Anxiety art therapy activities are a fantastic way to reduce stress and anxiety. Anxiety is a part of being human & it’s natural. But we need to make sure it doesn’t consume and distract us from our daily routine. Stress and anxiety can affect us to the point where we might forget to focus on our internal well-being, the very thing that keeps us strong, optimistic, and prepared for the unexpected.

It is important we take time to ourselves and address the stress we feel. Even if it’s a long-term issue, relieving stress, even for a short period of time, can rejuvenate us & put us in a better mood. That is why I want to share with you 15 anxiety art therapy activities to help you feel calm now.

Anxiety Art Therapy Activities: 15 Ways to Feel Calm Now

1. SLOWLY DRAW LINES ACROSS A SHEET OF PAPER

This technique helps you practice line control. This is very simple & easy to do. This anxiety art therapy activity works your entire arm while bringing your mind into the present. It’s is a great way to relieve stress because you’re drawing it out. Making scratches or line marks also reduce feelings of anger due to the pressure and quick strokes being drawn.

Make sure to use your entire arm to draw, not just your wrist, as this helps prevent cramped wrists & risk of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. The lines don’t need to be straight or perfect! Focus on gliding your arm across the entire sheet of paper.

If you need a quick fix, try drawing the lines quickly. It reduces anxiety quicker and you’re not trying to make it perfect.

2. MIX COLORS TOGETHER

This can be any type of colored art medium.

Materials can be: paints, digital programs, pens, markers,etc.

Doing this exercise can act as a relaxant. Mixing colors together is relaxing, calming, & satisfying.

Mix different colors to make a new color. These new colors can then be used for color palettes, or color combinations for a future project or artwork.

3. DRAW CIRCLES

Use you entire arm (not just your wrist!) to draw circles on a sheet of paper. Try drawing circles that take up the entire piece of paper, as it exercises your entire arm and keeps you in motion – a critical element in keeping anxiety at bay. They don’t need to be perfect.

Drawing circles aren’t easy, so it really forces you to concentrate and focus on the present, taking your mind off anxious or stressful thoughts. When you do this, you’re giving your mind space to breath and slow down. And the circles don’t need to be perfect! As long as you’re moving your arm and staying in the present.

You can try drawing different sizes like shown below, to make it more interesting, have consistent focus, and to practice control and replication.

Fill up the entire page if you like or however much you need to!

4. DRAW NATURE

Nature is very relaxing because it is still, calm, & beautiful. These aspects make plants & natural formations quite soothing because there is a sense of carelessness & freedom to them. Try applying these states of being to your drawings & art.

When we see nature, it tends to soothe us. So drawing something still gives our minds a sense of stability and when we are in a stable mindset, we are more relaxed and in control of our emotions.

I drew a tree while I was in the park. Being in nature calms me down, especially parks because they are very quiet and have limited distractions. Not to mention the fresh air! I can concentrate while listening to the natural sounds around me, a technique of practicing mindfulness.

Try doing or taking these anxiety art therapy activities outside and see how you feel afterwards!

5. DRAW SOMEONE or SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU FEEL HAPPY

When we are surrounded by the people & things we love, it instantly puts us in a better mood. We are more likely to be motivated in a positive way, and can even help our performance at work.

6. DRAW FROM MOVIES OR SHOWS YOU LIKE

Heroes and inspiration are always a fantastic way to start. Everyone loves a great story where the lead overcomes harsh challenges. It’s inspiring and gives us hope to move forward while shifting our minds to something positive. Having a sense of success from these stories can help heighten your mood, along with your favorite scene or character.

I drew one of my favorite characters below, from a TV show/anime because he reflects my personal values – nerdy, fan boying, and always giving his all to achieve great things even when he wasn’t born with talent. Being reminded of him always makes me smile and puts me in a better mood.

Try thinking of some characters that align with your personal values. Having someone you can relate to gives your mind a sense of morale and ease.

