Often it happens that we tend to describe ourselves by talking about our hobbies to people. Hobbies provide a framework for us to build our personalities. They help us grow and develop as individuals in a lot of ways. Looking further into it, anything and everything can be a hobby, for example - dancing, singing, and reading could be the hobbies of many, whereas collecting coins, stamps, and bottle caps could be for others. Drawing and sketching fall not far from being favorite hobbies for a big chunk of people out there.
Drawing/sketching as a hobby is a great way to fill the spare time on your hands. It is amazing to think about the multiple advantages it offers in various ways, starting from giving a great sense of achievement to increasing productivity, concentration, and positivity. It is accessible, and doesn’t always involve an investment as all you need is a paper (of any choice you wish) and a pencil to start with. As basic as it can get! And don’t forget but this is just a baby step because there is so much more than you can create and do. People with some experience may move ahead with colors, paints, canvases, brushes, and so on. What is important to note here is to embrace whatever you do, be it a pencil doodle or 12x12” oil painted canvas.
Why bother drawing or sketching?
1.To express!
Drawing is the foundation and backbone of any art one decides to pursue/make/create. It is the baby step or the first step a person takes to express their thoughts or whatever they have in mind. It is also a very good way to release emotions. Expression is important and drawing is one fun path you can follow to express what you could not with words.
2.Helps process things better
Sketching provides a unique space that can help you think differently, generate a variety of ideas quickly, explore possible alternatives, and process your thoughts better. You can keep trying till you are finally satisfied with what you have on paper.
3.Experimenting and Exploring
Drawing is great for quick thoughts and rapid idea generation. It is one of the best ways to put down your immediate ideas on paper before they leave the periphery of your brain. A pencil and a piece of paper invite loose exploration and free thoughts. It is one of the easiest ways of experimenting whatever goes on in your mind. The white paper calls you to let your thoughts run wild on it.
So pick up that sharpie or pencil and set your thoughts free on that paper.
4.Interaction
When we express ourselves, we interact with the remaining world. So by expressing our thoughts via sketching, we are directly and indirectly interacting with the people around us. It brings the scope of the conversation. It helps us know what people think about us, our work, or just general opinions.
But is it always so easy to start?
A lot of times all of us face the problem of what to start with or how to start with. But let’s face it; we’re all not born Picassos. And as a matter of fact, Picasso too must have gone through enough creative blocks before painting his magnum opuses. But this is not the only problem faced while trying to draw or sketch. Given is a list of common dilemmas and blocks we all often go through while trying to draw something.
1.The feeling of not being good enough
One of the biggest hurdles which could stop you from starting is the fear of not being good enough. But a big part of getting going with any new thing involves believing in yourself and accepting that the first attempt is not going always going to be perfect. It can be not perfect but still extremely satisfying. Hesitation to start provokes because the general human tendency to compare themselves with other people. But the artistic and aesthetic qualities of your sketches aren’t always the point. The actual purpose is to feel good while doing it, enjoying the process as well as the end result. So let go of the “I’m not an artist” thought and relish the experience.
2.Not having enough time
An activity like sketching does require you to sit and devote some time to it. And most of the time, considering today’s busy lives and schedules it often becomes difficult to take time out for leisure. But that should never stop you from trying to pick up this practice. You don’t always have to sit for hours to draw something. You can always try on some quick or rapid sketching or follow the 5 minutes easy tutorials to get ahead of this problem.
3.Failed attempts, frustrations
It is often very disheartening to see when the output you had in your mind while doing something did not turn out to be the same. This leads to frustration, putting a pause on making any future attempts. But that isn’t the right track to follow. Getting stuck in these situations requires a change of perspective and you to look at things differently. Understand the faults, release the frustration, be calm and patient and you should be ready for another master attempt!
4.Indecisive
Once you’ve gotten ahead of all your fears, the next hurdle is deciding how to start with it. The majority of the time it is picking up a theme or a topic that you could connect with and execute. So relax, and keep in mind that drawing is easy to start or stop. You can do it anywhere and at any time. Don’t run after a big space or a fancy setup to get things started. There just needs to be enough will to get things going.
Understand that the key is to go ahead with drawing the things that interest you. The reason is that you’ll be more likely to stick with it even if most of your entire initial attempts turned out to be a hot mess) and before you know it, you’d be already grasping some techniques and skills.
