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How to make a great creative drawing idea when you have art block

Apr 28, 2022

We’ve all been there: staring at a blank sheet of paper or empty canvas, trying to think of something creative to draw. Sometimes it can be a real struggle for all the inspiration just to fly right out of your head. It doesn't matter if you have just begun drawing or you have been in this art journey for years, sometimes, you hit a wall.  I'm talking about having an art block. Are you struggling to create art or you don't know what to draw? So, what do you do?

Relax and let's try one of these tips to help spark your creative side!

1

Beat the Art Block by Setting Your Drawing Theme From An Emoji Set

Sometimes when I experienced art block, one way of getting the ball rolling is to pick a topic from emojis. Drawing from emojis is one of the most effective ways to get drawing ideas. If you don't feel like thinking, the random emoji generator can quickly provide inspiration for your drawings.

You may check out this website and use the emoji generator to help you get the idea!

Once you've obtained the random emojis, experiment with mixing and combining them to get new drawing ideas.

2

Slay the Creative Slump by Using Art Prompt Generator

An art prompt is a word generator that generates random drawing ideas and sparks creativity. It displays an infinite amount of randomly produced words in various categories and  includes a wide range of key words, so you won't get bored with the available prompt list.

My recommendation for art prompt is this website. You can also find a lot more idea prompt here.

In addition to using the prompt generator, you may try making art in a collection. Choose one of the prompted topics then draw a variety of characters in the same theme.

3

Come Up With New Idea From Your Favorite Song, Anime, Or Popular Shows

Drawing fan art of the trending anime, games, music, and series can be quite entertaining. Plus, it can also provide you with a lot of exposure on social media, as other people may share it. Start by searching for a trending hashtag on Twitter or scrolling through your social media feed to discover what's popular right now.

Another way of coming up with ideas is to listen to music of your choice and visualize a picture of the song in your head. I personally get a variety of drawing ideas from the song's melody.

4

Create Something From Random Color Palette

Drawing from a random color palette might seem like one of the best ideas as well. Colors can tell much more about feelings than words. For example, blue would be perfect for sad feelings, and green or yellow would fit with happy feelings. You may use a color generator to generate a set of colors for you and imagine what kind of character you can create from that color set.

I recommend using this website to generate your preferred color palette and let your imagination flow!

5

Trying to Draw Characters from Objects or any Motives

You can draw your very own character based on objects. Objects can be anything from food, sweets, drinks to antiques or even flowers. You can try mix and match the object as character's outfit or make your character a unique specie.

I have a list of idea you can use to create your character and illustration below.

Animals

  • Fish
  • Snakes
  • Small animals
  • Bunnies
  • Birds
  • Kitties
  • Puppies
  • Caterpillars
  • Penguins
  • Baby seals
  • Pandas
  • Foxes
  • Ducks
  • Bees
  • Peacocks
  • Dolphins
  • Dinosaurs
  • Bats
  • Hawks
  • Horses
Flowers
  • Rose
  • Lily
  • Tulip
  • Sunflower
  • Wisteria
  • Hydrangea
  • Poppy
  • Higanbana
Fruits
  • Apple
  • Apricot
  • Avocado
  • Banana
  • Blackberry
  • Blueberry
  • Cherry
  • Coconut
  • Grape
  • Kiwi
  • Lemon
  • Lime
  • Mango
  • Orange
  • Peach
  • Pineapple
  • Raspberry
  • Strawberry
  • Watermelon
  • Melon
Plants
  • Mushroom
  • Fern
  • Ivy
  • Palm
  • Monstera
  • Cactus
  • Aloes
  • Clovers
  • Willow
  • Palm trees
  • Christmas tree
  • Vine
Crystal & jewel
  • Diamond
  • Amber
  • Amethyst
  • Aquamarine
  • Emerald
  • Garnet
  • Zircon
  • Mexican opal
  • Pearl
  • Sapphire
Food
  • Burrito
  • Hamburger
  • Cheeseburger
  • Sandwich
  • Taco
  • Hot dog
  • Fried chicken
  • Fries
  • Ramen
  • Bacon
  • Sausage
  • Pizza
Sweets
  • Jelly beans
  • Lollipops
  • Chewy bars
  • Bubblegum
  • Candy apple
  • Toffee
  • Macaron
  • Chocolate
  • Tart
  • Croissant
  • Cheesecake
  • Jelly
  • Ice-cream
  • Cupcake
  • Choux cream
  • Dango
  • Cream horn
  • Pie
Drinks
  • Cola
  • Milkshake
  • Lemonade
  • Fruit juice
  • Cocktails
  • Wine
  • Beer
  • Coffee
  • Tea
  • Milk
  • Sparkling water
Vehicles
  • Ships
  • Cars
  • Jets
  • Starships
  • Trucks
  • Motor cycle
  • Bike
  • Racing cars
  • Flying ships
  • Balloons
  • Airplane
Weapons
  • Katana
  • Sword
  • Club
  • Gun
  • Gatling gun
  • Pistol
  • Revolver
  • Musket
  • Club
  • Sickle
  • Bow
  • Dart
  • Spear
  • Halberd
  • Axe
  • Boomerang
  • Stick
  • Crossbow
  • Bolo
  • Grenade
  • Knife
  • Cannon
  • Rocket
  • Rifle
  • Torpedo
  • Missile
  • Shortgun
Antiques & Others
  • Mythological figures
  • Historical figures
  • Perfume bottles
  • Compass
  • Dolls & Dollhouses
  • Hairpins
  • Glasses
  • Hand fans
  • Lanterns
  • Lighters
  • Luggage
  • Mailboxes
  • Marble
Costume
  • Kimono
  • Yukata
  • Hanbok
  • Hanfu
  • Victorian dresses
  • Gothic dress
  • Lolita dress
  • Latex suit
  • Bodysuit
  • Swimsuit
  • Bikini
  • Student uniform
  • Sweatshirt
  • Jacket
  • Jeans

To summarize, even though we as artists have many different tools at our hands to help us overcome art block, we should never force it. Don't push yourself too much when it comes to making art. Relax. Taking a break from drawing may be refreshing, and it can be just what you need. The most essential thing is to recall why you began drawing in the first place. Remember why you started drawing, whether you started for fun or for a career. Reminding myself of why I draw helps me get through all of the difficult times in my art career. Lastly, happy drawing, everyone!

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Much Love 💖

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