Following the idea of the 30-day drawing challenges, I made up 10 subject lists of 30 items each (10 “sets”), so that each will take you about a month to complete, if you do a drawing-a-day.
The 10 “sets”:
- Objects (everyday objects you can easily copy, plus a couple of fantasy ones)
- Human figure, performing specific poses or actions. Every human figure list is divided, 15 male and 15 female, so I have to practice both
- Human faces, practicing different expressions and different hair styles
- Human figure, now specifying “non-fantastic” roles and professions. Here the goal is to observe more carefully clothing, accessories, manipulating items…
- Animals
- Human figure, fantastic, historical of sci-fi types
- Fantastic beasts and monsters
- Vehicles (real and fantastic)
- Buildings
- Scenery
10 sets means about 300 drawing “challenges” or ideas, grouped by topics and building up towards increasing complexity and difficulty. (There is a sci-fi/fantasy theme in some of the lists, which you can skip over if that is not your thing). Already I am finding the need for some “supplemental” lists, that I will list here as the need for them grows.
Supplemental set 1 (Set 11): Hands
This is a big project. I’m only a few challenges in, so I’ll probably be changing many things as I go. I can’t, obviously, guarantee results; but I can tell you that I have personally learned a LOT just by trying to draw things that I hadn’t tried before.
Since I want to start with the basics (pencil sketches) and incorporate more advanced techniques all the way to digital painting, and hopefully develop something of my own style on the way, I’ve combined these sets with a list of 8 “techniques.” More on these in future posts. This is the list:
The 8 techniques: (These will be explained further in a new post)
| 1. | Pencil studies: rough sketches of any kind; the goal is to investigate the “inner structure” of your objects. |
| 2. | Clean lines (or “line art”): sketches are fun, but now push yourself to finish a drawing! |
| 3. | 2-D simplified sketches (like old clipart or signs). |
| 4. | Digital line art, going from sketches to cleaned lines but on your computer or tablet. The goal is to become familiar with basic tools of digital drawing (tablet, program, brushes…) |
| 5. | Digital doodling. Very basic/abstract, quick representations. |
| 6. | Basic digital coloring. Begin exploring tools for coloring. The focus is on learning how to use the tools and exploring palettes, rather than on getting the details (shading, lighting) “right.” |
| 7. | 2-D design (traditional or digital), Another foray into the abstract, but here looking more intentionally for a “logo” look. |
| 8. | Advanced digital coloring. |
For the complete sets (a.k.a. “Challenges”) just expand this post!
This is version 1.0, uploaded on 9/8/2019. Changes and updates will be uploaded here (as I work through these myself and incorporate your feedback).
| SET 1: Everyday (observable) objects | |||
| This is probably the least interesting of the challenges, but the best to begin with. Inanimate objects are less likely to wander about or get impatient, so they make excellent subjects for copying directly from real life! You will learn a ton about observation and hand-pencil coordination, and later on, about light and shadows. So be patient, work your way through this challenge!
I’ve added a couple of less common objects for fun. No, I don’t carry a helmet around. Yes, I do have a sword. |
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| set01_01 | Chair | set01_02 | Toiletries: soap, toothbrush, razor, etc. |
| set01_03 | Flower vase | set01_04 | Spear, harpoon or rake |
| set01_05 | Tools (hammer, screwdriver & wrench) | set01_06 | Table |
| set01_07 | Door handle | set01_08 | Table lamp with books, candleholder |
| set01_09 | Sword, scabbard & dagger | set01_10 | Wine glass |
| set01_11 | Power tool (e.g. electric drill) | set01_12 | Coffee mug |
| set01_13 | Bed | set01_14 | Caps, hats |
| set01_15 | Old teapot | set01_16 | Armchair (with sidetable) |
| set01_17 | Pots & pans | set01_18 | Round shield |
| set01_19 | Empty helmets (Roman, viking, etc.) | set01_20 | Sitting stool |
| set01_21 | Water pitcher or weird-shaped bottle | set01_22 | Shovel & bucket |
| set01_23 | House keys in a ring | set01_24 | Men’s shoes |
| set01_25 | Travel bags or old trunk | set01_26 | Women’s shoes |
| set01_27 | Coat hanger or rack (with coats, hats, etc.) | set01_28 | Eyeglasses or shades |
| set01_29 | Large appliance (e.g. oven), preferably old | set01_30 | Plant pot with plant |
| SET 2: Human Figures in Action | |||
| This is the basis for most of the future sets — none of your extremely-detailed vikings will look right if their pose is awkward or their proportions are off. So sketch, sketch, sketch!