Grab your tools!
Before starting with your masterpieces, make sure that you have the basic tools required to draw. Starting from pencils, eraser, sharpener/blade, sharpie, and colored pencils make sure you grab all these bad boys from your table. Though, you can up your game by having different H and B pencils such ah 2B, 4B, 8B, 2H, etc.; charcoal sticks and charcoal pencils for when you are confident enough to not dirty your sheet. And don’t forget to keep a scale handy too in case you are in need of some straight lines. You can also pick up some brushes and watercolors, crayons, and colored pens to enhance your drawings further.
How to start?
Finding a direction is very important before embarking on your creative journey. Thinking about how to start, when to start and where to start are the ideal decisions to be made as you start drawing. Think of the paper you decide to use, the medium – pencil, sharpie, crayon, pen, etc., know what excites and interests you and get set go!
To start with, making quick drawings is a great way to warm up your skills as many times people who don’t regularly sketch, often get uncomfortable starting after such a long time. Some people have had an established practice of drawing since childhood which makes it easy for them to get back. So make quick doodles, indulge in some rapid sketching, and boost up the confidence of your motor muscles.
Ideas to help you start
Drawing/Sketching are activities that start with something small, simple concepts to grasp and then slowly become natural with every growing attempt. Always remember the key to generating many ideas and creating any type of art is to withhold the judgment of it as good or bad until you finish it entirely. Learn to first capture thoughts or ideas, and let them flow without worrying whether they’re any good. Put them down on paper and don’t stop to think if they’re good or bad midway. Wait until you’re finished, then judge and filter the best out. Start with the basics and you will find ample cool and inspiring things to draw as you move forward.
Given is a long and wonderful list of ideas that we have curated to help you get started with getting over all the barriers in your way –
● Planets and stars
Drawing an easy and aesthetic star, cute little planets in the solar system only requires a few straight lines and circles. Be it a full-fledged solar system with all planets in order or just some planets and stars hanging from a few strings, anything and everything works. And the best part about drawing these is that they look absolutely aesthetic too.
● Sunrise and sunset
Moving ahead from planets and stars, you can try your hands at drawing simple sunsets and sunrise scenes. Drawing them not only helps you work on your aesthetics and skills but also gives you a great sense of tranquillity and relaxation. You can try simple transition faces or separate sunrise and sunset scenes, any way you prefer. You can also try sun to moon transitions and vice versa for a dose of something little different.
● Nature around you!
What could be a better teacher than nature itself! Looking around at the beauty of nature, you will realize there is a vast multitude of things it has to offer for you to sketch.
- Sky
The sky is always one of the prettiest things to look at. The beautiful colors it encompasses and the infinity canvas it has to offer. Put in some clouds of different shapes and sizes to increase the aesthetics even more and make it more artistic.
- Clouds
In case you love the clouds a little extra and enjoy cloud watching, then just go around experimenting with some different shapes of clouds and have fun. It will end up being a great stress-buster and by the end of it, you would be left with some fluffy clouds, dog-shaped clouds, bubble-like clouds, cartoon clouds, and a lot many more. You can also combine other elements like the sun moon and stars with it to make it more interesting.
- Mountains/Hills
Mountains always have some sort of beautiful call-back/recall value. One can never be sad when thinking about them. And putting them out on paper just makes the reminiscence better in every way. Trying hands your hands at drawing can turn out to be rather skillful and challenging because you can practice a number of things like perspective, viewpoint, and even light and shadow falling differently on the mountains. And do go ahead with experimenting with snow-clad mountains, tree hills, or rocky mountains.
● Horizon
One of the most serene things to look at is the horizon. It is lovely to look at how the se/land and sky meet. Drawing the horizon is equally serene and spiritual.
● Night view with stars and moon
● Seaside view with some rocks, bright sun, sand and palm trees
● A simple hilltop view with a small cottage
● Potted plants
The most fun, easy and pretty doodles turn out to be simple potted plants. The best part is that you can never run out of the different types of plants you can put in the different types of pots. All shapes, sizes, and species are welcome! Cute little cacti, small succulents, climbers, tulips, anything, and everything will work (even if you feel like mixing some sunflowers and dandelions together). Don’t restrict yourself to just working on the plants, go crazy with the pots as well. Experiment around with different shapes and sizes, and draw patterns and Aztecs to make them more fun-looking. Make two rows with multiple varieties, and they might end up looking so good that you can even frame them in pastel or wooden frames and hang them to build upon the beauty of your wall.
