Drawing & Illustration Ideas

Drawing can be as simple as observing an object and putting what you see onto paper, or as involved as developing an entire illustrated world from your imagination. Whether you enjoy pencil sketching, coloured pencils, charcoal, pastels, markers or illustration, there is always another subject, technique or idea to explore.

A blank sheet of paper is a starting point, not a limitation.

At Mont Crafters, we've put together drawing and illustration ideas to help you practise, experiment and develop your own creative approach.

You don't need to be an accomplished artist to begin. Start with a line, a shape or a simple object and build from there.

Start With Simple Drawing Ideas

If you're not sure what to draw, look around you.

Some of the best drawing subjects are already within reach.

Try drawing:

  • A coffee cup
  • A pair of glasses
  • Your favourite plant
  • A paintbrush
  • Art supplies
  • Shoes
  • Household objects
  • Flowers
  • Leaves
  • Buildings
  • Your own hands
  • Objects arranged on a table

The subject itself isn't the important part.

The exercise is learning to observe proportions, shapes, edges, shadows and relationships between objects.

Drawing Ideas for Beginners

Learning to draw becomes much less intimidating when you break a subject into smaller problems.

Instead of trying to draw an entire complicated scene immediately, start with individual exercises.

Shape Drawing

Choose an everyday object and reduce it to basic shapes.

A bottle might begin as a cylinder.

A book can begin as a rectangle.

A bowl can begin with an oval.

Once the basic proportions are correct, gradually add the details.

Line Drawing

Try drawing an object without focusing on shading.

Concentrate on:

  • Contour
  • Direction
  • Line weight
  • Curves
  • Corners
  • Proportion

This is a useful exercise for developing observation and hand control.

Light & Shadow

Choose a simple object and place it near a light source.

Draw the object using only light, mid-tone and dark areas.

This helps you understand value, which is one of the foundations of realistic drawing.

Texture Studies

Choose several surfaces and draw them separately:

  • Wood
  • Metal
  • Glass
  • Fabric
  • Stone
  • Leaves

Try to communicate the texture using different marks rather than simply outlining the object.

Pencil Drawing Ideas

Graphite remains one of the most accessible and versatile drawing materials.

A single pencil can produce delicate lines, strong dark values and a wide range of tones depending on pressure, pencil grade and technique.

Try these pencil projects:

Still-Life Drawing
Arrange several objects and draw their shapes, proportions and shadows.

Portrait Study
Start with basic facial proportions before gradually developing features and values.

Hand Studies
Hands are challenging, which makes them excellent practice. Try drawing your hand from several different positions.

Architectural Sketches
Look for buildings with interesting shapes, windows, doors and perspective.

Nature Studies
Draw leaves, flowers, branches, shells or other natural objects.

Value Study
Choose a simple subject and focus entirely on light and dark rather than detail.

Portrait Drawing Ideas

Portraits combine observation, proportion, anatomy, light and expression.

They can also be approached at different levels of complexity.

If you're beginning, don't immediately try to produce a highly detailed realistic portrait.

Start with:

  1. The overall shape of the head.
  2. The centre line.
  3. The eye line.
  4. The position of the nose.
  5. The mouth and chin.
  6. The major areas of light and shadow.
  7. The smaller features.
  8. Final details.

Try drawing the same face under different lighting conditions. Notice how much the appearance changes when the light source moves.

Botanical Drawing Ideas

Plants provide excellent subjects for drawing because they combine simple shapes with natural variation.

Try:

  • Individual leaves
  • Flowers
  • Succulents
  • Tree branches
  • Seed pods
  • Tropical plants
  • Botanical arrangements
  • Detailed plant studies

Start with the overall structure before drawing individual veins or small details.

For a more illustrative approach, experiment with line weight, cross-hatching and selective shading.

Coloured Pencil Drawing Ideas

Coloured pencils sit somewhere between drawing and painting.

You can use them for detailed illustrations, realistic studies, decorative artwork and layered colour work.

Try drawing:

  • Fruits
  • Flowers
  • Animals
  • Portraits
  • Landscapes
  • Food illustrations
  • Fashion illustrations
  • Botanical studies

Build colour gradually

Rather than pressing heavily immediately, build several lighter layers.

This allows you to control:

  • Colour intensity
  • Blending
  • Shadows
  • Highlights
  • Texture

Experiment with different combinations and layering techniques to discover how your colours interact.

Charcoal Drawing Ideas

Charcoal is particularly effective when you want strong contrast and expressive marks.

It can be used for both loose sketches and highly developed studies.

Try:

Dramatic still life

  • Arrange a few objects under a strong light source and concentrate on the contrast between illuminated and shadowed areas.

Figure studies

  • Work quickly and focus on gesture, proportion and movement rather than detail.

Portrait studies

  • Use charcoal to establish large areas of shadow before gradually refining the features.

Expressive landscapes

  • Use broad marks to establish trees, mountains, clouds or other large forms.

Charcoal can be blended, erased and layered, making it particularly useful for studying light and value.

Pastel Drawing Ideas

Pastels allow you to work directly with colour while retaining the mark-making qualities of drawing.

Try:

  • Landscape studies
  • Portraits
  • Floral artwork
  • Still life
  • Animal drawings
  • Sunset scenes
  • Colour studies
  • Expressive abstract drawings

Instead of blending every mark together, consider leaving some strokes visible. The marks themselves can become part of the artwork.

Illustration Ideas

Illustration gives you an opportunity to move beyond simply reproducing what you see.

You can create characters, environments, objects and stories from your imagination.

Character Design

Create a character starting with basic shapes.

