71 Totally Random Things to Draw When Bored at Home

Staring at a blank page with nothing to do? Whether you’re stuck in a long class, killing time at home, or just itching for a creative outlet, drawing is an easy way to beat boredom. The best part? You don’t need to be a professional artist to enjoy it.

If you’re looking for fun, silly, or inspiring ideas, this list of things to draw when bored is here to help. From doodles and characters to challenges and pop culture sketches, there’s something for every mood. So grab a pencil (or tablet) and let your imagination take over!

Easy and Fun Doodles

When boredom strikes, sometimes all you need is a pen, a blank page, and a little imagination. Doodling is the perfect no-pressure way to pass the time, spark creativity, and give your brain a break. Even if you don’t consider yourself an “artist,” these fun and simple doodle ideas are great for warming up your creativity or just having a silly moment. They’re quick, playful, and anyone can do them—no fancy techniques or art degree required.

Here are some super easy and fun doodle ideas to try when you’re feeling restless:

1. Smiley Faces With Different Emotions

Start with the most basic doodle of all—a simple circle—and give it life. Draw a whole cast of expressive faces: happy, sad, annoyed, shocked, sleepy, or dramatic. Then level it up by adding hats, hair, tears, hearts, sunglasses, or little speech bubbles. You can even turn them into a “mood board” for your day, or a mini comic strip about how you’re feeling.

2. Cartoon Food With Personality

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Food is fun to draw—especially when it has a face. Sketch a slice of pizza throwing up a peace sign, a sassy donut in heels, or an ice cream cone melting dramatically in the summer sun. You can keep it simple with basic shapes, or go wild with colors and shading. It’s a fun way to combine your love for food and art—and probably make yourself a little hungry in the process.

3. Animal Mashups and Tiny Critters

Draw your favorite animals, or invent your own by combining two (or three!) into one bizarre creature. A flamingo-cat? A turtle-bird? The weirder, the better. You can also doodle tiny critters doing everyday things—like a hamster drinking coffee or a raccoon reading a book. There are no rules, just draw what makes you smile.

4. Pattern Play and Filler Doodles

These are super soothing and satisfying. Fill a page with spirals, stars, zigzags, stripes, swirls, checkerboards, or hearts. Try out patterns you’ve seen on clothes, tiles, or wrapping paper. It’s kind of like meditating with a pen. And if you ever want to make a bullet journal, these patterns make great page decorations.

5. Aliens Doing Normal Human Stuff

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Design your own alien species, then put them in totally ordinary situations. One could be working a retail job, walking a dog, scrolling on their phone, or chilling in a hammock. You get to decide what they look like—extra eyes, tentacles, floating heads, funky clothes—and it’s a hilarious way to combine creativity and comedy.

6. Silly Hats on Everything

Grab any object and add a ridiculous hat to it. A banana in a cowboy hat? A pencil with a wizard hat? A slice of toast wearing a tiara? The options are endless. You’ll be surprised how funny and oddly cute everyday things can look with a little doodle flair.

7. Turn Random Squiggles Into Art

Draw a loose, scribbly line on the page—no thinking, just wiggle your pen. Now look at the shape and ask yourself, “What does this remind me of?” Maybe it’s a dragon, a face, a fish, or a weird blob monster. Use your imagination to turn the squiggle into something awesome. It’s like cloud-watching, but with paper and way more giggles.

8. Mini Scenes in Boxes

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Divide your page into little squares or frames, then draw a tiny scene in each one. Think of it like a collection of snapshots from different moments or mini-worlds. One square could show a quiet bedroom, another could be a mountain hike, a magical forest, or even underwater tea party. These little scenes are fun to build and a great way to start storytelling with your art.

9. Bonus Idea: Doodle Your Day as a Comic

Even if “nothing happened,” try turning your day into a short comic strip. Did you spill your coffee? Zone out in a meeting? Trip over your cat? Draw it like a dramatic saga. It’s a great way to practice simple storytelling and make everyday moments way more entertaining.

Drawing Prompts From Everyday Life

You don’t have to dig deep into your imagination to find inspiration—sometimes the best drawing ideas are right in front of you. Everyday life is packed with little details, moments, and objects that can spark creativity. These kinds of prompts not only help you improve your observation skills but also make drawing feel more personal and meaningful. Whether you’re sitting at your desk, lounging on the couch, or riding the bus, you’ve got plenty of material around you.