● Trees ( different types)
All of us have been drawing trees since our childhood. In fact, it was one of the most important elements of the universal scenery. But trees are not only restricted to kindergarten. Since they are such a universal and common object to draw, you do not need to ace any skills in drawing them. And the good thing is that there are so many varieties for you to start knowing and working with. Some of the simple and most common ones are listed below –
- Christmas tree/ Pine tree
The easiest tree to start with bringing back hundreds of childhood memories, the Christmas tree definitely tops up the list. Starting from turning simple triangles into a tree to decorating it from top to bottom, it indeed is one of the most fun trees to draw.
- Umbrella tree
Start with deciding on the number of shades/umbrellas you wish to put on your tree. Four turns out to be a good number usually. Make them all in varied sizes and at different levels; add some squiggly lines to depict branches and trunks. And then finally shade the umbrellas with some leaves to add to the texture and you’re proud and ready with your distinct tree.
- Simple Bushy tree
Cloud-like puffs atop different sizes of linear trunks are another major favorite amongst the crowd. The reason is that they are very simple to draw and you can make them look cute or sketchy depending on your style. The cloudy puffs are always so much fun to add. You can also work on the details by adding some branches, a nest, and some extra effects on the trunk.
- Coconut tree
Well, now that you have already practiced making a seaside view, why not get a little more into detail by adding some tall coconut trees. Follow the star method and you’re good to go with your bunch of coconut trees. Also isn’t it wonderful that there are so many different ways to draw the leaves of coconut trees? So try them all and see which one works out the best for you.
● Leaves
People often come across difficulty in drawing leaves on a tree. A good way of overcoming this problem is practicing drawing leaves separately in your free time. They are usually small and only practice is required to master them, no other skillset. Just like trees, there are ample varieties in drawing leaves too. All you have to do is grab one from the outside, put it next to the paper you are drawing on, and start with your study. Different shapes sizes and textures to play around with. The key is to incorporate the unevenness of it. Once you set your hands on doing the outline, the filling becomes far more fun to do. Some of the variations you can try are given below
- Maple Leaf
- Dogwood Leaf
- Oak leaf
- Redbud Leaf
- Ash leaf
- Walnut leaf and so many more
All you have to do is just step outside and pick up as many as you like.
● Flowers (different types)
Drawing flowers is always everyone’s favorite because they are so much fun and easy to draw. You can start from making something very simple and cute to something very complex and professional. Just like trees and leaves they are so satisfying for a novice artist to draw. Because of their linear and organic shapes, they are forgiving and every end result looks good. So flowers are definitely a great starting step towards sketching. You can think of so many variations and put them all out on paper. You can always start with the five-petal, experiment with it, and later move on to more specific ones gradually. You can also try various textures and colors and create your own beautiful garden. Some of the flowers you can try as a beginner are –
- Rose
- Lotus
- Sunflower
- Tulips
- Lilies
- Dandelions
- Daffodils
- Daisies
Also don’t stop yourself from going a little extra creative by adding some new and unique elements like putting the flowers in a jar, envelope, bag or just a basic vase.
Faces/expressions
When starting with drawing, making an entire character might seem like too much of a complex task, so why not just try out some cute faces and expressions, before starting the full-body sketches. And exploring faces and expressions is fun and easy too. Some initial practice and the variety of emotions you can try and depict are crazy. With the use of simple lines, curves, and changes in placement so much can be done. Some are listed below for you to start with –
- Angry
- Happy
- Annoyed
- Sleepy
- Surprised
- Sad
- Confused
- Shocked
Apart from these, you can also just work around with faces from different angles and perspectives and different features such as one with a long nose, the other with big eyes, etc.
● Banners
The good thing about learning basic drawing is that it can always be used to complement other things that you do. For example, writing journals or making cards can be aesthetically more appealing by using some drawing cheat codes. One wonderful example could be banners. They are a great way to decorate or highlight any headlines, wishes, dates, events, titles, etc. You can make your journal look pretty by the use of some cute little banners. There are so many types out there that you can try.
