Idea Journal Prompts

People
  1. Draw someone sitting near you in an odd pose.
  2. Draw a relative by the light cast from a TV/Phone/Computer or other screen.
  3. Make a portrait of yourself in twenty years. Or in fifty years. 
  4. Draw a masked man (or woman) that is not a superhero.
  5. Draw the ugliest baby you can imagine.
  6. Draw a famous person you respect or admire.
  7. Draw two sports figures–one in a dynamic pose, one in a static pose.
  8. Draw two self-portraits with odd expressions.
  9. Draw something or someone you love.
  10. Draw hair. A lot of it.
Animals
  1. Draw an animal eating another animal.
  2. Draw your art teacher in a fight with an animal (your art teacher will win).
  3. Draw an animal playing a musical instrument.
  4. There is an animal living in one of your appliances. Draw it.
  5. Draw a dead bird in a beautiful landscape.
  6. Draw something from a pet’s point of view.
  7. Draw an animal taking a bath.
  8. Combine 3 existing animals to create a completely new creature.
  9. Draw a family portrait. Plot twist: It is a family of insects or animals.
  10. Draw the most terrifying animal you can imagine. Or the most adorable.
Food
  1. Draw a pile of dishes before they get washed.
  2. Draw a slice of the best pizza you have ever seen.
  3. Draw junk food and the wrapper.
  4. Draw your favorite food.
  5. Draw salt and pepper shakers.
  6. Draw fresh fruit or vegetables, or something fresh from the oven.
  7. Draw a salad.
  8. Draw the oldest thing in your refrigerator.
  9. Draw a piece of fruit every day until it becomes rotten.
  10. Draw everything on a your dining room table.
Objects
  1. Draw what is in the rearview mirror of the car.
  2. Draw moving water. Draw still water.
  3. Find a trash can. Draw its contents.
  4. Draw tools that belong to a certain profession.
  5. Draw three objects and their environments. One of the three should be in motion.
  6. Draw the interior of a mechanical object. Zoom in, focus on details and shading.
  7. Create a drawings of a mess you have made.
  8. Draw your favorite well-loved object or childhood toy.
  9. Draw something worthless that you keep for sentimental reasons.
  10. Draw something with a mirror image.
Technical Skill/Skill Development
  1. Draw all the contents of your junk drawer with one continuous line.
  2. Draw a transparent object.
  3. Draw a translucent object.
  4. Do several studies of eyes, noses, and mouths in a variety of poses.
  5. Draw an interesting object from three different angles.
  6. Draw three metallic objects that reflect light. Focus on highlights and reflections. 
  7. Refraction–Create two drawings of separate objects partially submerged in water.
  8. Make three drawings (your choice of subject) using materials with which you are not familiar. 
  9. Draw a piece of patterned fabric with folds.
  10. Draw a bridge and all of its details.
Creativity/Originality
  1. Make a drawing that looks sticky.
  2. Draw a mysterious doorway or staircase.
  3. Draw an empty room. Make it interesting.
  4. Draw a flower. Make it dangerous.
  5. Draw an imaginary place, adding all kinds of details.
  6. Draw a gumball machine that dispenses anything but gumballs.
  7. Danger! Draw yourself in a dangerous situation.
  8. You are on the back of the bus. Figure out who is with you, where you are going, and why. Illustrate and explain.
  9. Draw what’s under your bed (real or imagined).
  10. Create a new sport. You can improve an existing sport, combine two existing sports, or come up with something completely new. 
Open-Ended Themes
  1. Make a drawing that is totally truthful.
  2. Make a drawing that lies all over the place.
  3. Make a drawing that is completely and utterly impossible.
  4. Story Illustration: Fix a story that you don’t like, or reflect/improve upon one you do. 
  5. Let someone else choose your subject and tell you what to draw.
  6. Draw your greatest fear.
  7. Use song lyrics, quotes, or poetry to inspire a drawing.
  8. Find the three most useless objects you can and draw them.
  9. Draw an interesting form of transportation.
  10. Draw something for which you are thankful.
  11. Go somewhere new and draw what you see.
  12. Draw something that can’t be turned off.
  13. Draw something soothing.
  14. Draw something you think sounds or smells incredible.
  15. Draw something that needs fixing.
  16. Draw something you’ve always wanted.
  17. Draw something out of place.
  18. Draw something that should have been invented by now.
  19. Draw an idea that came to you through your fingers.
  20. Draw something you keep putting off, or something that causes you to procrastinate.
Thanks to The Art of Education for the prompt ideas! :)