Maybe you’re not the most experienced artist. Yet. But it feels like you could be. Well, I’m cheering you on to unleash that wildly creative spirit inside. What’s more, I have for you a boatload of cute beginner drawing ideas right here.
Which, let’s be real, is a lot more useful than some random stranger on the internet cheering on your efforts.
In this list of ideas, you’ll find a variety of topics.
Animals, flowers and foliage, random everyday objects, and small simple things. We’ll make them cuter on paper than they are in reality, though!
Most of these easy drawing ideas are meant to give inspiration. Even when you’ve decided you want to begin drawing, it can be a challenge to choose a subject. There are more than just a few fun, quirky, cute, beginner-friendly ideas here! (Some drawing prompts even include a simple step-by-step tutorial.)
Free-Spirited & Cute Beginner Drawing Ideas
Why are these ideas for free spirits, you might wonder?
Ah, they’re actually for everyone who allows themself to be a free spirit. No exclusions, when you look at it that way.
This compilation of doodles and drawings features, among others:
- surf boards
- tropical vibes
- mind-bending mushrooms
- hints of sacred geometry
- meditative drawing ideas
- crystals
- mythical creatures as well as real animals
- a decent amount of flower power
- and even a hot air balloon going up, up & away.
Needless to say, the free-spirited (soon to be) artist will feel right at home. Now, grab your stuff and let’s get creative.
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a classic character. We all know how he looks, sort of – but would you be able to draw him?
Yikes – suddenly, it’s not quite clear where those eyes, ears, and nose go exactly.
After this great tutorial, it will be! You’ll know exactly how to get Mickey Mouse onto paper with a few basic shapes in five easy steps (and no stress.)
All it takes is a minute of time to take a close, dedicated look and then memorize the basics. We’re not trying to compete with good old Walt Disney here. Merely to pull together a quick doodle of a half-decent-looking Mickey face.
He is one of the most famous cartoon characters, after all. And if you have young children, they may have seen him on screen. So, off to impress them with a Mickey Mouse in five simple steps.
Tip: Use a Sharpie and work BIG. That way, after you’ve made a few of these fun designs on separate sheets of paper, you can let the kiddos have so much fun with their very own homemade coloring pages!
Gems, Diamonds, Crystals
Simple drawings of gems are fun and rewarding to make. Because they mostly consist of an arrangement of straight lines, they’re also quite relaxing to draw. No faces, no detailed texture, no complex contours.
With a few lines, here’s how to compose a diamond shape. It can be any other gem, depending on the color you give it. Sapphire, ruby… those little triangles are a blast to add color to.
Practice shading by experimenting with ombre tones of the same color, within the same area, or by varying the shade for each triangle.
Crystals have a more natural, organic shape. In fact, they might remind you of a bunch of mushrooms, the way they are clumped together.
Stone Cairns
Speaking of natural organic matter – try your hand at some oval shapes. Irregular shapes are allowed! Stack them, to build a stone cairn.
Then, since shading is a huge part of improving your drawing skills, grab a pencil and try your hand at gradients to make those stones look as rounded as possible. That is a meditative activity in and of itself.
Holly
Holly is always lovely and a great thing to draw especially around Christmas time. You do not need to get your knickers in a twist about getting the botanical details one hundred percent correct. The most important things for a holly doodle to hit the mark are the spikey leaves and those red berries.
Llama
This llama is keeping warm with his fluffy woolen coat.
There are, of course, different ways to go about drawing fur, wool, or fluff. Here, I went with simple shapes: spirals and curls. A lot of them come together for the desired effect. So easy, and super fun.
As always, choosing a more abstract or naive approach is a great way to tackle a subject that you would not otherwise. Maybe because you don’t feel comfortable drawing a realistic-looking furry coat. Or maybe because you simply do not wish to spend that kind of time on the project (drawing hair and fur is hugely time-consuming!)
And luckily, nobody said cute drawing ideas have to be realistic.
Little Mermaid
A mermaid is definitely up there with other cute things like unicorns, rainbows, and glitter.
Would you like to see some step-by-step instructions for this mermaid? It isn’t the easiest drawing idea on this list, so perhaps I’ll be adding a drawing tutorial next.
Surf Board
Staying with that ocean theme, next up is a surfboard. The outline is very simple and consists of a mere few straight lines.
And there are so many fun ways to fill in the board!
What different designs do you picture on a surfboard? Flowers, geometric shapes, tribal patterns, waves, letters… Let those creative juices flow.
Letter (Envelope)
It looks so simple, a little envelope doodle. Nevertheless, those edges are a good drawing exercise for beginners. They can be surprisingly tricky to get straight – not to mention the corners need to be lined up right.
