Last Updated on June 21, 2019

If you want to get better at anything, then you have to challenge yourself. If you spend all your time sketching things that come easy for you, then you won’t see much improvement. We have to tackle some of those subjects that may seem difficult. In many cases, the subjects aren’t quite as difficult as we think they are. But we only discover this if we take on the challenge.

I should point out that the best way to get better at drawing from your imagination is to spend a good amount of time working from observation. When you practice working from observation, you learn how to translate what you see into a work of art.

Sometimes you want to practice, but there just isn’t a suitable subject to work from life. That’s when it’s time to look to your imagination for inspiration.

We’ll begin with the easy subjects. Defining what’s considered easy will be different for everyone. It all depends on how much time and effort you want to put into your work. These items are considered “easy” simply because the shapes used to sketch them are rather simple.

Remember, we can always use the ideas that we conceive in our sketchbooks and turn them into finished works of art. A sketchbook is great place to practice, but it’s also a great place to plan and find some inspiration.

I decided to do some of the brainstorming for you and create a list of 101 drawing ideas that you can include in your sketchbook or turn in to finished works. The items on this list are meant to challenge you a bit, but can still be completed in a short amount of time – making them perfect subjects.

Often times it can be difficult brainstorming ideas for our sketchbooks. We can all agree that the more we draw, the better we’ll get. This is just one of the many reasons that keeping a sketchbook is important. But deciding what to draw in those sketchbooks can sometimes be a challenge.

Deciding What to Draw

Hopefully you’re now filled with inspiration and you’re ready to get started. Each of these subjects have been carefully thought out and were chosen for specific ways that they’ll help improve your skills. So you may be wondering, which of these should you tackle first. This will depend on where you are currently in your artistic journey. We’re all at different skill levels.

I may suggest making a game out of your sketching practice. Why not think of these suggestions in terms of a scavenger hunt? Instead of just picking a few, why not tackle them all. Grab a sketchbook with at least 100 pages and draw each idea one by one until you’ve filled it up completely. Then compare your first sketch to your last. You’ll notice a huge difference. You will be get better over time.

More Places to Find Ideas for Drawing

So maybe you’ve scanned the list here and you don’t see anything that appeals to you. Maybe some of the subjects sound too difficult or perhaps you’ve already drawn them before and you don’t want to revisit them. (Revisiting subjects is not always a bad thing. Sometimes, when you revisit a subject for the second time, you find that you’re more successful.)

Fortunately, there are other places to look for drawing inspiration other than this list you may have just stumbled upon. Here are a few more places to look for inspiration and activities that may spark your creativity…

Go For A Walk and Get Ideas



When we explore a bit and move our bodies, an interesting thing happens. Sometimes the act of moving around opens our mind up to new ideas. Perhaps it has something to do with blood flow. You may have seen how people pace back and forth while involved in a moment of deep thinking. Moving helps our minds to work. When you’re trying to come up with new inspiration, try moving around a bit.

It also helps to change our environment. It’s great to get outside and take a look around. This also helps to get our creative juices flowing. I often get my best ideas when I’m out on a jog or just walking around the neighborhood.

Going for walk does two things for us. It changes our environment and also gets us moving.

Look At Other Drawings – Get Inspired By Other Artists



Another great place to be inspired is by looking at art produced by other artists. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine what a finished work of art will look like by simply searching for photo references. The “magic” in a finished artwork is often the result of the artistic decisions that are made during the drawing process. By looking at art produced by someone else, we can get inspired. We may begin to envision what our art would look like if we were to emulate their style or use the same medium. Sometimes this is just the extra push that we need to get started.

The internet is a wonderful resource, but looking at art in a physical book or better yet – a gallery or museum is the best option.

Listen to Music Without Lyrics to Get More Ideas

Some people are inspired by other forms of art outside the realm of visual art. Music can be a great source of inspiration and may give you some ideas for your drawings. I’ve found that music that has lyrics is often too literal and is less inspirational. But music without lyrics allows you to paint a scene in your mind and may lead to more than just a quick sketch. You may find that the right music gives you an idea that you can build on and you end up creating a work that is well beyond a simple sketch.