7. FREE DRAWING OR AUTOMATIC DRAWING

Let your hand take the lead. Don’t think about what you’re drawing or what you want to draw. Instead, move your hand freely across the paper or screen. Doing whatever your hand wants to do, loosens your muscles up & relaxes your mind.

8. CONTINUOUS DRAWING

Try drawing with 1 continuous line without lifting your writing tool from your drawing surface for 10-15 min, to start. Or if drawing digitally, don’t lift up your stylus. This forces you to be conscious of every mark you make. And ultimately, pulls you into the present moment. When you’re in the present, you’re not worrying about the past nor future. This is a key element when reducing and calming your anxiety.

Here are a few sketches I drew using 1 continuous line for each image. I went with the the flow on these and didn’t think about what I was drawing. I just let my hand guide me while not putting any pressure on myself to make something perfect. The less pressure you put on yourself, the clearer and more relaxed your mind is, which is what you want when you want to reduce your anxiety!

Focusing on the process, not the end result, gets you in a relaxed mindset quicker.

9. AIR DRAWING WITH YOUR ARMS

Use both of your arms to draw something in the air. Don’t limit it to your wrists. Doing this can help build muscle memory and drawing confidence. It will also loosen up your muscles and give you a bit of light exercise.

10. TRACING

Another one of the 15 simple art therapy activities that help reduce anxiety, is tracing. This is very simple and easy to do. Tracing doesn’t require mental work, allowing your mind to relax. Take a page out of a magazine, then take a drawing tool and just follow the lines of the objects. Focus on how your arm moves across the paper. Don’t focus on if it’s a good or bad drawing. The purpose is to relax & focus on something less stressful.

11. POSE ARTISTICALLY

Doing this takes out stress physically. Instead of focusing on the thoughts in your head, you’re now shifting your focus to your weight and pose. Feel free to stand in front of a mirror or not, and start posing your body. It can be as goofy, elegant, or stiff, as you like. Whatever makes you feel good about yourself in that moment.

12. COLORING

Color a drawing you made, some line work you found online, or a page from a coloring book. Try out new color palettes or blend a few colors together & make something new. Always feel free to color outside the lines!

13. MAKE A TEXTURE

Take a piece of paper (something to draw on) and place it over a texture preferably something flat and hard (like cardboard, a textured book cover, or mat). Then, take your drawing tool & glide it over the paper, back & forth. The texture will reveal itself on the paper. You can use the texture for your (digital) drawings, backgrounds, pattern, etc.

14. RANDOMIZE YOUR DRAWING TOOLS

If you have different types of art supplies, put the ones you use the least, in an opaque bag or case, then pull out 2-3 (or more if you wish). Those are the tools you’ll draw with. This allows you to step out of your comfort zone & forces you to go with the flow, without focusing too much on your idea. Have fun with it and don’t worry about making it look “good” or perfect. The goal here, is to experiment & experience something new. If digitally, choose 2-3 tools that you normally don’t use.

When we put ourselves in new situations, there’s no pressure and we are more calm because we’re not thinking ahead in the future, expecting anything. We’re just focusing on the present.

I like keeping lots of my art supplies in one pouch because I have a variety of mediums to choose from. I have things from markers, to pens, and ink. If I’m thinking too much about what I will draw in, I just reach into the pouch, grab something, and start drawing because it’s easier for me to focus on something I’m not expecting or familiar with, which subconsciously forces me to concentrate . Some of my favorite sketches are where I didn’t know what to draw and just started making marks on paper.

Try doing this with a random art or drawing tool.

15. FOLD PAPER, MAKE ORIGAMI

It is relaxing. Fold it however you want, no pressure. There’s no right or wrong way to do this. Focusing or touching something physical helps you get out of your mind and focus on the present.

16. ARRANGE RANDOM OBJECTS ON PAPER OR A DESK

You can draw a still life or if the objects are on paper, just trace around the objects, no thinking involved. Focus and try memorizing the movements of your arm & drawing tool. You can even trace around the objects with your finger, following the shapes of the items. This helps with muscle memory and to get a better idea of the object. For example, focus on how the object feels, like little nuances like scrapes & edges.