It’s one of those everyday objects that you would perhaps not think of as the most riveting subject to draw. The challenge is to make a little doodle of it that looks like it appeared on paper almost effortless… and cute. Adding hearts will do that to pretty much anything.
Characters
Drawing a human figure is a real challenge. But even if your skill level isn’t quite there yet, that doesn’t mean you need to steer clear of humans altogether.
In fact, some highly successful illustrators draw humans in their own way, and it is not anywhere close to Da Vinci’s or Michelangelo’s level of realism.
Not many people abroad will know of Jip and Janneke.
If you have any connection at all with the Netherlands or have spent time there, you’ve probably come across the epic children’s book characters by Fiep Westendorp.
They are quirky, they are funny, they appeal to the imagination, and they never fail to make me smile. They are either colorful or – in the case of Jip and Janneke – black and white.
Wondering how these kids’ book characters ended up looking almost like silhouettes?
This stems from the time newspapers had limited printing options. Illustrators did not have the option to make something more like real life – their work had to come in two tones to be successfully printed.
Yet somehow, Fiep Westendorp managed to do something very catchy within the boundaries of a limited color scheme. Jip and Janneke’s facial expressions are hilarious. Not to mention their dog and cat, always in tow.
Whether you are a beginner or a proficient artist, you might like to check out the official website for smiles and inspiration. Here is an excerpt:
“At her death, on 3 February 2003, Fiep Westendorp transferred the intellectual property rights of her entire oeuvre to a foundation: the Fiep Westendorp Foundation (FWF). Its core mission is to bring joy to the lives of children, especially those who could use little more of it. In this way it fulfils a heartfelt wish of Fiep Westendorp. It pursues its mission primarily by making use of Fiep’s illustrations.
The FWF also supports other projects and initiatives designed to develop artistic sensitivity in children, and has established a Fiep Westendorp grant for promising young illustrators.“
Tropical Fish
This fish drawing is loosely inspired by the Hawaiian humuhumunukunukuapua’a. That translates to “triggerfish with a snout like a pig”.
After drawing the outline, maybe you’d like to aim for realistic coloring. Or take a hike from those and just make it pop!
Vintage Perfume Bottles
Vintage perfume bottles with those oval things attached, to squeeze? Just draw one, and don’t overthink it.
The actual, correct shape is, of course, very hard to nail. That would involve perfect ovals and mirrored sides… but even with slightly asymmetrical sides and playfully imbalanced shapes, you can get a cute little doodle going.
The atomizer is such a distinctive feature that anyone will recognize what this is.
Lotus Flower Drawing
This is a lotus flower, top view. For a more playful vibe, try to experiment with mixing thick and thin lines. This works for any other flower, and many objects, too. It is also a lot of fun.
Kitchen Utensils
Jellyfish
Jellyfish are only cute on paper. Because some are so poisonous, they kind of freak me out, to be honest. But in the land of two-dimensional fantasy lines, dots, and swirls, they can hurt no one. And they are actually quite fun to doodle.
Hot Air Balloon
Abstract Pattern: Swirls
What if you find a way to explore your drawing skills, while also relaxing and shedding some weight from that thought train in your head?
Drawing an abstract pattern, especially one with rounded, ongoing lines and shapes, is a very cool exercise. Not only does it practice your drawing hand, but it also works like a drawing meditation.
This is a simple version – you can get as intricate with it as you like. Fill an entire page, or more than one…
Simple Geometric Pattern
As for a more left-brained version, doodling simple geometric patterns can be fun, too. And meditative, too, since you’ll have to keep repeating the same small lines and shapes to form that pattern.
These finished pattern drawings make epic coloring pages, by the way. Once the page is full, cap the Sharpie and get out the markers for round two of the drawing meditation. Pure bliss!
Colorful Mushrooms
Mushrooms are often white, grey, beige, or brown. Except for toadstools. Those often add a pop of color to fairy tales, woodland-themed stories, and many children’s books.
Word on the street is that psychedelic mushrooms are the gateway to a world of magic for grown-ups.
For lack of having visited this world personally, I do love to doodle some magic mushrooms and give them intense, psychedelic colors. Try it out – super fun!
Cute Toucan
A simple, cartoon-like toucan for some colorful tropical vibes!
Beautiful Sunflower
This lovely sunflower drawing is mostly built with repetition and a pinch of patience. You can use a pencil to make a few circular helplines if freehanding the heart and petals is a challenge. Then, just follow the pencil lines to make the end result look nice and even.
Blushing Narwhal
Have you ever seen a blushing narwhal? That makes zero sense from a biological standpoint.
But blushing cheeks on all kinds of animal characters is something you’ll see a lot in illustrations meant for children.