Like in future sets, I propose working alternately on male and female figures (left and right columns respectively), so you get a feel for both. You can switch them once you’ve mastered them. Tip: picture the whole figure, rather than the “right position” of individual limbs. Sketch vaguely, mannequin-like, then work on the details. |
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| (Male figures) | (Female figures) | ||
| set02_01 | Walking | set02_2 | Walking |
| set02_03 | Standing, leaning against a wall | set02_04 | Reading in bed or in a corner |
| set02_05 | Crouching, thoughtful or looking for clues | set02_06 | Crouching, hiding or sneaking |
| set02_07 | Running in a competition | set02_08 | Running leap |
| set02_09 | Fighting stance, guarding/punching | set02_10 | Kicking (martial arts, soccer) |
| set02_11 | Running upstairs | set02_12 | Cartwheel or pirouette |
| set02_13 | Sitting and drinking | set02_14 | Sitting, telling a story |
| set02_15 | Climbing a rope or wall | set02_16 | Hanging from a ledge |
| set02_17 | Running, taking cover | set02_18 | Crawling, taking cover |
| set02_19 | Swinging a heavy object (bag, hammer) | set02_20 | Tai chi or yoga pose |
| set02_21 | Carrying a big, heavy object | set02_22 | Dragging a big, heavy sack |
| set02_23 | Walking on inclement weather (wind, rain, chilly) | set02_24 | Interacting with clothes (putting on, taking off, trying on…) |
| set02_25 | Watching TV on the sofa | set02_26 | Sleeping on the sofa |
| set02_27 | Dizzy, kneeling | set02_28 | Swimming |
| set02_29 | Falling, out of control | set02_30 | Climbing through a window |
| SET 3: Human faces, expressions, hair styles | |||
| This is a fun but tough challenge. I’m not much help here. Learning to draw different types of hair is not so difficult, but most of my faces look surprised and angry at me. And all my female faces look like geeky guys. (So no wonder they look surprised and angry!)
I have one tip, though: do experiment with different face structures! It’ll help you get a more general feel for face anatomy. (Don’t limit yourself to the typical manga-cuteness). |
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| (Male) | (Female) | ||
| set03_01 | Bald. Smiling. | set03_02 | Bald. Smiling. |
| set03_03 | Little hair, thick eyebrows. Thinking hard. | set03_04 | Short-cropped hair. Thinking hard. |
| set03_05 | Roman cut (short-cropped). Angry. | set03_06 | Short, “stylist” to one side. Angry. |
| set03_07 | Short, forehead curl. Smiling happily. | set03_08 | Pigtails. Smiling happily. |
| set03_09 | Shoulder-length, loose. Scared. | set03_10 | Short, unkempt. Scared. |
| set03_11 | Short and curly, goatee. Puzzled. | set03_12 | Long, complex tress. Puzzled. |
| set03_13 | Medium-length and curly. Crying, sad. | set03_14 | Long, very curly. Crying, sad. |
| set03_15 | Pointy, manga-like. Shouting, angrily. | set03_16 | Shoulder length, flattened. Shouting, angrily. |
| set03_17 | Long, flowing hair, bushy beard. Thoughtful, cunning. | set03_18 | Long, using many fancy pins. Thoughtful, cunning. |
| set03_19 | Short, thick hair, short-cropped beard. Laughing out loud. | set03_20 | Parted to both sides, twisted tips. Laughing out loud. |
| set03_21 | Medium-length, unkempt. Surprised. | set03_22 | Simple bun. Surprised. |
| set03_23 | Long and wavy. Having a good time. | set03_24 | Long ponytail. Having a good time. |
| set03_25 | Ponytail, “5 o’clock shadow” beard. Sad, trying not to show it. | set03_26 | Just-woken-up hair. Sad, trying not to show it. |
| set03_27 | Just-woken-up hair. Sleepy. | set03_28 | Thickly curled hair. Sleepy. |
| set03_29 | Medium-length, 70’s, enormous moustache. Cocky. | set03_30 | Complex bun. Cocky. |
| SET 4: Human characters, in everyday occupations | |||
| Try drawing from memory first; you’ll probably be surprised at how little you’ve really observed! This is a fun challenge because you’ll have to really look at things. Also this is where you learn how clothes fit around a body, and how the whole body pose must look right to make props look realistic.