Sometimes we just need a break from all the craziness going on in our lives. That’s okay because we deserve it.

Hope you enjoyed these art therapy activities for anxiety and see you in the next post!

More Helpful Art Therapy Resources and Drawing Guides for Artists:

1. 10 Euphoric Art Therapy Prompts to Stop Racing Thoughts | Post
2. 10 Soothing Art Inspiration Ideas | Post
3. How to Start Drawing with No Art Experience | Post
4. Free Stress Relief Cheat Sheet | Free Download
5. Natural Stress Relief with Drawing & 7 Rewarding Ways It Halts Stress | Post

The post Anxiety Art Therapy Activities: 15 Ways to Feel Calm Now for Artists & Adults was originally published on Drawism.com.

You want to get creative, do something relaxing in your free time, or both and don’t know where to start. That’s totally normal – I feel this way when I’m trying to relax or start on new art. Getting started on anything, whether that’s art or self-care can be overwhelming because there’s just so many great ideas out there. But let’s do both in this post & narrow it down to just one thing – drawing ideas of people 🙂

I’ve listed some of my favorite ways and ideas of drawing people from life that anyone can do, regardless of your art experience.

Grab whatever writing tool you feel comfortable using, a drawing surface, and let’s have some fun!

5 Simple & Calming Drawing Ideas of People from Life

1. Gesture Drawing

You don’t need to draw the entire figure!

Focus on the main points of movement and gesture when drawing someone.You can draw just a pose or curves. Your goal here is to capture movement. And that’s it! You can take as little time as you need to when capturing a gesture.

Don’t worry about fine details in the face, hair, or even the hands or feet. Just try your best to glide and move your hand across the page in large movements.

*Capture only the largest shapes like hair, torso, and waist when you’re first trying this technique – leave out the small stuff like fingers.

The feeling of moving you arm helps relieve tension in your shoulders and arms and allows your mind to go with the flow making the way for instant relaxation with a feeling of weightlessness.

2. Make an Easy Sketch of a Person with an Outline

Instead of focusing on gesture, anatomy, and all of the complicated shapes that are needed to draw a realistic person, creating outlines is a fantastic and quick way to make a stunning human figure drawing with clothes.

And the great part about it, is it’s so easy!

All you need to do is focus on the silhouette of a person and just draw their outline. It doesn’t need to look super clean, as long as you capture their overall shape. When drawing an outline of someone, make sure to include their clothes, if they’re wearing some. Drawing a person with clothes helps you recognize and practice sketching large and unique shapes, such as a hat or backpack.

And guess what?

That’s it! You don’t even have to fill in the details 🙂

3. Drawing With One Continuous Line

Another popular way of drawing ideas of people is to draw a person using one continuous line without lifting up your hand.

Learning how to draw a person sketch can be a little exhausting and time consuming if it’s your first time. But when you draw someone with a continuous line, you’re most likely spending a few minutes on the sketch instead of a few hours because you’re alert and focused, speeding up your concentration. Not to mention, it can be a bit uncomfortable having your hand in one spot for so long! So you have a reason to keep your hand moving.

Pick anywhere on the person to start drawing (it can be the hair, shoes, shoulders, etc.) but make sure to not lift up your hand once you put your pencil down!

It’s okay to redraw over lines you’ve made or make scribbles and abstract lines when making this type of easy sketch of a person. It makes way for happy accidents and a unique look that you might not have expected!

This method is relaxing for art therapy because it allows you to focus on the present moment , pulling you out of your thoughts and allowing your hand to glide on the paper. This is a wonderful mindfulness exercise to use when you’re feeling anxious, stressed, or just need something to focus on.

4. Using Your Non – Dominant Hand

Okay, okay.

I know this may not seem like it will be an easy sketch of a person at first. But you’ll probably be surprised at the results once you try it.

I know I was.

