11 Easy Drawing Ideas to Try This Weekend

Some of the best drawings start with the question, "What should I draw?" — and end without an answer. Here are 11 prompts you can try this weekend, each with what you'll need, how long it'll take, and a difficulty rating. None require fancy supplies; a 2B pencil and a sketch pad will do.

A note from the shop floor — the kiwi-bird prompt is the one I keep coming back to myself. I drew one a week for a month last winter and I still can't quite nail the cheeky eye. Pick whichever prompt makes you smile.

1. The "objects on your desk" still life ⭐

Look at your desk. Pick three objects (mug, book, pen). Arrange them. Draw the shapes first, then add value (light vs dark). 30 minutes. Best for: total beginners getting comfortable with proportion.

2. Your hand ⭐⭐

Place your non-dominant hand on the table. Draw it. Hands are notoriously hard, which is exactly why they're great practice. 45 minutes. Try drawing it from three angles in one session.

3. A kiwi bird (the NZ classic) ⭐⭐

Reference photos welcome. Start with the body as a circle, head as a smaller circle, then the long beak. Add texture last. About an hour. Bonus points for nailing the cheeky expression.

4. Your morning coffee ☕ ⭐

Whatever vessel — flat white, plunger, instant in a chipped mug. Capture the steam. The reflection on the surface. Negative space matters here as much as the cup itself. 30 minutes.

5. A piece of fruit, sliced ⭐⭐

Pick something with internal pattern: feijoa, kiwifruit, citrus, apple. Slice it. Draw the cross-section. Texture practice meets value study. 40 minutes.

6. A pohutukawa branch ⭐⭐⭐

If you have access to one (December bloom is best). The leaves give you texture practice; the flowers give you radial composition. About 90 minutes for a full study.

7. Your pet (or a borrowed one) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Animals don't sit still. Use a phone reference photo. Start with the largest shape (body), work inward to head, legs, eyes. Eyes last — they're the personality. 60–90 minutes.

8. The view from your window ⭐⭐⭐

Whatever's there — neighbour's roof, a tree, the harbour, a parked car. Practising landscape composition without leaving the house. 45 minutes.

9. A self-portrait (without a mirror) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Just from memory. Draw your face as you imagine it. Then look in a mirror. The gap between memory and reality is the most fascinating drawing exercise there is. 30 minutes (don't overthink it).

10. A pattern from your environment ⭐⭐

Wood grain, brick wall, woven fabric, leaf veins. Pick a small section. Draw it accurately at scale. Trains your eye to see structure. 30 minutes.

11. "Draw your weekend" ⭐⭐

One single drawing that captures something memorable from the weekend — a meal, a person, a place. Don't aim for accurate; aim for honest. 60 minutes.

What you need

Every prompt above works with the same minimum kit: a 2B pencil, an HB for sketching, a kneaded eraser, and a sketch pad (A4 is fine). Add a 4B if you want darker shadow work. Total cost: under $25.

If you're starting from zero, our Drawing Supplies collection has Mont Marte sketching kits that include all of the above in one box.

The actual hard part

Most people don't draw because they think they need to be "good" first. The truth: 10 minutes of drawing once a week beats 2 hours once a year. Pick one prompt above, set a 30-minute timer, and start. The drawing won't be perfect. That's fine. Do it again next weekend.

Share your weekend drawing

Tag us on Instagram @handy_mandy_stores_ with your weekend sketch. We feature reader work in our Stories every week.

About the author — Namra Shah is the owner of Handy Mandy Craft Store in Morningside, Auckland. We stock Mont Marte across NZ with same-day dispatch before 11am NZT and free shipping over $75. Questions? Email info@handymandy.co.nz or DM us on Instagram @handy_mandy_stores_.