Art prompts are ideas or suggestions that help artists make new work. They give you a place to start when you’re not feeling inspired and push you to try out new styles, subjects, and techniques.
Why Use Art Prompts?
- Get Creative: Give people new ideas to start a project.
- Get Over Creative Block: Don’t worry about a blank canvas.
- Skill Development: Encourage people to try out new methods and tools.
- Get artists to think outside the box: Push them out of their comfort zone.
- Consistency: Help people make art on a regular basis.
Different kinds of art prompts
Theme-Based Prompts
Make art about things like “freedom,” “time,” or “change.”
Object Prompts
Draw everyday things in new and interesting ways.
Emotion Prompts
Use pictures to show how you feel, like happy, scared, or hopeful.
Challenge Prompts
Limit the colors, materials, or techniques you can use to get your creative juices flowing.
Fantasy Prompts
Make up worlds, creatures, or ideas for the future.
20 Art Ideas to Try
- Show what “hope” looks like.
- Create a portrait using only geometric shapes.
- Make a famous landmark look like it’s from the future.
- Make a drawing of a normal thing that has magical powers.
- Paint how it feels to be quiet.
- Make a piece of art using just two colors.
- Think about and draw what life would be like on another planet.
- Come up with a new kind of animal.
- Make something based on a song you like.
- Draw a picture of a dream you remember well.
- Show how different chaos and peace are.
- Make art that shows what you do in the morning.
- Draw an abstract version of a memory from your childhood.
- Show emotion without using your face.
- Mix two different styles of art into one piece.
- Show a “hidden world” that is under the ocean or the ground.
- Put a new spin on an old fairy tale.
- Use an unusual color scheme to paint a landscape.
- Show us what “freedom” means to you.
- Make art that shows what technology will be like in the future.
- How to Use Art Prompts
- Do small sketches first before making full works of art.
- Don’t try to be perfect; just focus on ideas and flow.
- Use prompts to get ready for bigger projects.
- Use more than one prompt to get different results.
- Write in a journal every day to keep track of your progress.
Last Thoughts
Every artist can use art prompts to great effect. They help you be more creative, get over creative blocks, and see things in new ways. Prompts can help you improve your skills and come up with new ideas, whether you’re a beginner or a professional. They can also help you stay consistent in your work.