All you need to do is draw with your non-dominant writing hand. So if you write with your right hand, then you’ll draw with your left hand for this exercise. And if you’re left-handed like me, you’ll draw with your right hand.

Do your best to capture the person or figure and don’t try to make your drawing look perfect. It doesn’t need to be!

If you feel like your hand is going every which-way on the paper and you can’t control it, you’re doing it right. 🙂

Just go with whatever marks you make on the page and do your best to draw the entire figure.

This is actually one of my favorite drawing ideas of people from life because it’s so unexpected and gestural.

With your lack of control of your non-dominant hand, you’re more likely to capture shapes, gestures, and even emotion in your sketches much better because it’s more sporadic than if you’re drawing with your dominant hand. It’s also very relaxing because you’re sort of leaving where you’re pencil will land, up to chance and not worrying about making a perfect drawing.

5. Watercolors

On to the last in our list of easy human figure drawing ideas – watercolors.

You can make an easy sketch of a person with watercolors, just by using one color.

Take your brush and get as much of a color as you want and make sure the paint is moderately wet.

You can use one of the previous drawing ideas we went over, such as silhouettes. Create a silhouette with watercolors by filling in an area with the paint and slowly capturing the entire figure with a watercolor wash.

Another way of using watercolors is to just draw with it.

Try capturing the gesture of the person with a few simple paint strokes. You don’t even need to draw the entire figure.

Why Are Drawing Ideas of People A Great Place to Start?

Well, we interact with people daily. They speak to our emotions and being humans ourselves, are something we can all relate to. People are so fascinating from what they wear and do, to how they act, that it’s so easy to find something that inspires us simply from observing someone else! (Not to be creepy here, lol)

What’s something that you like paying attention to when you notice someone?

For me, I like admiring other people’s hairstyles and clothing a lot because it can say a lot about someone’s character and personality.

Exercises When Using the Above 5 Drawing Ideas of People

Can’t wait to get started?

Awesome!

Here are some quick exercises you can try right away with my 5 easy drawing ideas of people:

1. If you have photos on your phone camera, flip through them randomly and find a picture of someone you’d like to draw and pick one idea mentioned above, to draw that person.
2. Treat yourself to a little adventure outdoors and pick a place with a moderate amount of people, like a park on the weekends or a coffee shop. Choose a drawing idea and start sketching!
3. Set yourself a time limit of 10 minutes or less to draw an easy sketch of a person using one of the drawing techniques.
4. Write all the drawing ideas of people down on small strips of paper and throw them into a small container. Randomly pick one out and use that to draw the person.
5. Type the drawing ideas into an online randomizer and use whichever one pops up first.

Other Helpful Resources to Improve Your Drawing Skills Quickly

Check out some of these helpful resources for more drawing ideas of people, tips, and more:

• 6 Best Figure Drawing Poses for Art Reference for Stunning Character Designs | Post
• How to Draw Awesome Hair Buns for Males and Females | Post
• 9 Wacky & Unique Drawings of Hair Bun Types | Post
• Little Nightmares Fan Art: How to Draw the Cute Young Girl ‘Six‘ | Post
• 10 Simple Art Inspiration Ideas for Drawing to Get You Started Now | Post
• How to Start Drawing with No Art Experience | Post
• How to Get Back into Drawing After a Long Break | Post
• 10+ Relaxing Random Doodles to Draw When Bored | Post
• Expressive Art Therapy Activities to Try Now | Post
• Free Art Therapy Anxiety Activities Drawing Download | Free Download
• 10 Art Inspiration Ideas | Post
• 15 Simple Anxiety Art Therapy Activities to Help You Feel Calm Now | Post

The post 5 Simple & Relaxing Drawing Ideas of People for Beginners was originally published on Drawism.com.

Where to Start When Drawing or Making Art?

Coming up with art inspiration ideas can be tough because it’s so hard to narrow it down to just one thing. You can use literally everything as drawing inspiration! Not only that, coming up with ideas to sketch easy drawings can be tough because we tend to gravitate towards making art of things that look amazing but are extremely complicated to create.