Here are some fun and easy everyday prompts to turn your surroundings into sketchbook gold:

1. Draw What’s On Your Desk (Or Table, or Floor)

Take a look around you. That coffee cup? Your headphones? A random paperclip? Everything on your desk can become a fun mini drawing. Try sketching it exactly as it looks—or give it a twist. Turn your water bottle into a rocket ship, or your pen into a sword. The more ordinary the object, the more fun it is to get creative with it.

2. Reimagine a Room You’re In

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Pick any room—your bedroom, your kitchen, your favorite corner—and sketch it out. You don’t need to be perfect with perspective. You could draw a realistic layout or completely reinvent it. What if your bedroom was in a treehouse? Or your kitchen was run by tiny raccoons? Everyday scenes can become fantastical with just a little imagination.

3. Draw the Inside of Your Bag or Backpack

Dump your bag out (gently!) and take a look at what’s inside. Sketch each item like it’s part of a collection. You might discover that even the most random objects—gum wrappers, keys, hand sanitizer—are interesting to draw when you line them up or zoom in on their tiny details.

4. Sketch the View Outside Your Window

Whether it’s a dramatic city skyline or just your neighbor’s fence, the view outside your window is a built-in drawing challenge. Try drawing what you see, then imagine how it might change in a different season, during a storm, or in a sci-fi world. Bonus: it’s a peaceful way to pass the time.

5. Design an Outfit From Memory

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Try drawing what you wore yesterday—or design your dream outfit for today. This is a great way to combine drawing with fashion and style. If you’re into characters or storytelling, try designing outfits for imaginary people: a knight going to brunch, a robot at a concert, or a frog going on a date.

6. Draw Your Snack (Before You Eat It!)

Before you take that bite, snap a mental picture—or an actual one—and draw your snack. Fruit, chips, cookies, and drinks all make great drawing subjects because they have interesting shapes, textures, and patterns. If you want to get really creative, give your snack a personality or facial expression.

7. Capture a Quick Sketch of a Pet or Sibling

If you have a pet, they’re basically a living, moving model (even if they don’t stay still). Try sketching their pose, facial expression, or even just a paw. No pet? Draw a sibling, parent, or roommate mid-task—or when they least expect it (it adds drama).

10. Draw Your Grocery List as Characters

Take a look at your grocery list or fridge contents and turn each item into a quirky character. What would Milk look like with a mustache? Would Broccoli wear glasses? This one is especially fun if you want to be silly and imaginative without having to come up with something totally from scratch.

11. Redesign an App or Website You Use Daily

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Pick an app you use all the time—Instagram, YouTube, Spotify—and sketch what it would look like if you redesigned it. You can keep it realistic or go wild and add absurd features like a “cat filter only” mode or music that changes based on your mood.

12. Draw the Last Song You Listened To

What did it look like? Was it upbeat, sad, chaotic, smooth? Try sketching a visual representation of a song’s vibe. Maybe it’s a scene, an abstract pattern, or a person who embodies the lyrics. This is a great way to combine music and art, and it’s totally open-ended.

13. Doodle What You Did Today (or Yesterday)

Turn your to-do list into a comic strip or set of doodles. Even if your day felt boring, it can be funny on paper. Wake up. Brush teeth. Drink coffee. Scroll aimlessly. Repeat. The more mundane, the more relatable—and often, the more entertaining.

Creative Character and Creature Ideas

One of the best ways to beat boredom with a sketchpad is to invent someone—or something—entirely new. Drawing original characters and creatures is a creative playground with no rules. You get to be the writer, designer, and casting director all at once. Whether you love fantasy, sci-fi, slice-of-life, or just silly doodles, making up your own characters adds depth, personality, and tons of fun to your art.

Here are some imaginative prompts and character ideas to get you started:

1. Create a Superhero With a Ridiculous Power

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Forget flying or super strength. Try designing a hero whose power is something absurd like controlling spaghetti, turning invisible only when no one’s watching, or speaking fluent cat. What do they wear? What’s their backstory? Bonus points for drawing their nemesis with an equally ridiculous skill.

2. Draw an Animal With a Human Job

What would a giraffe barista look like? Or a penguin CEO? Give your favorite animal a full-on career and sketch them in action—complete with outfits, props, and facial expressions. This is a great mix of personality and humor and can easily turn into a whole series of characters.

3. Invent a Fantasy Creature With a Twist

Start with a classic fantasy creature—like a dragon, mermaid, or troll—and then change something big. A dragon that’s terrified of fire? A mermaid who lives in a bathtub? A troll who’s obsessed with skincare? Let your imagination run wild, and see what kind of world your creature might live in.

