul l b l ow n
drawin gs in pen , penc il o r c harco al.
21 O range p ee l a nd s e g m e nt
(m a k e th i s p h oto b lac k and whi te and lo o k at all t ho se i nterest ing values for you to s ha de) or this ora nge cu t in ha lf with
t h e k n i fe at t h e sid e
22 Break fast ce re a l a nd m il k
(k e e p th e ce re al f lakes lo o se and sketc hy to save t im e - fo c us o n get t i ng the s hape of the milk container r ig ht)
25 Peas in a p o d
(d o n’t d i s m i s s t he si m p lic it y o f t his i m age - I c an see a really interest ing and qu ite ea s y g oing drawing from this )
26 Clo se up o f a s ing l e ra s p b e rr y
(th i s wo u l d m ake a go o d exerc i se fo r lo o k i ng at ref lec ted light, highli g hts a nd s ha dows a nd if you u s ed a cha rcoa l or ver y
s o f t gra ph i te p enc i l, it wo uldn’t t ake lo ng)
27 A h usk o f co rn
(n o n e e d to d raw ever y co r n ker nel - t he t r i c k here is drawi ng a few to te ll the v iewer what they are look ing at a nd then giv ing
a n l o o s e i m pre ssio n o f t he rest )
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F I G U R E S & FA C E S
Drawin g ran do m peo pl e f ro m l ife is dif f ic u l t and c an feel a bit aw k wa rd. I f yo u’re n o t re a d y fo r t h at, t h e n
p rac t ice by draw ing them f ro m pho to s.
30 A f ro nt o n sy m m e t ric a l p o r t ra it
(th e h a i r i s a s ilho uet te wi t h lit t le det ai l m ak ing i t ideal fo r a qui c ker sketch)
33 A profile of a n o l d e r wo m a n in a heads c ar f
(h e a d we a r pl u s a p ro f i le is a great t i m e saver )
36 Th is gracef ul b a l l e t d a nce r
(tr y i n g g e tti n g t he shap e o f t he dress f i r st, t hen t he p o si t io n o f t he he ad, then the leng th of the ar ms a nd leg s - like a s tick
fi g u re - th e n a dd t he st r uc t ure and m ass)
38 A couple hu g g ing
(a g o o d re fe re n ce if yo u want to avo id det ai led f aces and fo c us m o re on the pos e)
13 1 0 1 D r a w i n g I deas a n d s k e t c hb o o k e x e r c ises
F I G U R E S & FA C E S
39 Th is front on p o r t ra it w ith nice s hadows dow n o ne s ide o f t h e f a ce
(wo u l d m a k e for a lo o se sketc h where yo u c an fo c us o n t he p o si t io n, p ropor tion and s ha pe of the featu res )
48 Th is beaut if ul d ra p e d p o s e
(n o d e ta i l n e e d ed here - i t ’s all ab o ut get t ing t he shap e o f t he lim b s and feet r ig ht)
49 Th is amaz in g p o r t ra it
(w i th th e a d d e d b o nus o f no t havi ng to render hai r ! )
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BUILDINGS & URBAN
Ur b an sk etch in g is real l y in vo g u e r ig ht now. I f yo u’re no t co n f i d e nt e n o ug h to s k e tc h o utd o o r s, w i t h t h e
p o tent ial fo r many peer ing eyes over yo u r s ho u l der, then s tar t w i t h re fe re n ce p h o to s. I l i k e s k e tc h i n g o l d,
ch arac ter f ul buil ding s and tow ns c apes bes t.
Oh , an d sketch in g u r ban s cenes o f ten invo l ves draw ing f ig u re s ( w h i c h I k n ow c a n b e d a unt i n g to m a ny) .
We’ve go t a t wo -par t, s tep -by-s tep g u ide fo r adding s im pl e f ig ure s to l a n d s c a p e s ce n e s o n o ur b l o g ( S e e
par t 1 - wh ere to pl ace f ig u res co m po s itio nal l y and p a r t 2 he re - h ow to a c t ua l l y d raw t h e m ) .
54 Or just an ol d wo o d e n d o o r o n its ow n
(l o o k at th o s e s t ro ng shadows - I see ano t her nice p en sketc h here)
55 An o ld Anda l us ia n s t re e t s ce ne
(fo cu s o n yo u r p er sp ec t i ve, keep t he t rees si m p le, no need fo r to o m uch intr icate detail on the tower)
58 Th e face of t he St at ue o f L ib e r t y
(po te nti a l l y tr i c k y b ut yo u c an do i t ! )
62 Sneakers an d fe e t f ro m an u nu s u al ang l e
(a d d a n i m p re s sio n o f t he ref lec t i o n to o)
64 A clo se up p ro f il e o f m a n’s s ho e s
(o r h ave s o m e take a sim i lar sho t o f yo ur fo o t )
67 A hand on a s a xo p ho ne
(d o th e h a n d i n det ail and keep t he saxo p ho ne as a b asi c line drawi ng wou ld make a great compos ition!)
68 Th is p air o f fe e t o n t ip to e s
70 A simple p air o f fe e t o n ro ck s
(s i m pl e th e y m ay b e b ut st i ll a great sketc hi ng test )
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HANDS & FEET
72 Th ese legs a nd fe e t hanging o u t a c ar w indow
(w h at a gre at s ub jec t t hi s i s - yo u co uld easily re - c reate yo ur own ver sion of this with you r ca mera phone)
73 A clo se up o f ha nd s o n a t y p ew rite r
(u s e ba s i c s h a pes to b lo c k in t he hands at f ir st and just give an i m p res s ion of the t ypewr iter)
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TRANSPORT
Th ere are so me real l y interes ting s hapes w ithin m anm ade vehi c l e s. Th e y w i l l te s t yo ur a b i l i t y to d raw w i t h
go o d p ersp ec t ive and pro po r tio n and the f inal res u l t c an be ve r y s at i s f yi n g.