So, where do we start?

A great place to start is by writing a small list of things you want to draw or create. Try to keep your list at 10 things or less so you don’t get overwhelmed. Your art inspiration ideas can be anything from people to places, events, or anything else you want to use.

Once you have your list, the next step is to decide which one idea is considered ‘beginner drawing inspiration’.

What is Considered ‘Beginner Drawing Inspiration’?

It’s any of your art inspiration ideas that are simple for you to draw and won’t take up your time. Most of these ideas are very simple shapes like fruit or objects. Think chairs, apples, a bed, smartphone, or even a book.

Thinking in very basic shapes will help you sketch easy drawing ideas fast.

The basic shapes are a cube, cylider, sphere, cone, and pyramid. Once you recognize the main forms of objects with these shapes, it will be very easy for you to draw and create more complicated ideas from beginner drawing inspiration concepts.

10 Easy Art Inspiration Ideas for Beginners

1. A Great Place to Start is With Things That Interest You

• What are your hobbies? What do you like to do? I love (playing) videogames, so I find art inspiration from my favorite games/that. I pick out a character or art style that I like, & try to draw that. It doesn’t have to be perfect or look great, as long as I’m having fun & enjoying myself .
• Art is all about you, your time, & enjoying yourself while doing it.

Below is a drawing of a character from a video game I really enjoyed, called Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne. I put my own spin on it and drew him in my own style but my main motivation for creating this image was because I loved the character and it made me quite happy seeing it.

Try to find something that sparks a similar feeling for you!

2. If It Makes You Smile, Make It 😃

• Thinking of something that speaks to your emotions & makes you feel positive inside, is a fantastic place to start drawing and making art. You’re instantly putting yourself in a better mood when you lean in to positive emotions.
• Emotions you should focus on include joy, happiness, relief, amusement, awe, and curiosity.
• You can even draw out your emotions on paper as a way to sketch easy drawing ideas that don’t take up much of your time.

3. Pop Culture: Think of Your Favorite TV Shows, Movies, Music, Websites, Celebrities

• Pop culture is fantastic to use for beginner drawing inspiration because it’s something and someone that we can relate to as it speaks strongly to our own emotions.
• You can usually never go wrong with something or someone you really like or enjoy. Why? Because the things you like bring you joy & happiness. Thinking of things like your favorite shows or movies make it much easier & faster for you to get you into a positive head space.
• Another reason why pop culture is amazing for generating drawing inspiration ideas is because you have designs and art ready to be referenced instead of coming up with an entirely new character or concept from scratch which takes a lot of time.
• When I’m feeling anxious about what I want to draw, I remind myself of Captain Underpants because I enjoyed reading those books when I was younger. He’s also easy to draw & instantly makes me laugh & smile whenever I think about it. Think of a character, film, or show that makes you feel happy and excited, and try drawing that.

Below is an example of another one of my drawings, this time my own take on Disney’s film “Aladdin”, in the Cave of Wonders. Even though these are just sketches, I really wanted to draw this because I remember being so amazed by the images and art in this scene. It was such a positive and fun experience for me that I wanted to try making my own version of it!

Try to think of some of your favorite scenes, characters, or music and start making art from there.

It’s okay if you want to copy an image or photo exactly as is, for practice. We all need to start somewhere, especially when learning how to sketch easy drawing ideas!

Just remember to give credit to the studio, artist, and/or creators of the work you referenced if you’re posting your copied image or artwork online, by stating who created the original work. Otherwise, you risk plagiarizing another artist’s work and could even be sued!

4. Stick to Drawing 1 Thing at First

When making art, sticking to 1 subject at first is an absolute must-use beginner drawing inspiration tip as it keeps you from getting creatively burnt out and continuously motivated in the long run.

