Stop overthinking it. Seriously. Most people approach art like they’re trying to recreate the Sistine Chapel, but the real magic usually happens when you’re just messing around with cute and easy drawings on a sticky note. You don’t need a degree from RISD. You don't even need "talent," whatever that actually means.
Drawing is basically just a visual language. If you can write the letter "O" and the letter "V," you can draw a bird. It’s that simple.
We’ve seen this massive surge in "kawaii" culture—that Japanese aesthetic focusing on cuteness—and it isn’t just because it looks good on Instagram. There is actual science behind why our brains crave these simplified, rounded shapes. Konrad Lorenz, an ethologist you might remember from biology class, coined the term "Kindchenschema" (baby schema). It’s the idea that large eyes and high foreheads trigger a dopamine release. When you sit down to make cute and easy drawings, you’re essentially hacking your own brain’s reward system. It feels good because your biology is programmed to find these proportions soothing.
The Low Stakes of Doodling
The biggest barrier to entry is almost always "The Fear." You know the one. That paralyzing anxiety when you stare at a blank, expensive sketchbook page.
The fix? Use trash paper.
Grab a receipt. Use the back of an envelope. When the paper is worthless, the art becomes fearless. Cute and easy drawings thrive in low-pressure environments. If you’re drawing a tiny cat with a piece of bread around its face—the classic "bread cat"—on the back of a grocery list, you aren't worried about lighting or perspective. You’re just having a moment of flow.
James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, talks a lot about making things "easy" to ensure they stick. This applies to art too. If you set out to paint an oil portrait, you’ll never start. If you set out to draw a potato with a smiley face, you’re done in ten seconds. That tiny win matters.
Why Your "Bad" Drawings are Better Than You Think
Ever noticed how a five-year-old’s drawing of a house is recognizable even if the chimney is crooked and the sun is in the corner? That’s because they prioritize the essence of the object over the accuracy of it.
When you focus on cute and easy drawings, you are practicing symbolic representation.
Think about an octopus. A realistic one is a nightmare to draw—all those suckers and moving parts. But a cute version? It’s a circle with eight wiggly lines. Maybe give it a little hat. Boom. You’ve communicated "octopus" perfectly.
The Anatomy of "Cute"
There are actual "rules" to this, though they’re more like loose suggestions. If you want to make something look immediately more adorable, follow the "low-face" rule.
Typically, human eyes sit in the middle of the head. In the world of cute and easy drawings, you want to drop the eyes, nose, and mouth down to the bottom third of the face. This creates a giant forehead, which reinforces that baby-schema we talked about.
- Keep the limbs short and stubby.
- Use "sausage" fingers or just rounded paws.
- Overlap shapes to create depth without needing complex shading.
- Keep lines thick. A bold outline hides a lot of mistakes.
Honestly, a thick black marker is a beginner’s best friend. It’s confident. Even if your line is a bit shaky, a 0.8mm fineliner makes it look intentional.
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Scientific Benefits You Didn’t Ask For
A study published in The Arts in Psychotherapy found that doodling—even just random scribbles—significantly increases blood flow to the prefrontal cortex. That’s the part of your brain involved in rewards, navigation, and memory.
But there’s a nuance here.
Force yourself to draw something hyper-realistic and your stress levels might actually spike. You’re worried about failure. Switch to cute and easy drawings, and the "play" circuit in your brain takes over. It’s meditative. Some therapists even use "Zentangle" or simple character doodling as a way to manage PTSD and high-functioning anxiety.
It’s hard to be spiraling about your taxes when you’re deciding whether your cartoon frog should have a tiny umbrella or a crown.
Real-World Examples of the "Easy" Movement
Look at someone like Lynda Barry. She’s a genius and a MacArthur Fellow who spends her time teaching people that "good" drawing is a trap. In her book Syllabus, she pushes students to draw quickly and simply to bypass the inner critic.
Then there’s the whole "Bullet Journal" community. If you look at popular creators like AmandaRachLee, their success isn’t based on making museum-grade art. It’s about making functional, cute and easy drawings that make a planner feel personalized. A tiny cactus in the corner of a Tuesday spread doesn't need to be perfect; it just needs to be there.
Common Misconceptions About Minimalist Art
One big lie people believe: "Simple is easy."
Okay, I know the keyword is "easy," but there’s a difference between simple to execute and thoughtless. To make a character with three lines that still conveys emotion takes a bit of a "designer's eye." You're stripping away the noise.
You aren't being lazy. You're being efficient.
Another myth? You need expensive markers.
I’ve seen people create incredible stuff with a $0.50 Bic pen. In fact, ballpoint pens are great because they allow for subtle pressure changes. You can get a light grey or a deep black just by how hard you press.
Step-by-Step: The "Blob" Method
If you’re staring at the paper and don't know where to start, try the Blob Method. It’s a classic warm-up used by character designers.
- Draw five random, messy blobs. Don't think. Just circles, ovals, kidney-bean shapes.
- Look at the blobs for a second. Turn the page upside down if you have to.
- Add eyes and a mouth.
- Give it legs or wings based on whatever the shape suggests.
What you've just done is "pareidolia"—the human tendency to see faces in random patterns. By making cute and easy drawings out of random shapes, you're training your brain to see creative potential everywhere.
What to Draw When You're Bored
Sometimes the brain just goes blank. Here is a non-exhaustive, totally random list of things that are nearly impossible to mess up:
- Succulents in cups: Squares for the pot, triangles for the leaves.
- Ghosts: Literally just a sheet with two dots.
- Boba tea: A rectangle with rounded corners and circles at the bottom.
- Bees: Ovals with stripes and tiny loops for wings.
- Mushrooms: A semi-circle on top of a stump.
The "food with faces" genre is particularly huge right now. A slice of pizza is just a triangle, but add two dots and a smile, and suddenly it’s a character. This is the core of the cute and easy drawings philosophy: personality over perfection.
Actionable Next Steps for Aspiring Doodlers
Don't buy a $30 sketchbook yet. You’ll be too scared to ruin it.
Start with a "junk journal" or even just the margins of your notebook during a meeting. The goal isn't to create a masterpiece; it's to lower the friction between your brain and the paper.
First, pick one tool and stick with it for a week. Whether it’s a felt-tip pen or a pencil, get used to how it moves. Next, try the "low-face" rule on five different objects in your room. Draw your lamp, but give it eyes near the base. Draw your coffee mug with a tiny blush.
Finally, share it. Not necessarily on social media, but maybe text a photo of a dumb doodle to a friend. Art is a form of connection, and cute and easy drawings are the most accessible way to start that conversation.
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If you want to get serious about the "kawaii" style specifically, look into the works of Christopher Hart. He’s written dozens of books on simplifying complex figures into manageable parts. He breaks things down into basic geometry—circles, squares, and "bean" shapes—that anyone can follow.
Remember, the goal is to enjoy the process. If you find yourself getting frustrated because a line isn't straight, grab a fresh piece of paper and try again. Or better yet, incorporate the "mistake" into the drawing. That shaky line? Now it’s just the texture of a fuzzy bear.
There are no mistakes in doodling, only unexpected character traits.