Tip: If your drawings look irredeemably off, try going back to sketching the body structure before you wrap it in clothes, uniforms and trappings. |
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| (Male) | (Female) | ||
| set04_01 | Beachgoer. Carrying parasol, cooler, lots of trinkets. | set04_02 | Beachgoer. Doing beachgoing stuff. |
| set04_03 | Going to the ballgame. Cap, rumpled t-shirt, drink & food. | set04_04 | Going out, daily or dressing up. With a drink. |
| set04_05 | Computer technician, rumpled shirt and tie. Laptop and coffee mug. | set04_06 | Executive, elegant. Dossier & cell phone. |
| set04_07 | Doorman in uniform, holding the door, or heavy bags. | set04_08 | Physician, writing on chart. |
| set04_09 | Old professor, bunch of papers to grade. | set04_10 | Policeman, pistol & walkie talkie. |
| set04_11 | Rock guitar player, rock guitar. | set04_12 | Rock/pop singer, standing microphone. |
| set04_13 | Priest, glasses, prayer book. | set04_14 | Orchestra musician. Various instruments. |
| set04_15 | Fireman, water hose or axe. | set04_16 | Gymnast, using gymnastic equipment. |
| set04_17 | Repairman. Using/carrying tools, ladder. | set04_18 | Rock/pop singer, standing microphone |
| set04_19 | Secret service/man in black, service weapon | set04_20 | Carpenter, tools or power tools. |
| set04_21 | Journalist, camera (photo or video). | set04_22 | Soccer player, soccer ball. |
| set04_23 | Ice hockey player, hockey stick, ice skates. | set04_24 | Gardener, gardening shears, can. |
| set04_25 | Baseball player, bat or mitt. | set04_26 | Skater. Doing cool tricks. |
| set04_27 | Cowboy. Saddling horse or riding. | set04_28 | Scuba diver, diving equipment (carrying too much of it) |
| set04_29 | Soldier, grunt, bazooka. | set04_30 | Soldier, pilot, in a plane or on land with binoculars. |
| SET 5: Animals | |||
| Not there yet but so looking forward to it! Two things will probably give us trouble. One is head structure (my cat faces look like dogs’, and my dogs’ look like bears’). The other is the legs. (Tip: many quadrupeds have very long, articulate feet, that make it look as if their knees turn the wrong way. But it’s not really their knees: it’s actually their ankles!) | |||
| set05_01 | Turtle | set05_02 | Crow |
| set05_03 | Shark | set05_04 | Owl |
| set05_05 | Crab | set05_06 | Mouse |
| set05_07 | Walking bird (ostrich, hen) | set05_08 | Frog |
| set05_09 | Spider | set05_10 | Eagle |
| set05_11 | Cat | set05_12 | Hippo |
| set05_13 | Cow or bull | set05_14 | Lion |
| set05_15 | Panda bear | set05_16 | Kangaroo |
| set05_17 | Fox | set05_18 | Parrot |
| set05_19 | Gecko | set05_20 | Horse |
| set05_21 | Deer or antelope | set05_22 | Raccoon |
| set05_23 | Elephant | set05_24 | Crocodile |
| set05_25 | Scorpion | set05_26 | Octopus or squid |
| set05_27 | Dog (various breeds) | set05_28 | Gorilla |
| set05_29 | Giraffe | set05_30 | Wolf |
| SET 6: Characters, fantastic or historical | |||
| Another one I’m looking forward to. But I’d recommend to give set 4 a go first, so that we learn from observation how clothes and trappings work first. | |||
| (Male) | (Female) | ||
| set06_01 | Viking fighter. Buckler and hand axe | set06_02 | Sorceress. Magical / glowing staff |
| set06_03 | Dwarven warrior. Battle axe or warhammer | set06_04 | Fair princess. Bird cage with birds |
| set06_05 | Kung fu monk. Chinese curved swords, double-wielding | set06_06 | Superhero on tights. Shooting rays or lifting a car |