• Getting overwhelmed quickly by drawing or making art can be dangerous productive-wise, as it can seem daunting, especially when you’re first starting out with something. So be sure to stick with beginner drawing inspiration ideas at the beginning. If your ideas are too complicated, you can get carried away quite quickly if you don’t know how to manage your time when drawing.
• It’s very easy to spend more time on a drawing. But learning to get yourself to draw on a schedule, takes time to form it into a steady habit (one that can be stress-relieving & fun).
• Instead, focus on drawing 1 subject at a time, using only 1 material at first. This allows you to not get too overwhelmed on your first couple of tries. If you would like to use another material or draw something else, save it for next time.
• Maintaining a time-restrictive art session will keep you from bleeding time into the rest of your schedule.
• Try putting in a small time-slot for your art activities. You can start with 5 – 15 min per session. This is a perfect amount of time because it should be small enough to fit in your schedule, but not too much where it will interfere with it. Once you have the hang of it for a couple of weeks, then you can start scheduling in larger amounts of time.

Whenever I start a new project, I feel the most comfortable starting out with a simple drawing or sketch, that way I’m not getting overwhelmed too quickly with all the insane art inspiration ideas going through my mind.

It’s much easier to keep track of and finish 1 drawing, then trying to do 5 at the same time.

This is an especially wonderful tip when starting art or any creative project for the first time!

5. Start off Small

• No need to go crazy on your first attempt. Starting off with a small, easy-to-do task, will help you from feeling burnt out immediately. Again, think about how to sketch easy drawing ideas. This is important because your strongest emotions with that thing will usually be the first time you experience that. Try to start off on the best, positive foot, when starting something new.

I love starting a new artwork or project with a quick, simple sketch because I know I will get burnt out very fast and even lose interest in the project for fear of not being able to complete it due to an overwhelming amount of work, if I don’t. Starting off very small is a wonderful place to start because I’m not stressing about what work I will need to do but rather focusing on the present.

A great tip to keep in mind from getting stressed or anxious is to try your best to focus on the present and what you’re currently creating because stress starts to manifest when we think of the “what ifs” and possible outcomes that haven’t even happened yet.

So try your best to go with the flow on your art and accept that whatever happens in your art, happens, and you can try making a better piece next time, if you like. And keep those art inspirations ideas simple!

6. Go Into a Creative Project With a Positive Attitude

• Some of the most memorable things are those that made us feel good inside, where we enjoyed ourselves.
• Some of those emotions are tied to our first experiences, because it’s such a vivid time, when our minds are alert & focused.
• You’re more likely to do an activity again if it makes you feel good about yourself.

7. People You Admire or Look Up To

Drawing inspiration ideas of people you admire or look up to can be literally anyone that makes gives you a positive feeling.

• They don’t need to be famous, as long as you they make you feel positive when you think about them. It can be anyone, from your friends & family, to a co-worker or classmate you find unique. I Remember back in high school, there was a boy with great hair & an awesome punk style. I NEVER talked to him but being reminded of him, always put a smile on my face & inspired me to get into punk music. It’s been a part of my life, ever since .

8. Places or Events That Gave You a Positive Experience or Feeling: Think of Good Memories

Thinking of places or events that gave you a good impression helps with mindfulness by activating your memory while helping you feel positive.

• Maybe you want to recreate a wedding scene from a wedding you really enjoyed, or draw/make a replica of a cool trash can you saw at a theme park.
• Drawing places or events may not be the most beginner-friendly way to sketch drawing ideas but it’s still a great place to start for some really great art inspiration.
• You can even pick your favorite item or person from that event if you can’t draw a scene yet.
• Whatever it is, make sure it makes you feel happy when you think of it.

Below is a drawing I made of when I went to Comic-Con back in 2018.

I loved the Nickelodeon booth with Reptar creeping from behind because it looked amazing and made such a positive impression on me when I walked through the crowd. The cutout that was used for Reptar was colored in that traditional 2-tone animation style, it was like looking at an actual cartoon version of the character but in real life.

I just couldn’t get enough of it to the point where I wanted to recreate the photo as a drawing using markers! It’s still one of the coolest booths I’ve ever seen at a convention. 