4. Design a Ghost With a Hobby

Ghosts don’t have to be spooky. Maybe yours knits scarves for other spirits, runs a haunted bakery, or just wants to finish their favorite video game from 1998. What do they look like? How do they interact with the living? The weirder and more specific, the better.

5. Fashion a Magical Girl or Boy

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If you’ve ever watched anime or magical fantasy shows, you know the joy of designing outfits, sidekicks, and transformation sequences. Create your own magical character—what’s their element or power source? What symbols or colors represent them? Don’t forget their cool accessories or dramatic pose.

6. Create a Mythical Pet

Imagine a creature that could be your pet in a magical universe. Maybe it’s part unicorn, part jellyfish. Or a flying ferret that spits glitter. Give it a name, favorite food, and maybe even a little mood chart. Do they like cuddles or chaos? (Or both?)

7. Draw a Villain With a Soft Side

Villains can be more than just evil—they can be misunderstood, stylish, or even oddly relatable. Design a villain who looks intimidating but has a secret love for baking, poetry, or small animals. What does their hideout look like? How do they express their softer side when no one’s watching?

8. Invent an Alien With a Quirky Culture

What kind of fashion, greetings, or snacks would aliens have? Sketch a creature from another planet with unique features—extra limbs, multiple eyes, or skin that changes colors—and imagine what a day in their life looks like. Maybe they’re a tourist visiting Earth, totally confused by vending machines and doorbells.

9. Design Characters Based on Moods or Emotions

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Create personified versions of emotions like joy, anxiety, boredom, or rage. What would “Confidence” wear? Would “Procrastination” be lounging in pajamas, surrounded by half-finished snacks? This is a fun way to explore your own feelings through visual storytelling.

10. Draw a Wizard, Witch, or Sorcerer With a Weird Spellbook

Give your magic-user an unexpected specialty—like summoning sandwiches, talking to plants, or controlling glitter. What’s their wand made of? Do they carry potions in a fanny pack? Lean into the goofy or mystical, and don’t forget their magical companion (maybe a talking mushroom?).

11. Combine Two Famous Characters Into One

Mash up two pop culture icons into one brand-new character. What if Spider-Man and Pikachu were one? Or Harry Potter and SpongeBob? What would their powers, personality, or outfit look like? It’s a silly and entertaining way to practice design skills while having fun with fandoms.

12. Give Your Character a Catchphrase

Once you’ve drawn your new character, try giving them a name and a line they always say. It adds instant personality and makes them feel like someone from a cartoon or comic. For example:
“Snargle the Space Frog: ‘I didn’t come here to vibe… but I might stay.’”

Funny or Weird Drawing Ideas

Sometimes, the best way to beat boredom is to stop trying to make “good” art and just embrace the absurd. Drawing weird, goofy, or downright ridiculous things is one of the most entertaining ways to let loose creatively. These kinds of sketches are meant to make you laugh—or at least tilt your head and say, “…what did I just draw?” Whether you’re into surreal humor, visual puns, or silly mashups, weird art prompts can be a perfect escape from the serious.

Here are some funny and wonderfully weird things to draw when you’re bored:

1. A Giraffe Riding a Skateboard

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Long neck, tiny helmet, maximum chaos. Picture it zooming down a hill with shades on and its tongue out. Bonus points if it’s doing tricks at the skate park with other unlikely animals.

2. A Slice of Toast With Attitude

Give your breakfast some sass. Angry toast. Flirty toast. Toast in fishnets. You name it. Add eyebrows, limbs, and maybe a tattoo that says “Born to Crumb.” You’ll never look at carbs the same way again.

3. Cheese Having an Existential Crisis

Draw a wedge of cheese staring into the void, wondering about its purpose. Maybe it’s been left out of the fridge too long. Maybe it just wants to be part of a fancy charcuterie board. Add dramatic lighting for effect.

4. A Chicken Astronaut in Space

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Suit up a chicken in full astronaut gear and blast it off into space. Is it doing moonwalks? Chasing zero-gravity corn? Or sending radio messages back to Earth? Go as detailed or cartoony as you like.

5. A Shark Taking a Bubble Bath

What does a fearsome ocean predator do to relax? Give your shark a rubber ducky, some scented candles, maybe a glass of lemonade. The more cozy and pampered it looks, the better.

6. A Detective Banana Solving a Mystery

Draw a banana in a trench coat, magnifying glass in hand, investigating a crime scene (possibly involving a spilled smoothie). Bonus points if you give it a dramatic backstory and a suspicious tomato as the suspect.

