25+ Imaginative Sketching Prompts to Help You Beat Creative Block

Have you ever opened your sketchbook with every intent to draw… but then you can’t think of what to sketch? Don’t worry—it happens to even the most seasoned professionals. Although creative block is real, it doesn’t have to be debilitating. To overcome this slump, it’s best to have some easy sketch ideas in your mental queue so that you can start drawing without missing a beat.

When working in your sketchbook, it’s often handy to start with a prompt that has a clear direction or is compelling enough to spark your imagination. With three or four words as a jumping off point, you can draw the possibilities on the pages. You never know where it might take you, and that’s what’s so exciting about a sketchpad; it’s a great way to hone your abilities but to also discover what you like to draw. By knowing more about what you enjoy sketching, you will find more joy in creating art.

Check out more than 25 sketchbook prompts below. And you want even more drawing ideas, we’ve got a list of over 50 of them that are sure to get your creative juices flowing. Try doing so in one of these wood-cover sketchbooks by Cardtorial. With 160 unlined pages, you'll have plenty of opportunities to fill them with amazing art.

Need something to sketch? Scroll down for 25+ sketch ideas that both beginners and professionals will love.

Imagine these places, people, and situations, and then draw what you “see!”

  • Picture your own jungle. What animals would be there? Would they be friends?
  • Take a dive deep underwater. What do you see?
  • Climb to the top of a skyscraper. How do the other buildings look?
  • You’re in a graveyard and see a ghost. Draw them!
  • What kind of pups would you find in a dog park? How would they act towards each other?
  • Ride a bike through a field. What wildflowers do you encounter?
  • Dig your toes in the sand picture a beach scene.
  • Draw the interiors of an unconventional dollhouse.
  • Fill a room full of potted house plants. How are the planters designed?
  • Hike to the top of a mountain. What do you see along the way?
  • What is your dream outfit?
  • Recreate your favorite meal… on paper.
  • What would a wolf look like if it were made of leaves…
  • … or a fox made of flowers?
  • You see a house alone in the woods. What does it look like, and what’s around it?
  • Imagine you discovered a new insect species. How many legs does it have?
  • Draw a building covered in fancy, decorative tile.
  • Picture life on another planet.
  • What would your home look like if everything were underground?
  • Create an homage drawing to your favorite work of art.
  • Use a real object and make a drawing that revolves around it.
  • Sketch someone’s portrait, but in place of their head, draw flowers.
  • Build your own terrarium. What’s inside?
  • Draw a self-portrait with your non-dominant hand.
  • Illustrate the “true” meaning of your favorite idiom.
  • Magnify something that’s usually very small.

Looking for others who love drawing? Join our Art, Design, Photography, and Drawing Club on Facebook!

Related Articles:

New to Drawing? Make Sure You Know These Basic Techniques Before You Start

Challenge Yourself by Drawing in “Reverse” on Black Paper

Best Drawing Pencils for Professionals and Beginners Who Love to Sketch

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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