● Frames and borders
Just like banners, drawing frames and borders around can change the entire look of your work in a good way. Putting a border around an important piece of text is a great way of highlighting it. You can draw a frame around anything you want starting from simple doodles to text in journals. Your borders can range from geometrical, Aztec to floral. All of them look great. The easiest way to start with them is by doodling. Just let your hands and thoughts flow free.
● Food
Do what you like and draw what you love. Don’t you think when we draw something we are passionate about, our will and efforts automatically increase? So all the food lovers, the best way for you to start with is the food itself. Why not draw some while you eat! It is a fantastic topic to work on. It has a great universal appeal and can be easily recognized and will stay still for you, as long as required. Drawing food such as fruits and vegetables can help and develop an understanding of shapes, shadows,s, and textures too. In case you are not in the mood to dive into a deep still life study, you can always start with doodling your favorite items. It could be your McDonald’s order, your favorite sandwich, a packet of crisps, or just some spaghetti and meatballs. Some items are listed below to help you start –
● Fruits
- Mango
- Banana
- Grapes
- Cherries
- Strawberries
- Watermelon slice
- Peach
- Avocado
● Vegetables
- Tomatoes
- Pumpkins (maybe some Halloween ones too)
- Carrots
- Turnips
● Mushrooms with cute red tops and polka dots
● Fries because the love for fries never dies
● Burger
● Pizza
● Cakes & other desserts: pretty looking cakes are always a big-big yes!
● Ice cream
● Drinks
Why not accompany your food drawings with some delicious complimentary drinks! Since you’ve already placed your food order on the canvas, it’s time to add some drinks to it.
Drinks too provide you with a great number of options. You can try hot or cold as per your wish.
- Tea
Tea in itself offers a great variety of things that you can do. You can play around with the cup and saucer by decorating them, putting in a teabag, adding a kettle and tray to get the British touch, changing the cup sizes, displaying it hot, adding sugar cubes, and so on...
- Coffee
We all love coffee in some form or the other. If you are a fan of hot coffee then why not start with some frothy cappuccinos or lattes in pretty mugs with polka dots and color blocks. And if you’re a cold coffee lover then try with some tall glasses, striped straws, and whipped cream to make your coffee the most tempting.
- Milkshakes
Try different glasses with decorations, sprinkles, cherries, and cream on top.
- Soda
We all love flavored soda and its bottles too at times. So get your hands on drawing some cool cola bottles. And don’t forget to add the fizz and bubbles
Apart from these, there are a lot more you can doodle when it comes to drinks, so just think of your favorite drink in mind and start sketching!
● Small everyday things
A great way to break your block for starting to draw is by just looking around and sketching. It is the easiest method to learn and challenge yourself. All you have to do is just look around wherever you are sitting and start drawing the first thing you see. In the middle of the week when you fall short on inspiration, just think of basic everyday household objects that you use and put them on paper. You start with things like –
- A watch you’re wearing
- A hanger
- A jar of cookies
- Stationery
- Lamps
- Bags
- Shoes
- Books
- Crockery
- Taps and so many more simple everyday things that you see.
● Aliens
Drawing or sketching shouldn’t always be serious otherwise most of the fun would be scraped out of it. Getting fictional while drawing release your thoughts and makes you express your mind better. So often try taking a leap from nature and sketch something quirky just to have fun. A switch from nature to aliens sounds just the apt getaway for it. Aliens have been quite an interesting topic to date, so why not put your imagination and perspective on how an alien would look forward. Let your creativity take the lead as you draw unique creatures with 3 eyes, 7 legs, and 2 noses with a giant head. Also, don’t forget to park their UFOs close by.
● Skylines/ city lines
Sketching skylines and city lines can look very inspirational and beautiful while drawing. They too can be fairly easy or complex and extremely detailed. But the good thing is that they always end up looking cool even if it’s just a simple silhouette. To try your hand at drawing them, you just have to step out and lookup. You can add a little dose of crazy by some unique things like UFOs, planes, helicopters, hot air balloons, or superheroes. You can also go forward with a night scene and show a lot of windows glaring with light in a tall concrete jungle.