Experiment with:

  • Body proportions
  • Clothing
  • Facial expressions
  • Poses
  • Accessories
  • Colour palettes

Story Illustration

Take a simple idea and turn it into a scene.

For example:

"A child discovers an unusual object in an old workshop".

Think about the setting, characters, lighting and objects that communicate the story.

Pattern Illustration

Create repeating designs using leaves, flowers, geometric shapes, animals or abstract forms.

Editorial-Style Illustration

Take an everyday subject and communicate an idea through a single visual composition.

Perspective Drawing Ideas

Perspective helps drawings appear convincing in three-dimensional space.

Start with simple exercises.

One-point perspective

  • Draw a road, railway, hallway or corridor leading toward a single vanishing point.

Two-point perspective

  • Try drawing a box, building or street corner using two vanishing points.

Three-point perspective

  • Once comfortable with the basics, experiment with looking up at tall buildings or down from elevated viewpoints.

Perspective practice may seem technical, but it becomes much easier when you begin with simple forms.

Shading & Value Drawing

A strong understanding of value can make even a simple drawing appear much more convincing.

Create a value scale ranging from:

White → Light Grey → Mid Grey → Dark Grey → Black

Then try to reproduce those values in an object.

Practise:

  • Hatching
  • Cross-hatching
  • Stippling
  • Blending
  • Scumbling
  • Directional shading

You don't need to use every technique in one drawing. Choose the technique that best suits the effect you're trying to achieve.

Drawing From Observation

One of the most useful drawing exercises is simply drawing what is actually in front of you.

Choose an object.

Look at it carefully.

Before making the first mark, consider:

  1. What is its overall shape?
  2. What is its widest point?
  3. Where does the light come from?
  4. What sits behind it?
  5. How does it relate in size to the other objects?

This approach trains observation rather than relying entirely on symbols or assumptions about how an object "should" look.

Drawing Challenges to Try

If you want a structured challenge, try one of these:

10-Minute Drawing

  • Choose an object and give yourself only ten minutes.
  • Don't erase excessively. Concentrate on capturing the main shapes.

One-Line Drawing

  • Draw an object using one continuous line.
  • The goal is observation and hand control, not realism.

Five-Value Drawing

  • Limit yourself to five values from light to dark.

No-Colour Challenge

  • Create a complete artwork using graphite or charcoal only.

Limited-Colour Illustration

  • Choose three colours and create an illustration using only those colours.

Draw the Same Object Five Ways

  • Draw one object realistically, abstractly, using line only, using shading only and finally from memory.

You'll quickly see how different approaches change the result.

Choosing Your Drawing Materials

The right materials depend on the type of drawing you're creating.

For graphite

Consider:

  • Graphite pencils
  • Drawing paper
  • Sketchbooks
  • Erasers
  • Sharpeners

For coloured pencils

Consider:

  • Coloured pencils
  • Suitable drawing paper
  • Blending tools
  • Fine-detail pencils

For charcoal

Consider:

  • Charcoal sticks
  • Charcoal pencils
  • Suitable paper
  • Kneaded erasers
  • Blending tools

For illustration

Consider:

  • Fineliners
  • Markers
  • Illustration pens
  • Coloured pencils
  • Sketchbooks

Build a Drawing Practice

You don't need to spend hours drawing every day.

A consistent short practice can be more useful than occasional long sessions.

Try a simple routine:

5 minutes: Warm-up lines and shapes
10 minutes: Observation exercise
10 minutes: Technique practice
15 minutes: Personal project

Keep your drawings together in a sketchbook.

Don't throw away the early attempts. Looking back through older work is one of the easiest ways to see how your skills are developing.

From Sketch to Finished Illustration

Many finished artworks begin with rough drawings.

A useful process is:

Idea → Thumbnail → Rough Sketch → Refined Drawing → Colour/Detail → Final Artwork

Don't be afraid to make several rough versions.

A thumbnail sketch takes very little time but can help you solve composition problems before committing to the final piece.

Make Your Drawing Your Own

There are countless ways to approach the same subject.

  • Two artists can draw the same flower and produce completely different results.
  • One might focus on realistic detail.
  • Another might use loose expressive lines.
  • Another might simplify the flower into geometric shapes.
  • Another might turn it into an illustration.
  • There is no requirement to follow one style.
  • Experiment until you find an approach that feels natural to you.

Start Drawing

  • You don't need an elaborate setup.
  • Find a subject.
  • Open your sketchbook.
  • Make the first line.
  • Then see where it takes you.

Explore Drawing & Illustration →

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I draw as a beginner?

Start with simple objects around you, such as cups, books, plants, shoes or art supplies. Still-life drawings, basic shapes, leaves and simple landscapes are also useful for beginners.

What are some easy drawing ideas?

Try drawing everyday objects, simple flowers, leaves, geometric patterns, simple landscapes, cartoon characters or a self-portrait. The subject is less important than practising observation and mark-making.

How can I improve my drawing skills?

Practise regularly, draw from observation, study proportion and perspective, practise light and shadow, and keep your drawings so you can compare your progress over time.

What pencils are best for drawing?

Different graphite grades produce different marks. Harder pencils are useful for lighter, finer lines, while softer pencils can produce darker values. A small range of grades gives you more flexibility.

What is the difference between drawing and illustration?

Drawing generally refers to creating marks and images using drawing materials, while illustration often has a communicative purpose — such as explaining an idea, telling a story or creating a visual representation of a concept. The two overlap considerably.

Can I combine drawing and painting?

Yes. Drawing and painting can work very well together. For example, you can create a pencil sketch, add watercolour or acrylic paint, and then return with ink or coloured pencil for additional detail.