Try making a quick and short list of places or events that still make you feel positive and happy when you think of them.

Bonus points for finding an image of the experience! (I usually whip out my phone and snap a pic if something catches my eye. You can try doing that, too!) Images really help you to sketch easy drawing ideas.

9. Animals

Animals are one of my personal musts when coming up with drawing inspiration ideas.

• They can be calming & cute to look at.
• This gives a sense of mental stability & relaxation.
• Animals are very fun to learn about and can even inspire you to draw something new.

Think of some of your favorite animals and write them in a list. Choose what details you like from them and try incorporating those aspects into some of your art if you can’t draw the entire animal.

10. Stay Away From Things That Give You Negative Emotions When You’re Starting an Art Project

This is a big beginner drawing inspiration tip.

• This is especially important when trying out something new.
• You don’t want to create or try a new activity on a bad note. Like good impressions, bad ones also make a lasting impression.
• Chances are, if you’re not having a positive experience, being reminded of that same experience might make you hesitate into participating in that activity again.
• Instead, remind yourself of a positive experience or something that makes you happy (especially if it’s your first time making art)!
• You can check out these practical and simple positivity tips from Clarity Clinic if you need a bit of mental sunshine for your day.

Other Helpful Art Resources and Drawing Guides:

• 15 Fun Art Therapy Drawing Activities for Anxiety to Help You Feel Calm Now | Post
• How to Draw Sun Designs in 40 Unique Ways | Post
• Free Art Therapy Activities for Anxiety Download | Freebie
• Free Drawing Cheat Sheet for Stress Relief With 12 Activity Ideas, 9 Essential Stress Relief Tips & More | Freebie
• 10 Effortless Art Inspiration Ideas for Drawing to Get You Started Now | Post
• Natural Stress Relief with Drawing for Beginners & 7 Rewarding Ways It Halts Stress | Post

Now that you have some art inspiration ideas of where to get started, try using these ideas in your own art. See you in the next post!

The post 10 Relaxing & Simple Art Inspiration Ideas for Beginner Artists To Help You Get Started was originally published on Drawism.com.

Weekly Sketch Dump 7

Drew a little bit of sea life this week, a couple planes, a Lord of the Rings fan art sketch, & some bubble robots because I used to play with bubbles a lot when I was little.

Weekly Sketch Dump 6

Some creature sketches of tree espers, a couple piercings, jumbo stacks of pancakes, & some other little doodles.

Weekly Sketch Dump 5

Currently on a goal to reach 10 weeks of weekly sketch dumps. Halfway there: 5 down, 5 to go.

Started off some key frame/scene sketches with a TMNT fan art (I don't own any rights to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IP) and top-down environment of a waterfront hut. Felt like I needed to work on key frames a bit since I'm usually making environments and other things.

I made some color alterations so the drawings can be seen better 'cuz I've been sketching in pink.

Original Drawings

Here are the original drawings of the above sketches when I initially drew them on my tablet, in all the pink and blue hues.

There's definitely a lot of stuff going on. Besides the drawings, are a lot of words, yellow, & teal. The colorful template around my sketches is a weekly drawing sheet I've been using to help me stay consistent with my art output so I can keep making & uploading art constantly.

I'm not sure if the new color scheme of dark blue is working better but I do think it's much more readable. Feel free to comment if you'd like to see more sketches in pink or if I should make the switch to dark blue. See you in the next post.

Weekly Sketch Dump 4

Sketched a church-like interior while practicing some fashion sketches of pants.

Weekly Sketch Dump 3

Sketching more environments this week, especially interiors with some quick value.

Weekly Sketch Dump 2 

Working on some creature designs to boost my animal anatomy knowledge plus sketched a bit of foliage this week, specifically woolly cacti for plant practice.

*All artwork & images are created & copyrighted by Nicole Adamson 2022 & can't be used for NFTs.

One of my goals this year is to stay consistent with my art. 