7. Inanimate Objects With Drama

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Imagine a spoon that’s jealous of a fork. A lamp that dreams of being a disco ball. A lonely fridge magnet writing poetry. Take everyday things and give them big personalities or emotional arcs.

8. An Octopus Trying to Multitask

Give each of its eight arms a totally different task—making coffee, brushing teeth, texting, painting, cooking pasta, playing an instrument, doing yoga, and holding a screaming alarm clock. This doodle is chaos in the best way.

9. A Frog With an Identity Crisis

Is it a prince? A DJ? A wizard in disguise? Let your frog go through a full-blown “Who am I?” moment, complete with weird outfits, sunglasses, or an enchanted mirror that only reflects a llama.

10. Dogs Dressed Like Humans

Draw a pug in a business suit, a golden retriever at the gym, or a chihuahua in a leather jacket riding a tiny motorcycle. These are weirdly fun to imagine—and even funnier to draw.

11. A Self-Portrait… As a Potato

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Challenge yourself to draw your likeness as a spud. Would your potato-self wear a hoodie? Have freckles? Glasses? Maybe you’re mashed, baked, or French fried. It’s equal parts hilarious and humbling.

12. Unicorns That Aren’t Magical Anymore

Think: retired unicorns. Draw one grumbling at a coffee shop, stuck in traffic, or getting ghosted on a dating app. Their sparkle might be gone, but their sass is still strong.

13. A Fairy With a Day Job

Not every fairy grants wishes 24/7. Maybe yours works at a call center, teaches preschool, or runs a food truck in a forest. How do they blend magic and modern life?

14. Draw a Bizarre Invention That Nobody Asked For

Think of something like “a microwave that sings opera” or “sneakers that also water your plants.” Make it as wildly impractical as possible, and sketch out how it works (or how it totally doesn’t).

15. Eyes on Everything

Put eyeballs where they don’t belong—on forks, rocks, shoes, clouds, alarm clocks, pieces of toast, whatever. Turn normal things into characters just by giving them goofy little eyes and facial expressions.

Drawing Challenges to Keep You Entertained

When you’re bored and looking to push your creativity, drawing challenges are the perfect way to shake things up. These fun mini-games and art dares aren’t about perfection—they’re about experimenting, laughing at your own mistakes, and trying something new. Whether you’re sketching alone, with friends, or just trying to break out of a creative rut, these challenges are low-pressure but super entertaining.

Here are some creative drawing challenges to try next time you want to spice up your sketch session:

1. The 5-Minute Drawing Challenge

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Pick a random subject—a cat, spaceship, sandwich, your friend’s face—and give yourself exactly five minutes to draw it. The countdown adds pressure (in a good way), and the rushed results are often hilarious. Want to level it up? Try 3-minute or even 1-minute versions for extra chaos.

2. Left-Hand (or Non-Dominant Hand) Drawing Challenge

Use your non-dominant hand to draw something simple, like a flower or your pet. It’ll feel awkward, probably look wonky, and absolutely make you laugh. The messiness is part of the charm—and you’ll appreciate your dominant hand even more afterward!

3. Blind Drawing Challenge

Pick a subject, close your eyes, and try to draw it without peeking. Whether it’s a person, a dog, or your favorite cartoon character, the final result is guaranteed to be wildly distorted and weird. It’s especially fun to reveal your drawing after and compare it to what you thought you were doing.

4. Draw It Again Challenge

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Pick an old drawing from your sketchbook—maybe something from years ago or even last week—and redraw it in your current style. It’s cool to see how much you’ve improved (or how much weirder you’ve gotten). You can also deliberately redraw it in a totally different art style for fun.

5. Random Word Generator Challenge

Use a random word generator or close your eyes and point to three words in a book. Whatever you get, draw them all together in one picture. “Cactus,” “dinosaur,” and “umbrella”? You’re now drawing a dinosaur sipping tea under a cactus with an umbrella hat. Go.

6. One-Line Drawing Challenge

Challenge yourself to draw a full object or character without ever lifting your pen from the paper. It’s harder than it sounds—and the wonky, continuous lines make the drawings strangely artistic and abstract.

7. Color Swap Challenge

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Use colors that make zero sense—draw a blue banana, a green sun, or a purple ocean. This is a great way to break out of realism and experiment with color psychology, all while making some delightfully weird art.