Once you start adding those pink dabs to cheeks, human or animal, It’s seriously addictive.
If you like drawing animals, find a bunch more here: Cute Easy Things To Draw. Such as a fox, a lion, a bunny, a unicorn portrait, a cat, and a whale.
Wildflowers
Classic wildflowers, like poppies, cornflowers, and daisies, in bold and bright colors are lovely to draw.
Fluffy Sheep
If this sheep looks familiar, that’s because it is almost the same as the llama. Ears down, a much shorter neck, slightly shorter legs, and you have a cute sheep.
Octopus
Have you seen yet?
There’s a very innocent-looking baby octopus drawing there, as well as a few other cute animal drawings.
Now here is an octopus drawing of a bigger specimen, and one with a jolly personality, at that!
See how you’re supposed to start with the head and merely three limbs? Then, add the other limbs one by one, until each has its place and the octopus looks balanced as a whole.
Suction cups go wherever you decide we get to see the bottom of the tentacles.
Robin
A robin is one of the cutest little birds – okay, maybe that’s a close race with the wren and the hummingbird. They’re all quite pretty and make for some cute beginner drawing ideas.
Simple Floral Pattern
To make a simple floral pattern, start by drawing a few larger flowers spaced out over the paper. Add smaller and medium-sized flowers next, and fill up the last spaces with leaves.
This works with all kinds of small, simple flower doodles, by the way. Check out 10 Simple Flower Doodles for more examples.
Check out these posts for more ideas, inspiration, and tutorials:
Cute Easy Things To Draw
How To Draw A Mushroom
20+ Easy Doodles To Draw When Bored; The Circle Challenge
Easy Bear Drawing (With Step-by-Step Pictures)
Rose Drawing How-To: Easy Step-by-Step Tutorial
Here are a few tips on what you might need as a beginner artist.
A few very basic drawing supplies will get you going, and you likely have most of these laying around already. (Since they can also be used for writing, school work, studying, drafting grocery lists, and whatnot.)
However, if you’re serious about taking up drawing, it might be fun to invest in some dedicated pens, pencils, and a small sketchbook.
Mixed Media Sketchbooks
When you have a creative idea coming through, any piece of paper will do. The best sketchbooks to explore both drawing and painting are those for “mixed media”. Their paper is not as dense as watercolor paper but just thick enough to handle some paint without curling up like a French crepe.
Even mixed media sketchbooks aren’t all equal. These are 117lb/190g, this one is 120lb/200g, whereas these are 98lb/160g. Ultimately it is a matter of personal preference. The best way to find out? Throw a dart at one and start drawing!
Black Pens
Sharpies are fun. Not at all forgiving – there are no do-overs. But fun in a blatant, no-nonsense kind of way.
The best black drawing pens are either by Staedtler or Sakura. Staedtler pens especially have lasted me years.
Tip: Warm up your creative muscles with a fun drawing challenge! For example, see how many things you can think of to draw, starting from a circle. Or a square. Or a line. For inspiration, check out: 20+ Easy Doodles To Draw When Bored; The Circle Challenge!
Oh, and you don’t have to be bored to enjoy this. Maybe you have cold feet, a case of little inspiration or drawer’s block, or are merely looking to set yourself a fun challenge.
Colored Pencils & Markers
As for adding color to line drawings, I am the delighted owner of some of the very best watercolor pencils: Faber Castell Albrecht Durer. They are hard to top.
Whenever I use some of the kids’ colored pencils to draw with them, it’s like using nails on a blackboard. Their price reflects it. However, you can shop around on Amazon – the above links leads to current deals.
Recently, I started dabbling with acrylic markers and illustration or coptic markers. Of both, I’m using an entry-level set that cost less than a coffee date.
Acrylic pens or markers let you blend colors while the paint is still wet. It dries fairly quickly. At which point you can draw over any color with another one. Which, in turn, means you have opportunities to fix mistakes if needed.
Illustration markers are different. Those are beautifully vibrant and intense. You can not add light color on top of dark ones. But their blending power is something else and many artists make stunning things with copic markers.
I have yet to dive into the full extent of what these markers can do and how you are supposed to be use them. On appropriate paper to get the full extent of their awesomeness, for one.
That’s a stark contrast with acrylic markers, which adhere to literally everything – even stone! Acrylic markers are the go-to for rock painting: How to Paint Rocks: Materials + 10 Great Ideas for Inspiration.
You might also like:
How To Doodle A Striped Cat (Step-By-Step)
Easy Bear Drawing (With Step-by-Step Pictures)
How to Get Better at Drawing: 7 Realistic Tips, That Don’t Ruin The Fun!
How To Draw A House Step By Step