| set06_07 | Medieval king. Scepter | set06_08 | Medieval queen. Elaborate goblet or wine glass |
| set06_09 | Forest ranger. Bow and arrow | set06_10 | Rogue / thief. Grappling hook |
| set06_11 | Postapocalyptic warrior (car). shotgun | set06_12 | Postapocalyptic warrior (motorcycle). Chain / morning star |
| set06_13 | Wizard. Heavy cauldron | set06_14 | Forest druid. Animal (“familiar”) |
| set06_15 | Ancient librarian. Heavy tome | set06_16 | Pirate captain. Harpoon or cutlass |
| set06_17 | Roman soldier. Oval shield and short sword | set06_18 | Cyborg. Missile launcher |
| set06_19 | Musketeer. Rapier or musket | set06_20 | Sky pirate. archaic telescope |
| set06_21 | Medieval city guard. Spear or pole arm | set06_22 | Winged fairy. Orb or magic wand |
| set06_23 | Scottish bagpiper. Bagpipes | set06_24 | Old hag / witch. Old staff / cane |
| set06_25 | Barbarian warrior. Double-handed sword | set06_26 | Tavern wench. Tray with beer mugs |
| set06_27 | Futuristic soldier. Futuristic assault weapon | set06_28 | Steampunk mechanic. Huge wrench or sledgehammer |
| set06_29 | Mounted knight (any steed). Shield and lance | set06_30 | Valkyrie. Shield and sword |
| SET 7: Vehicles | |||
| Planes are easy, cards are hard. Their wheels always look the wrong size to me. | |||
| set07_01 | Small/ compact car | set07_02 | Jet ski |
| set07_03 | Sport/ racing car | set07_04 | Motorcycle |
| set07_05 | Passenger airplane | set07_06 | Sailboat |
| set07_07 | Jeep or pickup truck | set07_08 | Tank |
| set07_09 | Fighter plane | set07_10 | School bus |
| set07_11 | Hot air balloon | set07_12 | Truck, semi or gasoline |
| set07_13 | Fighter helicopter | set07_14 | Bipedal tank/ robot (mecha) |
| set07_15 | WW2 Fighter plane | set07_16 | WWII Bomber (B-2 Fortress) |
| set07_17 | WWI Fighter plane | set07_18 | Power armor or futuristic personal glider |
| set07_19 | Airship (fantasy or steampunk) | set07_20 | Tall ship / pirate ship |
| set07_21 | Hover car | set07_22 | Road warrior car made of scraps |
| set07_23 | Mini submarine / Bathyscaphe | set07_24 | Tentacled robotic transport |
| set07_25 | Reptilian creature with saddle | set07_26 | Gunship |
| set07_27 | Sci-Fi space fighter | set07_28 | Space gunship / frigate |
| set07_29 | Mobile dwelling on a giant beetle | set07_30 | Walking house/walking castle |
| SET 8: Creatures, fantastic or prehistoric | |||
| Just go crazy! | |||
| set08_01 | Orc or goblinoid | set08_02 | Low-gravity alien (long-limbed) |
| set08_03 | Animated furniture | set08_04 | Lilliputian (diminutive person) riding on small mammal |
| set08_05 | Ogre /cyclops | set08_06 | Chimera (mix of 3 animals) |
| set08_07 | Golem, rock or mud | set08_08 | Humanoid alien |
| set08_09 | Dragon (medieval) | set08_10 | Dragon (Chinese) |
| set08_11 | Troll | set08_12 | Animated blob / Lovecraftian horror |
| set08_13 | Werewolf | set08_14 | Feline person |
| set08_15 | T-rex | set08_16 | Stegosaurus |
| set08_17 | Creature of the deep | set08_18 | Mermaid |
| set08_19 | Vampire | set08_20 | Ghostly maid |
| set08_21 | Gargoyle / winged imp | set08_22 | Zombie |
| set08_23 | Saber-toothed tiger / lion | set08_24 | Fish or reptilian person |
| set08_25 | Mechanical scorpion / crab | set08_26 | Hill-sized turtle |
| set08_27 | Minotaur | set08_28 | Bladed daemon |
| set08_29 | Cyborg/ robotic panther | set08_30 | Armored lizard |
| SET 9: Buildings (exterior) | |||
| Yep, people have to live in things. Better give them a try. | |||
| set09_01 | Peasant hut | set09_02 | Pointy church |
