Staring at a blank white page is actually kind of intimidating. You’ve got the pen, you’ve got the time, but your brain is just... empty. It happens to everyone. Whether you're stuck in a long Zoom call or just sitting on the couch while the TV hums in the background, sometimes you just need easy things to draw when you’re bored to get the ink moving.
Drawing isn't always about creating a masterpiece for a gallery. Honestly, most of the time it’s just about the tactile feeling of a ballpoint pen gliding over paper. It’s meditative. It’s a way to kill time without scrolling through TikTok for the tenth hour this week. You don't need fancy markers or a $100 sketchbook. A sticky note and a chewed-up pencil will do just fine.
The Psychology of Why Your Brain Loves Doodling
There’s actually some cool science behind why we do this. A study published in the journal Applied Cognitive Psychology by Professor Jackie Andrade found that doodlers actually retained about 29% more information during a boring task than non-doodlers. It’s not a distraction. It’s a "leveling" mechanism. It keeps your brain from daydreaming too far away while still giving your hands something to do.
When you look for something simple to sketch, you’re basically giving your prefrontal cortex a tiny vacation. You aren't worrying about perspective or "correct" anatomy. You’re just letting the hand lead the way.
Start With Geometric Chaos
If you can draw a square, you’re already halfway there. One of the most satisfying things to draw is a 3D glass cube, but don't stop at just one.
Try drawing a cluster of cubes that overlap. Some people call this "Zentangle," which is a fancy trademarked term, but basically, it’s just repetitive patterns. You can fill one cube with tiny dots (stippling) and the next with diagonal lines (hatching).
The trick is to not overthink it.
I like to start in the corner of the page and let the shapes "grow" toward the center. It looks like a crystal formation or some weird alien architecture by the time you're done. If you mess up a line, just turn it into a shadow. That’s the beauty of it.
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Nature is Way Easier Than You Think
People get scared of drawing plants because they think about intricate botanical illustrations. Forget that.
Think about succulents.
A succulent is basically just a bunch of teardrop shapes arranged in a circle. Start with a tiny one in the middle. Add three or four petals around it. Keep expanding. Before you know it, you have a Hen and Chicks plant that looks surprisingly professional.
Vines are another go-to. Draw one long, curvy line across the page. Then, add little heart-shaped leaves every inch or so. It’s mindless work. It’s rhythmic. You can do this while listening to a podcast and not lose the thread of the conversation.
The "Blob" Method for Characters
If you want to draw people but suck at it (like I do), try the blob method.
- Draw a random, wobbly shape. Like a potato or a spilled puddle.
- Add two dots for eyes.
- Give it tiny stick legs.
Suddenly, that weird shape has a personality. It’s a monster. Or a ghost. Or a very confused bean. This takes the pressure off "getting it right" because there is no right way for a potato-monster to look.
Everyday Objects With a Twist
Look at your desk. There is a coffee mug right there, isn't there? Or maybe a pair of glasses.
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Drawing from life is the best way to get better, but when you're bored, you should add a surrealist twist. Draw that coffee mug, but make it look like it's melting off the table like a Salvador Dalí painting. Or draw your glasses, but put tiny eyeballs in the lenses.
This is what artists like Kerby Rosanes do—they take something mundane and "doodle" it into something complex. You can start with a simple outline of a lightbulb and fill the inside with a tiny ocean scene. A tiny whale. Some waves. It’s a great way to practice easy things to draw when you’re bored while also pushing your imagination a little bit.
The Classic "Impossible" Shapes
Remember the "S" we all used to draw in middle school? The one made of six lines? It’s iconic for a reason. It’s satisfying.
You can take that same logic and apply it to Penrose triangles or "impossible" staircases. They look incredibly complex to anyone watching you, but once you know the "trick" of where the lines connect, they’re basically just puzzles you solve on paper.
Why You Should Keep a "Boredom Journal"
Sometimes the hardest part of drawing is deciding what to draw. That's why I suggest keeping a list of prompts on the back page of your notebook.
- A mountain range made of jagged triangles.
- A celestial moon with a face (very 1920s style).
- Clouds that look like they're dripping.
- Geometric animals (a fox made only of triangles).
- A cityscape where the buildings are books.
Dealing With "Artist's Block" Even When You Aren't an Artist
We get this weird "performance anxiety" even when nobody is looking. You think, "What if this looks bad?"
Who cares? It’s a doodle.
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If you’re really stuck, try the blind contour drawing. Look at your hand. Put your pen on the paper. Now, draw your hand without looking at the paper. Keep your eyes on your hand the whole time. It will look like a total disaster. It will look like a pile of spaghetti. But it forces your brain to actually see the lines instead of what you think a hand looks like. It’s a classic exercise taught in art schools like RISD or the Parsons School of Design to break the ice.
Taking Your Doodles to the Next Level
Once you’ve got the basics down, you can start playing with depth. Use a highlighter to add a "glow" to your shapes. Use a black Sharpie to fill in the negative space.
Contrast is what makes a doodle look like "Art."
If you draw a bunch of thin, spindly trees, fill the background in with solid black. The trees will pop. It’s a simple trick that makes your "easy things" look like they took hours of effort.
Honestly, the goal here is just to keep the ink flowing. Whether it's a series of interlocking circles or a tiny astronaut floating in a corner, drawing is a skill that only grows when you’re not looking.
Next Steps for Your Doodling Journey
Grab a pen—right now, don't wait—and find the nearest piece of scrap paper. Start in the top left corner with a single circle. Draw another circle that overlaps it. Keep going until the circles fill the page. Notice how the pressure in your chest loosens a bit. If you want to get more serious, look up "tessellations" for your next session; they're the ultimate way to turn boredom into a geometric masterpiece. Collect your favorite scraps in a folder so that next time you're stuck for an idea, you can look back at what your hand did when your brain was on autopilot.