I've constantly been told to 'draw everyday' but it's always been a chore for me because I didn't know 'how' to do it properly, like trying to slay a 3-headed dragon blindfolded without knowing what comes next while trying to fit in working on my art blog daily, working on commissions, plus adult stuff. Being consistent with art definitely comes easy for some people but not for me, hence the lack of 'new' work on my account. I definitely want to create new art daily but the key for me, is to prevent myself from immediately going into beast mode then burning out 2 days later everytime I pick up a tablet or pencil. Not to mention I've found it difficult to make time for it as I've been focused on making an art blog for artists, with drawing tutorials, digital art guides, & self-care tips for artists . 

But recently, I've found a few ways to keep myself more consistent with my work, so I've been starting out with small doodles & sketches on a daily/weekly basis. Just keeping the art simple for now with non-finished sketches. I can always try slaying that 3-headed dragon later once I've built a solid foundation for my art.

I've made a little stats list below to keep track of my progress.

Keep scrolling to see some colorful art.

Weekly Sketch Dump 1: Feb. 27- Mar. 5

Stats:

• Goal : 5 / 7 Days
• Goal Reached : Yes
• Difficulty : 6/10
  • Learning  Clip Studio & How to Draw on a Tablet

1. Monday | What Makes Me Happy: Punk

I've been inspired by punk music & culture for the last 15 years. I love punk fashion with the patched jean jackets and crazy hair styles. It's something that I emulate into my own outfits. I just tried to fill up the space with different busts & poses of random punks. As a concept artist, it's essential to draw characters from different angles, especially when making character designs, so that's what I tried to do here. Need to flex those 3 dimensional muscles when drawing in 2D!

2. Tuesday | What Inspires Me: Kingdom Hearts

Kingdom Hearts has been one of my favorite videogames that's inspired me to become a concept artist. I love Nomura's character designs and the story is incredible. I did a quick sketch of one of the most memorable scenes much later in the game but I won't say it or spoil it here. 

I went for a scene this time & tried to make it dynamic with the poses, multiple characters in a scene, & of course, the Heartless. Some of the color fills aren't great as this was one of my first few tries coloring line art in Clip Studio.

*Original Copyright holder of Kingdom Hearts is Disney, I do not own any IP associated with it.

3. Wednesday | What I Don't See Often: Puppeteers

I love drawing creepy, bizarro stuff but not necessarily gory or horror & puppeteers fit into that category. I know my characters need work so I focused on that in the sketches below. I tried some full-bodied creepy puppeteer concepts on the left & middle with notes of string & wood. The sketch on the right is a potential up-close profile view of a more detailed puppeteer bust.

4. Thursday | What I Dreamt of: Beefy Guys in a Bank

Yup, that's what I wrote down.

I literally had this dream last year where I was in a bank but it was very vertical, wooden, & art deco. The steps to get to the teller were quite steep. There was what looked like double-doors to an opera house on the top floor. And at the bottom . . . 2 really big bouncer guys in front of another door, which I'm guessing was the entrance.

The bottom right corner of the sketch are 2 random-looking white blobs. Yeah, those are the bouncers.

5. Friday | Something That's Strange: Grilled Cheese Cookie Stand

Well, I have some explaining to do on this one.

I love food & drawing food stands, whether it's sweets or something savory. So, I decided to combine both in this sketch: grilled cheese & cookies. I like both but haven't tried them together. Yeah, I know it sounds weird but for some reason, salty & sweet works. Like Cheez-It's Caramel Popcorn & Cheddar in a box - it exists. 

Anyway, I looked up reference for bakery stands & gave the stand a traditional american 1950s look with a big banner at the top and lots of sweet treats in the trays, plus a little menu on the side & some utensils/condiments section. 

*To learn more about the weekly drawing template I used, you can check it out here.

*All artwork, images, & templates are created & copyrighted by Nicole Adamson 2022 & can't be used for NFTs. Commercial & personal use of images, art, & concepts are not allowed without permission from artist.