| set09_03 | Corner store | set09_04 | Inner city building (fire escape ladders, etc.) |
| set09_05 | Gas station | set09_06 | Bus station |
| set09_07 | Farm or ranch | set09_08 | Barn |
| set09_09 | Suburban family house | set09_10 | Docks / port |
| set09_11 | Bridge, ancient | set09_12 | Bridge, modern |
| set09_13 | Snowed-in bungalow | set09_14 | Hut on stilts |
| set09_15 | Crooked hovel | set09_16 | Antarctic base |
| set09_17 | Moathouse or small castle | set09_18 | Astronomical observatory |
| set09_19 | Mansion | set09_20 | Roadside inn/Motel |
| set09_21 | Skyscraper | set09_22 | Futuristic high-rise |
| set09_23 | Airport (interior) | set09_24 | Government building |
| set09_25 | Cave or cliff dwelling | set09_26 | Tree house / dwelling |
| set09_27 | Gothic cathedral | set09_28 | Underwater station |
| set09_29 | Fairie castle or palace | set09_30 | Evil lair. Whatever that is. |
| SET 10: Scenery / Terrain | |||
| Yep, things have to be on places. Wouldn’t want your evil lair to just fall through, after you spent hours decorating it with the mutilated remains of fallen heroes, would you! | |||
| set10_01 | Sandy beach | set10_02 | Seashore with cliffs |
| set10_03 | Skyline | set10_04 | Antarctica or glacier |
| set10_05 | Desert | set10_06 | Congested avenue |
| set10_07 | Large cavern | set10_08 | Clouds from a plane |
| set10_09 | Mountain peaks | set10_10 | Snowed forest |
| set10_11 | Stormy sea | set10_12 | Dark alley (ancient?) |
| set10_13 | Prairie | set10_14 | Mountain canyon |
| set10_15 | Suburban drive | set10_16 | Venetian channels |
| set10_17 | Farming fields | set10_18 | Mediterranean town by the sea |
| set10_19 | Northern woods | set10_20 | Medieval town |
| set10_21 | Volcano | set10_22 | Tropical forest |
| set10_23 | Ghost town, old West | set10_24 | Island in the mist |
| set10_25 | Rice paddies | set10_26 | Alien terrain with strangely-coloured flora |
| set10_27 | Arboreal city | set10_28 | Underwater reef |
| set10_29 | Futuristic skyline | set10_30 | Postapocalyptic skyline |
| SUPPLEMENTARY SET 1 [ SET 11 ] : Hands | |||
| Hands are tricky, and also wonderful to draw. Take your time, grasp the shape and dynamics first, and only then focus on details such as nails and knuckles. | |||
| set11_01 | Resting hands | set11_02 | Closed fist |
| set11_03 | Clawing hand | set11_04 | Holding club or racket (one-handed) |
| set11_05 | Benediction, index finger pointing up | set11_06 | Thinking, holding chin |
| set11_07 | Pleading/ praying hands | set11_08 | Shaking hands or holding hands, romantically |
| set11_09 | Making the signal to stop | set11_10 | Holding a glass (transparent, for greater challenge) |
| set11_11 | Pushing an object with both hands | set11_12 | Pulling a rope |
| set11_13 | Holding and reading a small book | set11_14 | Using a pen or pencil |
| set11_15 | Holding a cigarette | set11_16 | Holding a pipe |
| set11_17 | Holding pommel of sword with both hands | set11_18 | Driving, holding the wheel |
| set11_19 | Holding a pistol or megaphone | set11_20 | Aiming with bow and arrow |
| set11_21 | Holding knife and fork | set11_22 | Using chopsticks |
| set11_23 | Throwing a baseball | set11_24 | Plucking petals |
| set11_25 | Tying tie or bow | set11_26 | Using game controllers |
| set11_27 | Playing the guitar | set11_28 | Playing the recorder |
| set11_29 | Resting feet | set11_30 | Walking feet |
Next:
- More on the 8 Techniques
- The “Rules”
- How to post and share your drawings so other Megachallengers can find them