● Doodles
We are all doodlers, we all can doodle. Haven’t you scribbled at the corners and ends of your notebook to get rid of boredom? Well, then the good part is, all of that comes in handy when starting to draw. Doodles look absolutely cool and are super fun to draw. Be it a long row of flowers hearts or goofy characters, we all enjoy doodling very much. In fact a lot of times it happens that we don’t even realize that we’ve started to doodle out of boredom. It is also a great brainstorming activity when you can’t stick to any particular idea. And you should never underestimate what drawing without really thinking can lead to. You can often end up being surprised with a masterpiece. Also doodling firmly helps you in moving ahead of your fears of not drawing well. That is because there are no rules, regulations, or restrictions about how a doodle should be. There is never any artistic wrong or a right because it is a free-form method hence taking away the fear of failure.
● Zentangling
Zentangles are basically abstract creative drawings that can be made by filling up or sketching various random creative patterns usually within a given shape or outline. They could start inside a real-life object or be completely abstract in form. They can be considered a higher version of doodling involving patterns. Usually, negative spaces are avoided while Zentangling. To start with, you can draw a simple everyday object like a jar, bottle, or bird’s outline. Then place in some structural lines that you can follow for a better end result. Then start filling the shapes created by those lines with various curves, lines, or patterns. Keep exploring and you’d be left with a beautifully detailed piece of artwork by the end of it.
● Mandalas
If you aim for a stress-free relaxing session while you draw, then mandalas are perfect for you to try. In reality, they are quite easy and basic to draw from scratch. The easiest is to start with a circle and start creating designs from the center of it. You can also try dividing the circle into quadrants to get symmetrical sections. You can keep going on by adding petals around it as you increase the number of rings gradually. Simultaneously keep filling the quadrants and rings with the details you prefer. It is a fantastic meditative exercise to do which also enhances your drawing skills.
● Paisleys
At the first glance, you might feel like paisleys are too complicated to draw, but in reality, it is just an enlarged comma-like shape inverted. Then all you have to do is follow the same steps as mandalas, keep drawing multiple layers inside out as you like, fill it up with the details you enjoy and you have a beautiful and one of the most common textile patterns ready with you. And once you’re done with one paisley, try placing them in or around a circle and making a flower out of them. You can also try adding scallop borders around them to add on to patterns and shapes and then go full-on zentangle mode as you fill them up. Make it as intricate as you like and also help you develop your concentration levels.
● Animals
It is often a common thought that it is comparatively more difficult when it comes to sketching animals than other objects. But we all want to capture the cute little things they do and the expressions they make. Now sketching animals can often be daunting. But the catch is, that there are always multiple ways in which you can try and sketch them. The first one is drawing like professionals with proportions and realistic features, while the other is far less intimidating and involves turning animals into furry and cute cartoons.
You can follow both approaches, but it is preferable to try an easier one first also because it is extremely fun too. The basic idea is to exaggerate certain features and simplify the very complicated ones. We all want to have some tiny furry friends by our side. The other one requires more time and effort. You have to start by breaking down the body into simpler components and shapes. Then you put those components together; add details and you are good to go. The more you practice, the better you get, so get started now!
Take help from these to start from
- Dog
- Cat
- Fox
- Elephant
- Snake
- Lion
- Giraffe
- Zebra
- Rabbit
- Mouse
- Deer
- Hippo
- monkey
● Birds
After animals, the next is to try your hands at making birds. These pretty creatures look aesthetic on the sheets as well. You can follow the same approach as with animals of starting out by trying cuter versions before the professional ones. You also get creative by trying out birds sitting on a tree along with their nests or flying in the sky.
● Insects
Bumblebees and dragonflies are one of the easiest and coolest things to doodle and play around with. When getting bored of birds and animals, try making some beautiful and colorful butterflies. Smiling honey bees and chubby caterpillars, all add to the cool insect parade. They are quick to draw too!
● Fish
As kids, we all loved drawing fish. It was super easy and quick. So why not take the fish game ahead and try a couple more varieties than we all used to. Don’t forget to draw some starfish too.
Try –
- Fish Dolphin
- Fish Whale
- Fish Shark
- Fish Jellyfish
● Buildings
The understanding of symmetry and repetition can be best done by drawing buildings and towers. You can start with a basic house and then move on to skyscrapers slowly. If you wish to step up your game then you can also add some perspective.
