Drawing Dice

Color and technique drawing ideas

Here are 99 drawing ideas that are really exercises in color, light and technique: colored shadows, unnatural palettes, reflections and golden hour. Pick one to try on any subject, or let it be the whole drawing.

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99 ideas, picked and edited by hand.

tap an idea to draw it with a timer

  1. Draw an entire scene using only two complementary colors
  2. Create a monochrome portrait in your favorite color
  3. Depict fire and ice clashing using warm vs. cool colors
  4. Design a night scene lit only by neon lights
  5. Create a watercolor splash that transforms into a landscape
  6. Illustrate a cityscape at golden hour, focusing on lighting
  7. Render a reflective surface showing distorted colors
  8. Use only primary colors (red, blue, yellow) to build a complex scene
  9. Draw a grayscale scene but make one object vibrantly colored
  10. Create a piece where the shadows are colored instead of gray
  11. Render a close-up of fabric texture using colored pencils
  12. Create a stained glass window design with light effects
  13. Draw a landscape at sunset with dramatic color gradients
  14. Experiment with ink wash to create a moody scene
  15. Use a limited color palette of earth tones for a desert scene
  16. Paint an underwater world with shifting light and blue tones
  17. Illustrate the sky changing from dawn to dusk as a seamless gradient
  18. Use crosshatching to create shadows and depth in a black and white scene
  19. Create a scene in pastel colors that still feels dark and dramatic
  20. Render a detailed object using only negative space and highlights
  21. Challenge: no outlines—use only color blocks to define shapes
  22. Draw an explosion or burst of colors representing sound
  23. Create an optical illusion or 3D effect using color contrast
  24. Design a character whose clothing changes color based on mood
  25. Paint a forest during autumn, playing with intense warm colors
  26. Draw a reflective puddle showing a different scene than above it
  27. Use only cool colors to depict a traditionally warm subject (fire, summer)
  28. Try the chiaroscuro technique to create extreme contrast and mood
  29. Create a foggy scene where the background fades into muted colors
  30. Illustrate glass objects focusing on transparency and reflections
  31. Use pointillism to build a full scene with only colored dots
  32. Create a swirling galaxy scene with blending colored pencils
  33. Draw metallic objects focusing on light reflections
  34. Create a dreamy atmosphere with soft, blurry edges and colors
  35. Draw one scene at four different times of day showing color shifts
  36. Experiment with texture: render fur, wood, metal, and water in one scene
  37. Use ink splatter and controlled chaos to build a scene
  38. Draw an emotion (anger, joy, sadness) using only colors and shapes
  39. Create a portrait where the skin tones are unrealistic (purples, greens)
  40. Paint rainbows in natural settings—reflected, refracted, or faded
  41. Illustrate a firework show with bright bursts on dark backgrounds
  42. Design a scene where every object is a different texture challenge
  43. Create an abstract piece focusing on gradients and blending
  44. Draw a highly detailed eye focusing on color reflections
  45. Try drawing an object submerged in colored water, bending light
  46. Use colored pencils or pastels to draw a soft glowing light source
  47. Draw underwater light beams breaking through the surface
  48. Create a cosmic scene filled with nebulas and colorful space clouds
  49. Design a crystal cave full of refracted colors and sharp reflections
  50. Render a scene using only secondary colors (green, orange, purple)
  51. Illustrate a scene only with silhouette shapes against a sunset gradient
  52. Challenge: Draw shadows in red instead of black
  53. Draw a glowing object as the only light source in a dark scene
  54. Use splatter or spray techniques to create a dynamic background
  55. Draw fur and hair with realistic color layering and strands
  56. Paint metallic objects in unrealistic fantasy colors
  57. Create a scene showing the color change of seasons
  58. Experiment with reflective surfaces—mirrors, metal, water
  59. Challenge: Draw fire with cool blues and greens
  60. Illustrate the same object in vastly different art styles and palettes
  61. Draw a scene where light passes through colored glass
  62. Use bold color blocking to create a graphic, modern art scene
  63. Render food items focusing on the color and texture of each layer
  64. Draw smoke or mist with soft color transitions
  65. Design a still life where the background is more colorful than the subject
  66. Use line-only drawing with colored pens—no shading, only lines
  67. Create a painting where the only detail is in the reflected objects
  68. Illustrate bioluminescent creatures glowing in the dark
  69. Draw a forest using unnatural colors—purples, pinks, blues
  70. Experiment with gold leaf or metallic paints in a scene
  71. Create a sunrise or sunset over water focusing on color reflections
  72. Challenge: Use black paper and draw only with white pencil/ink
  73. Render a glass of liquid showing transparency and color refraction
  74. Create a collage-style piece where each section uses a unique color palette
  75. Draw a wet surface reflecting distorted colorful lights
  76. Illustrate a carnival scene packed with colors and light
  77. Create a time-lapse sequence showing a sky from day to night
  78. Use a single color family (analogous colors) to create a full scene
  79. Illustrate fireworks reflected in a still lake
  80. Use gouache or opaque medium for rich, bold color blocks
  81. Draw a cloudscape experimenting with different sky colors
  82. Illustrate a gemstone and the way light refracts within it
  83. Paint a city at night focusing on artificial lights and dark shadows
  84. Challenge: Use only one color but explore value extremes
  85. Create a dream-like misty scene using soft, blurred edges
  86. Illustrate a rainstorm with reflections and light leaks
  87. Draw chrome or iridescent surfaces reflecting rainbow colors
  88. Paint a scene using only natural pigments or earth tones
  89. Use reverse lighting: make the background light and the subject dark
  90. Challenge: Depict emotions using only color gradients and no figures
  91. Draw a scene underwater where colors desaturate with depth
  92. Use digital gradients to create a futuristic glowing environment
  93. Render stained glass windows with vibrant color play
  94. Draw a sci-fi scene with glowing edges and neon colors
  95. Create a portrait where the hair is filled with stars and galaxies
  96. Use ink washes to create layered, translucent scenes
  97. Create a sunset over a mountain range focusing on subtle color shifts
  98. Draw an abstract piece inspired by a specific color palette (sunset, ocean, forest)
  99. Render reflective bubbles floating through different color environments

Still can't choose? Let the dice pick one of these 99 ideas, or roll a random drawing prompt.

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