77 Th e f ro nt o f a V W c a m p e r va n o r o ne o f my f avo u r ites - th e i co n i c V W B e e tl e
79 A t radit io n al re d Lo nd o n b us
(wo r r i e d a bo u t p er sp ec t ive and st rai ght lines - go delib erately wo b b ly with a pen)
80 Th e f ro nt o f a cl a s s ic M e rce d e s c a r
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AROUND THE HOUSE
No referen ce ph o to s fo r this l is t - j u s t ever yday item s yo u s houl d b e a b l e to f i n d a n d s e t up a ro un d yo ur
h o me.
89 A DIY o r garden to o l o r to o l s
90 A teddy b ear o r do l l
95 A ch ildren’s toy
(s o m e th i n g g e o m et r i c like a toy c ar rat her t han a so f t toy )
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AROUND THE HOUSE
97 A bun ch o f k eys. S o u nds bo r ing bu t ac tu al l y, w ith s o m e nice l i g ht a n d a m i x o r t ra d i t i o n a l m o r t i ce l o c k
keys an d a mo der n c ar k ey, this wo u l d m ak e q u ite a nice st ud y.
98 A crush ed so da c an
(e m p t y th e ca n and st and o n i t li ght ly o r i t wi ll b eco m e to o c reased and complicated) or ha lf empt y (s lig htly defor med) tu be
o f to o th p a s te
20 1 0 1 D r a w i n g I deas a n d s k e t c hb o o k e x e r c ises
7 - D a y D r a w in g &
sketchin g ch a l l en g e
Th is week-lo n g c hal l eng e is des igned to im prove yo u r draw ing s k i l l s by p us h i n g yo u o ut o f yo ur co m fo r t
zo n e. Yo u’ ll be t a c k l ing a var iet y o f s u bj ec t m atter al o ng w ith s o m e s k e tc h i n g exe rc i s e s.
DAY 1
Draw a lamp o r a po t o r k ettl e. Add s o m e bas ic s hading to c reate fo r m b ut fo c us o n g e t t i n g t h e s h a p e r i g ht
f irst. Sp en d n o mo re than 2 0 m inu tes o n this and u s e either a ch a rco a l p e n c i l o r a ve r y s o f t gra p h i te p e n c i l
(8 o r 9B ) to spee d u p the s hading pro ces s. Here are s o m e pho to s to c h o s e f ro m :
DAY 2
Draw a f acial featu re s tu dy o r t wo - an eye and a m o u th fo r ex a m p l e. Wh e n yo u d ow n l o a d a n i m a g e f ro m
Pix ab ay o r Un spl as h, dow nl o ad the hig hes t res o l u tio n (yo u ne e d to s i gn up fo r a n a cco unt at Pi x a b ay to
do t h is, b ut it ’s f ree). The hig h res ver s io n al l ows yo u to zo o m i n o n t h e fe at ure a n d s t i l l s e e e n o ug h d e t a i l
to sketch f ro m.
A great t ip fo r draw ing any thing w ith intr ic ate c u r ves (s u c h as a n e ye ) i s to b re a k t h o s e c ur ve s d ow n i nto
st raight lin es. Tak e a l o o k at my s ho r t b l o g p o s t o n draw ing a n e ye l i k e t h i s b e fo re yo u s t a r t.
21 1 0 1 D r a w i n g I deas a n d s k e t c hb o o k e x e r c ises
7 - d a y dr a w in g &
sketchin g ch a l l en g e
DAY 3
Draw an an imal u s ing bas ic s hapes. Watc h my v id e o l e s s o n f ir s t, t h e n c h o o s e a p h o to b e l ow :
DAY 4
Draw t h e p eas in a p o d o r b ro cco l i pho to bu t real l y s pend s om e t i m e o n s h a d i n g to re c re ate s o m e n i ce
fo r m. Give yo ursel f an ho u r if po s s ibl e. Q u ic k tip: m ak e the ph o to s b l a c k a n d w h i te to h e l p s e e t h e va l ue s
mo re easily.
DAY 5
Draw a f igure fo cu s ing o n pro po r tio n and s hape rather than s ha d i n g a n d d e t a i l. H e re a re t h re e I re co m m e n d
ch o o sin g f ro m:
DAY 6
Ch o o se an item f ro m the ‘Aro u nd Yo u r Ho u s e’ l is t and s k etc h i t. I f yo u’re h avi n g t ro ub l e c h o o s i n g, g o fo r
t h e b un ch o f k eys and ideal l y s k etc h them f ro m l ife w ith a ta b l e l i g ht l i g ht i n g f ro m o n e s i d e ( to c re ate
so me n ice st ro n g s hadows ).
22 1 0 1 D r a w i n g I deas a n d s k e t c hb o o k e x e r c ises
7 - d a y dr a w in g &
sketchin g ch a l l en g e
DAY 7
Draw a simp le b u il ding, l ands c ape o r s til l l ife three tim es. Fo r t h e f i r s t at te m p t gi ve yo ur s e l f a m a x i m o f
15 min utes. Fo r t he s eco nd attem pt give yo u r s el f a m axim u m o f 1 2 m i n ute s. An d fo r t h e t h i rd at te m p t, a
max imum o f 10 m inu tes.
Ch o o se o n e t h ese references o r o ne o f yo u r ow n:
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