● Bottles
As random and vague as it sounds, drawing bottles is not an easy task for sure. The study of bottles is one of the many professional ones. So pick out all the bottles in your store and refrigerator and sketch. You can start by withdrawing a wine bottle followed by a milk bottle and a water bottle. Try being a little creative by placing a glass or two next to the bottles or pun in small flowers and get whimsical.
● Simple comic strips
We all love reading comics, be it long comic books or short strips in magazines and newspapers. So why not make your own little comic strip and make people read it. It is a great way of practicing story narration via visuals and fun to do as well. Try your own weird stories with unique characters and enjoy sitting through a boring lecture.
● Your day/ routine
We all have certain activities which we perform every day as a part of our routine. These activities are further divided into a morning routine, night routine and weekend routine, and so on. We mark special activities for special days on the calendar. So why not take a look at your calendar for one day and draw a routine of all the activities you have done or would be doing for the day. Starting from maybe brushing your teeth or the food you ate for breakfast lunch and dinner, the bus journey you took for work, and many more. There are so many different ways of doing this that you can try a new one daily. Make small comic frames for one day; try symbols related to the events next and icons for another new one. Place a map or a timeline to make it more interesting.
● Humans Anatomy and features
Isn’t it fascinating to look at sketched human features? They are equally fascinating to draw as well. But drawing human features requires a lot of patience, good observation, and practice. Capturing the human body or features is a little more complicated than drawing other things, but always worth giving a try. It is priceless to be able to put down the beauty of humans on paper. You can start by drawing individual features such as eyes, nose, ears, lips, and hand gestures.
● Typography (word toons)
Experimenting with type or doing calligraphy is another hobby in itself. Be it your favorite quotes, names, place, etc. getting artsy with words is a lot of fun. You can try making your own font style with as many curves or straight lines as you want. You can also try word toons, a simple childhood game we all played with great joy where various alphabets ad letters were converted to drawings.
● Cartoon characters
An extension of doodling and comic strips, you typically just need a few lines to create unique and adorable characters of your choice. They look cool and you try end number of things to develop their personalities. It ends up being a combination of all the elements mentioned in the list starting from expressions, features, animals, comics, etc. so go ahead and create some adorable drawings.
● Vehicles
Vehicles prove to be another interesting subject matter to work on. Still or moving, they are the lifeline of any city, town, or village. You can start with cute and minimal vehicles before working on details and perspective. Cars are usually a favorite when starting, and you can gradually move on to bicycles, buses, motorbikes, etc.
A couple of more things for you to try if you’ve exhausted the above list or are looking for a couple more options to choose from -
● Furniture
- Tables
- Chairs
- Dressing Mirrors
- Couch
- Stools
- Bookshelves
● Small sceneries
- beach view
- cottage in the hills
- a forest
- farm scene
- simple city street
● Whimsical things
- Potion bottles
- Cute caravan van
- Picnic basket
- Flowers growing in odd places
- Kid on a swing
- Astronaut
- Fairy lights
- Motivational and positive quotes decorated
- Water can
- Bouquet
- Candies
- Stairway
● Jars
● Streets
● Fishbowls and aquariums
● Superheroes
● Logos
● Clocks
● Crystals
● Jewellery
● Favourite cartoon characters
● Other animals
- Turtles
- Octopus
- Penguins
- Pig
- Flamingos
- Ladybird
A few tips to help you keep going!
Drawing is like any other art form, requiring practice as we move ahead with every passing day. The more you practice, the better you keep getting at it and the crazier and unique ideas you would have for sketching. Regular practicing of the drawing helps train the eyes to see and study the subject matter better. You grasp a wider knowledge of knowing what the eyes see and how it should be put on paper.
Another tip to help beginners is, to start out with multiple light lines/strokes. And then darken the lines you think are accurate and wish to keep. Erase the lighter lines and keep following this method till you are confident enough to put single stokes which are perfect. Do not lose hope by looking at your initial mistakes. You are bound to make some when you just start off with sketching. So don’t let some wrong strokes discourage you and bring your motivation down. Keep testing out by drawing different lines and improving on the wrong ones to see what works the best. It will take time to come out with perfect lines in the first go, but with practice, your test lines will gradually decrease in number.
Also, don’t forget to pay special attention to how you space your art. Negative space also plays a very important role while drawing. You can often build up compositions based on negative spaces. Just keep practicing and you never know after some time, you might develop your own style too. Keep getting inspired by things around you and keep inspiring!