8. Draw Like a Kid Challenge

Forget everything you know about shading, proportions, and technique. Try to draw like your younger self—big lines, bright colors, stick figures, lopsided smiles. It’s freeing, nostalgic, and surprisingly fun. You might even rediscover the joy of not caring how it turns out.

9. Art Telephone (with Friends)

Perfect for group boredom! One person draws a simple picture and passes it to the next, who redraws it from memory. Keep going down the line, and by the end, compare the final version to the original. It’s like the telephone game—but way funnier.

10. Draw Your Mood Without Words

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Instead of writing how you feel, draw it. Feeling “meh”? Maybe that’s a blob slouched in a beanbag. Feeling chaotic? Sketch a tornado with sneakers. It’s a cool emotional check-in and a creative outlet rolled into one.

11. Object Fusion Challenge

Pick two random objects and “fuse” them into one drawing. A toaster and a shoe? Boom: toast sneakers. A cat and a fridge? Now it’s a “fridgeat.” The sillier, the better.

12. Draw With Your Non-Art Materials

Try drawing with something other than a pencil. Makeup? A stick dipped in coffee? A broken crayon stub? Challenge yourself to make something cool using whatever you can find nearby. It’s chaotic, messy, and often hilarious.

Fan Art and Pop Culture Inspired Sketches

If you’re ever feeling bored and stuck for ideas, pop culture is the ultimate creative goldmine. Drawing fan art isn’t just fun—it’s a way to connect with the shows, movies, games, and celebs you love. It also lets you put your own spin on familiar characters or moments. Whether you want to keep things true to the original or go totally off the rails, fan-inspired sketches can be funny, emotional, dramatic, or downright weird (in the best way).

Here are some fun and fresh ideas to get you started with pop culture-inspired drawing:

1. Turn Your Favorite Video Game Character Into a Doodle

Whether it’s Mario, Link, Lara Croft, or someone from your latest obsession, try sketching them in your own style. You can make them ultra-cute, super edgy, or hilariously off-model. Want a challenge? Try drawing them doing something totally out of character—like Pikachu working a 9–5 job or Master Chief knitting.

2. Redesign a Scene From a Movie or TV Show

Take a memorable scene and reimagine it. What would it look like in a different setting—say, The Office characters in a fantasy world? Or Star Wars set in a high school? You can also do “what if” versions, like flipping roles, changing time periods, or making a sad scene funny.

3. Draw Your Favorite Celebrity as a Cartoon or Animal

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What if Taylor Swift was a cat? Or The Rock was literally a boulder with muscles and a fanny pack? This is a great way to practice exaggeration, facial features, and humor all at once. You can even make your own “celebrity zoo” where each star is represented by a silly animal version of themselves.

4. Make a Mash-Up of Two Different Fandoms

Combine two totally unrelated universes into one picture. What if characters from Stranger Things showed up in The Simpsons? Or Harry Potter characters got dropped into The Legend of Zelda? Mashups are a great way to stretch your imagination and explore odd but hilarious pairings.

5. Create Alternate Outfits for Characters

Draw well-known characters in different outfits—modern fashion, retro styles, pajamas, or even formal wear. Imagine Elsa in streetwear, Batman at the beach, or SpongeBob in a wedding tux. It’s a fun way to mix fashion design with fan art and add your own personal flair.

6. Everyday Life Version of Famous Characters

Imagine your favorite hero or villain living a totally normal life. What does Spider-Man’s grocery list look like? Does Darth Vader get road rage? Draw your favorite characters in mundane moments, like waiting in line at the DMV or getting a bad haircut.

7. Draw a Horror or Villain Character as a Softie

Take a creepy or intense character and flip the mood completely. What if Freddy Krueger just wanted to open a bakery? Or if Voldemort secretly loved bubble baths and rom-coms? It’s a fun way to create contrast and explore the unexpected sides of iconic characters.

8. Make Meme-Inspired Fan Art

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Combine a popular meme format with a well-known character for instant hilarity. Think “This is fine” but with Captain America, or the distracted boyfriend meme starring anime characters. It’s a fun twist that blends internet culture with your favorite fandoms.

9. Draw Yourself as a Character in That World

Ever wanted to go to Hogwarts, become a Jedi, or live in a Studio Ghibli movie? Draw yourself in that universe. What would you wear? What powers would you have? This is a great chance to combine self-portrait skills with imagination.

10. Recreate a Character in a Different Art Style

Pick a favorite character and draw them in the style of another show or artist. What would Sonic look like in a Tim Burton universe? Or how about Elsa in the world of Adventure Time? It’s a cool exercise in style exploration and super fun to compare the final results.