Art used to be about sunsets. Or maybe a bowl of fruit. But lately, if you spend any time scrolling through Instagram, Pinterest, or specialized art forums like ArtStation, you’ve probably noticed something shifted. We are obsessed with the bizarre. I’m talking about drawings of weird things—creatures with too many eyes, melting architecture, and everyday objects turned into nightmare fuel. It’s a vibe.
Why? Honestly, it’s because reality is a bit boring right now. When everyone has a high-definition camera in their pocket, a perfect drawing of a mountain isn't that impressive anymore. We want the stuff that shouldn't exist. We want the "uncanny valley." We want the weird.
The Psychology of the Uncanny
Psychologically, we’re wired to look at things that don't make sense. It’s called the "violation of expectation." When you see a drawing of a toaster, your brain skips over it. When you see a drawing of a toaster with human teeth and a single, weeping eye, your brain stops. It has to. It’s trying to figure out if that thing is a threat or just a glitch in the matrix.
Famous psychologist Ernst Jentsch talked about the "uncanny" way back in 1906, and Freud later expanded on it. They basically argued that we get a specific type of "creeped out" feeling when something is familiar yet wrong. That’s the secret sauce of successful drawings of weird things. They take the mundane and twist it just enough to make your skin crawl, but you can’t look away.
Artists like Zdzisław Beksiński mastered this decades ago. His "dystopian surrealism" featured sprawling, decaying landscapes and skeletal figures that looked like they were made of dried skin. He famously said he didn't even know what his paintings meant; he just painted the images in his head. That’s the most authentic way to approach weird art. It’s not about a message. It’s about a feeling.
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Surrealism vs. The Modern Weird
Wait, isn't this just surrealism? Sorta. But modern weirdness is different from Dalí’s melting clocks.
While the Surrealists were obsessed with dreams and the subconscious, today’s "weird" art often pulls from internet culture, "liminal spaces," and body horror. Think of the Backrooms aesthetic. It’s a drawing of a yellow-walled office—totally normal—except the proportions are off and there's a shadow where there shouldn't be one.
- Body Horror: Think Junji Ito. His drawings of people turning into spirals or growing extra limbs are the gold standard for weird.
- Abstract Bio-organic: Artists like HR Giger (the guy who designed the Alien) blended machines with flesh. It’s gross. It’s beautiful.
- Lowbrow Art: This is the "Pop Surrealism" movement. It’s bright colors, cartoony vibes, but the subject matter is totally deranged. Mark Ryden is a big name here.
How to Actually Draw Weird Things Without Being Cliche
If you’re trying to create your own drawings of weird things, don't just draw a monster. That's a trope. A monster is expected. To get that true "weird" factor, you need to combine things that don't belong together.
Take a look at the work of Shaun Tan. In his book The Arrival, he draws these strange, unidentifiable creatures that act like house pets. They aren't scary; they're just different. That’s a huge distinction. Weird doesn't always mean "horror." It can mean "whimsical but unsettling."
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A good trick? Use a technique called Juxtaposition.
Put a tiny door on the side of a whale. Draw a cloud that is being held up by scaffolding. Use soft, pastel colors for something that should be terrifying. This contrast creates a cognitive dissonance in the viewer that keeps them engaged.
The Tools of the Trade
Most people think you need fancy software for this. You don't. While Procreate and Adobe Photoshop are the industry standards for digital illustrators, some of the best weird art is done with a simple ballpoint pen on a napkin. There’s something about the "scratchy" texture of ink that lends itself to the macabre.
- Ink and Pen: Great for fine details and cross-hatching.
- Charcoal: Perfect for those soft, smoky shadows that make things look like they’re emerging from a dream.
- Digital Brushes: Look for "texture packs" that mimic organic materials like skin, rust, or mold.
The Community: Where the Weirdos Hang Out
You aren't alone in liking this stuff. There are massive communities dedicated to the strange and unusual. On Reddit, r/HeavyMind and r/ImaginaryMonsters are goldmines for inspiration. These subreddits aren't just for professionals; they’re for anyone who likes to push the boundaries of what is "normal" to look at.
There’s also a huge market for this. Believe it or not, collectors are often more interested in a unique, bizarre concept than a technically perfect landscape. Why? Because a weird drawing tells a story. It invites the viewer to ask questions. "Why is that man’s head a birdcage?" is a much more interesting question than "Is that a nice sunset?"
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Misconceptions About "Weird" Art
Some people think drawing weird things is "easy" because "it doesn't have to look real." That is a total lie.
To draw something weird and make it effective, you actually have to be better at anatomy and lighting than a traditional artist. If you draw a person with three arms, those arms still need to have correct muscle structure and bone placement, or the drawing just looks "bad" instead of "weird." You have to know the rules of reality perfectly before you can break them in a way that feels intentional.
Actionable Steps for Aspiring Artists
If you want to dive into the world of drawings of weird things, don't wait for inspiration to strike. It won't. You have to go out and find the weirdness.
- The "Random Object" Challenge: Pick two objects in your room. A stapler and a potted plant. Now, combine them. Don't just put the plant in the stapler. Make the stapler grow leaves. Make the staples look like thorns.
- Study Nature: Nature is weirder than anything you can imagine. Look at deep-sea fish, microscopic bacteria, or fungi. Use those shapes as a base for your drawings.
- Focus on Texture: Sometimes the "weirdness" isn't the shape, but what it's made of. A hand made of liquid chrome? Cool. A hand made of woven hair? Weird.
- Keep a Dream Journal: Our brains do the best work when we're asleep. Keep a sketchbook by your bed and scribble down those nonsensical images before they fade.
The goal isn't to be "good." The goal is to be memorable. In a world of AI-generated perfection and stock photography, being weird is the only way to stay human. Start with one small, strange detail today and see where it takes you. Grab a pen. Draw a thumb with an ear. See? You’re already doing it.