You’re staring at a blank piece of paper. It’s intimidating. That bright, clinical white sheet seems to be judging you, waiting for a masterpiece that probably isn't coming today. Honestly, most people quit drawing because they try to sketch a hyper-realistic human eye or a sprawling city landscape on day one. That’s a mistake. You’ve gotta lower the stakes. Finding fun and easy things to draw isn't about being lazy; it's about building the muscle memory and the dopamine loops that actually keep you coming back to the sketchbook.
Art isn't always about "high art." Sometimes it’s just about doodling a chubby cat while you’re on a boring Zoom call.
The Science of Why Simple Doodling Works
There’s this weird misconception that if it’s easy, it’s not "real" practice. Researchers like Sunni Brown, author of The Doodle Revolutionary, argue that doodling actually improves sensory intake and information processing. When you tackle simple shapes, your brain isn't stressed. It’s in a flow state. This is where the magic happens.
If you look at the sketches of masters like Picasso or Matisse, they spent years simplifying. They moved away from the complex toward the core essence of a shape. So, when you decide to draw a slice of watermelon or a basic ghost with sunglasses, you’re actually participating in a long tradition of visual simplification. It’s basically shorthand for the soul.
Start with the "Blob" Method
You don't need a ruler. You don't even need a good eraser. One of the most fun and easy things to draw is what I call "The Blob."
- Close your eyes and draw a random, wiggly loop.
- Open your eyes.
- Figure out what it is.
Maybe that weird bulge on the left is a nose. Maybe the bottom part looks like a flipper. Add two dots for eyes and some tiny legs. Boom. You’ve just created a character. This takes the pressure off "correctness" because there is no correct way to draw a blob. It’s a creature from another dimension. It’s a sentient potato. It’s whatever you want it to be.
Household Objects That Don't Suck to Sketch
Look around your room. Seriously, look right now. There is a coffee mug sitting there. It’s a cylinder with a handle. If you can draw a circle and a rectangle, you can draw that mug.
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Plants are another goldmine. Succulents are basically just a bunch of teardrop shapes arranged in a spiral. You don't have to worry about anatomy or perspective because leaves grow in messy, organic ways. If a leaf is a little wonky, it looks more realistic, not less. Nature is imperfect. That’s why it’s a safe harbor for beginners.
Specific ideas for your next session:
- A steaming bowl of ramen (the noodles are just squiggly lines).
- A vintage Polaroid camera (mostly squares and circles).
- A pair of high-top sneakers (great for practicing overlapping shapes).
- A lightbulb (an upside-down pear with a screw base).
Why the "Kawaii" Style is Your Secret Weapon
If you’ve ever seen Japanese "Kawaii" art, you know it’s basically the king of fun and easy things to draw. The formula is simple: take an inanimate object, give it a large head, tiny limbs, and two wide-set eyes with a little "u" for a mouth.
A toaster becomes a character.
A cloud becomes a character.
Even a literal piece of garbage becomes cute if you give it the Kawaii treatment.
This style works because it relies on iconography rather than anatomy. You aren't drawing a "human face"; you’re drawing a symbol of a face. This removes the "Uncanny Valley" effect where things look creepy because they’re almost right but not quite.
Overcoming the Fear of the Bad Drawing
We’ve all been there. You spend twenty minutes on a sketch and it looks like a kindergartner did it. That’s fine. Actually, it’s better than fine—it’s necessary.
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The illustrator Jake Parker, who started Inktober, famously says "Finished, not perfect." The goal of seeking out fun and easy things to draw is to finish things. Every finished drawing is a data point. It’s a tiny bit of experience points added to your level. If you only try to draw "hard" things, you’ll finish one drawing a month and feel frustrated. If you draw ten "easy" things a day, you’ll have 300 drawings by the end of the month.
Quantity has a quality all its own.
Material Minimalism
Stop buying $50 marker sets. You don't need them yet. A Bic ballpoint pen and a cheap spiral notebook are actually better for learning. Why? Because you won't be afraid to "waste" the paper. When paper is expensive, you get "Fine Paper Syndrome"—you’re too scared to make a mess. Use the back of a receipt. Use a napkin. The best fun and easy things to draw usually happen when you aren't trying to make "Art" with a capital A.
The "One-Line" Challenge
If you’re feeling stuck, try drawing without lifting your pen from the paper.
Pick a subject—maybe a cat or a bicycle. Start at one point and don't stop until the drawing is done. This forces you to think about how shapes connect. It’s a puzzle. The result will look stylistic and "artsy" even if it’s technically "bad." It’s a great way to warm up your hand and loosen up your shoulder.
Let's Talk About Doodles vs. Drawings
A doodle is aimless. A drawing is intentional. But the line between them is paper-thin.
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When you’re looking for fun and easy things to draw, you’re essentially trying to bridge that gap. You’re taking the low-pressure vibe of a doodle and giving it just enough structure to be a drawing. Think about drawing a "Space Cat." It’s just a cat in a bubble helmet. The helmet is a circle. The cat is two triangles for ears and some whiskers. It’s fun, it’s easy, but it’s a complete concept.
15-Minute Ideas for a Daily Habit
- Solar System: Circles of different sizes. Add some rings to one. Maybe a tiny alien waving from a planet.
- Crystal Clusters: These are just jagged geometric shapes. Great for practicing shading and straight lines without needing a ruler.
- A Paper Plane: A classic. It’s all about sharp angles and a sense of movement.
- Mushrooms: Seriously, the "cottagecore" aesthetic is popular for a reason. A stem and a cap. Add some spots. You’re done.
The Role of Reference
Don't feel like you have to draw from your head. Even the pros use references. If you want to draw a bicycle, Google "simple bicycle sketch." Look at how other people have simplified the spokes and the chain. Copying for the sake of learning is a time-honored tradition. Just don't claim someone else's specific character design as your own. Use the reference to understand the structure, then put your own spin on it.
Common Mistakes Beginners Make (And How to Fix Them)
Most people "pet" the line. They make a bunch of tiny, hairy-looking strokes instead of one confident line. Even when you’re doing fun and easy things to draw, try to commit to your lines. If you mess up, just draw another one.
Another big one: Over-erasing.
Put the eraser away.
Let the mistakes stay on the page. They show you where you went wrong so you can do it differently next time. If you erase every "bad" line, you’re deleting the map of your progress.
Actionable Next Steps to Start Drawing Today
- The 5-Minute Rule: Set a timer for five minutes. Choose one object on your desk. Draw it three different times—once as a realistic sketch, once as a "Kawaii" character, and once using only one continuous line.
- Create a "Useless" Sketchbook: Buy the cheapest notebook you can find. Label the front "Bad Drawings Only." This gives you psychological permission to fail, which ironically makes you more likely to draw something you actually like.
- Limit Your Palette: Don't worry about color yet. Stick to black ink. Focusing on value (light vs. dark) and shape is way more important than choosing between "sky blue" and "cerulean."
- The "30-Day Doodle" Challenge: Commit to drawing one tiny, 2x2 inch square every day. It can be a sun, a heart, a slice of pizza, or a brick. The small scale makes it feel manageable even on your busiest days.
Drawing is a physical skill, like shooting a basketball or playing the piano. You wouldn't expect to play a Rachmaninoff concerto on your first day. You’d play "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." These fun and easy things to draw are your "Twinkle Twinkle." They are the foundation. Embrace the simplicity, laugh at the wonky lines, and just keep the pen moving. The "masterpieces" will show up eventually, but for now, just enjoy drawing a ghost eating a taco.