If you’re looking to push yourself with a challenging new project, but still need a bit of creative inspo, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled 12 challenging drawing ideas for you to pick up the pencils and try for yourself.
1. Experiment with scale
Image: suria.the.art.addict
Sometimes it’s all about the details. For a challenge, try scaling up or down your artwork like this idea! This mini macaw was finely illustrated and then brought to life with watercolours and we reckon it worked out wonderfully. Shrink down your subjects and give something like this a go.
2. Close ups
Image: barnashri.draws
Even an eye can be a stunning source of inspiration, like this challenging drawing idea, that’s taken an eye and added a whole lot of detail! Experiment with shading using portrait pencils to add shadows and highlights to your works, but most of all, have fun with it!
3.Back to basics
Image: sujal_art_
You certainly don’t need a huge amount of fancy equipment or ornate objects to create a challenging drawing. Simply grabbing an object such as a jug, vase or a cup can work as a stunning still life by focussing on rendering, tone and light. After adding the outlines, add your tones, definition and detail and add textural background details too; think tiles and splashbacks in kitchens or skirting and wooden floorboards in living rooms.
4. Drawing glass
A reflective surface like glass can be tricky to conquer, but it’s worth giving it a crack (the idea, not the glass). We’ve created a step by step project on how to draw glass with coloured pencils, so you can follow along or watch it first and then have a play around yourself.
5. Coloured pencil drawing
Image: emilylcassidyart
Coloured pencils aren’t just for scribbling, you can create challenging drawings with them too and use them to bring life to your realistic drawings, like this idea. Once you’re happy with your details, try burnishing your coloured pencil drawings. To burnish, layer and layer until there’s no sign of paper underneath, a sheen will be created from the pencil wax that’ll lock the colours in. It’s difficult to build anything up afterwards, so it’s best to use this technique on the final layer, once you’re happy with the look of things!
6. Portraits with pen
Image: mickart_zw
Facing a challenging drawing? Try using a pen for a monochrome drawing and experiment with textures like this idea. Whether it’s a pen or a pencil, it’s often all about texture and shading with monochrome drawing. Crosshatching, hatching and scumbling are all important techniques to show tone and definition. Set the challenge and give it a go!
7. Amazing architecture
Image: salwartistic
Tackling a realistic architecture drawing can be another fun and challenging drawing idea. Immerse yourself in the beauty of a building far away or stop by one and draw what you see. Get detailed and sketch the nooks and crannies, add the tiles and brickwork or try a monochrome drawing like this pen sketch.
8. Get fruity
Image: the_artwarrior
It’s amazing that this strawberry drawing was made just by using an 8B graphite pencil and some paper! Play around with lighting and once you have a light source established, you can add highlights and shadows to your drawings. Don’t forget to add the texture. This strawberry is all about the details in the texture, from the strawberry seeds to the leaves, it can really make a difference.
9. Diving deep
Image: studiosophielin
It’s well known that nature can be a great source of creative inspiration. So, if you’re stuck for ideas, why not dive deep into an ocean drawing. Realistic drawings can take some time to get the hang of, so it’s important to take some breaks in between creating. We love that this challenging drawing idea, shows the progress of creating an artwork because it’s important to take time out to stand back and take a wider look at your drawing. Give yourself time and grace for tackling a new challenge.
10. Wine glass pour
For a challenging drawing idea, that’s good enough to sip on, try this wine glass project using pencils and graphic fine liners. This idea not only shows how to draw a reflective surface using glass, it also shows water in action. However, we haven’t left you in the dark, you can follow along with our project here.
11. Sunny side up
Image: sushantsrane
Food’s always inspiring (and yummy) to draw, so why not have a crack at drawing a breakfast food like this realistic fried egg drawing? We love the detail in this challenging drawing idea, from the air bubbles to the fried crust around the egg, plus it’s all brought to life with coloured pencils. Sometimes it’s the simplest of ideas that can be the most effective.
12. Eye portrait
Image: ayush.__.__
Check out this realistic eye using charcoal. You can try an idea like this for yourself by focussing on one area of the body and adding as much detail and precision as you can including hair, wrinkles and fine skin detailing like this.
Looking for more? Grab your markers and try crosshatching a black cockatoo in fineliners with this project, or if you’re looking for a challenging painting, learn how to paint glass in watercolours.
We hope that you feel inspired to create. Try these 11 challenging drawing ideas for yourself and #montmarteart or tag us @montmarteart on Instagram or Facebook, we’d love to see what you create.
1. Experiment with scale
Image: suria.the.art.addict
Sometimes it’s all about the details. For a challenge, try scaling up or down your artwork like this idea! This mini macaw was finely illustrated and then brought to life with watercolours and we reckon it worked out wonderfully. Shrink down your subjects and give something like this a go.
2. Close ups
Even an eye can be a stunning source of inspiration, like this challenging drawing idea, that’s taken an eye and added a whole lot of detail! Experiment with shading using portrait pencils to add shadows and highlights to your works, but most of all, have fun with it!
3.Back to basics
You certainly don’t need a huge amount of fancy equipment or ornate objects to create a challenging drawing. Simply grabbing an object such as a jug, vase or a cup can work as a stunning still life by focussing on rendering, tone and light. After adding the outlines, add your tones, definition and detail and add textural background details too; think tiles and splashbacks in kitchens or skirting and wooden floorboards in living rooms.
4. Drawing glass
A reflective surface like glass can be tricky to conquer, but it’s worth giving it a crack (the idea, not the glass). We’ve created a step by step project on how to draw glass with coloured pencils, so you can follow along or watch it first and then have a play around yourself.
5. Coloured pencil drawing
Coloured pencils aren’t just for scribbling, you can create challenging drawings with them too and use them to bring life to your realistic drawings, like this idea. Once you’re happy with your details, try burnishing your coloured pencil drawings. To burnish, layer and layer until there’s no sign of paper underneath, a sheen will be created from the pencil wax that’ll lock the colours in. It’s difficult to build anything up afterwards, so it’s best to use this technique on the final layer, once you’re happy with the look of things!
6. Portraits with pen
Facing a challenging drawing? Try using a pen for a monochrome drawing and experiment with textures like this idea. Whether it’s a pen or a pencil, it’s often all about texture and shading with monochrome drawing. Crosshatching, hatching and scumbling are all important techniques to show tone and definition. Set the challenge and give it a go!
7. Amazing architecture
Tackling a realistic architecture drawing can be another fun and challenging drawing idea. Immerse yourself in the beauty of a building far away or stop by one and draw what you see. Get detailed and sketch the nooks and crannies, add the tiles and brickwork or try a monochrome drawing like this pen sketch.
8. Get fruity
It’s amazing that this strawberry drawing was made just by using an 8B graphite pencil and some paper! Play around with lighting and once you have a light source established, you can add highlights and shadows to your drawings. Don’t forget to add the texture. This strawberry is all about the details in the texture, from the strawberry seeds to the leaves, it can really make a difference.
9. Diving deep
Image: studiosophielin
It’s well known that nature can be a great source of creative inspiration. So, if you’re stuck for ideas, why not dive deep into an ocean drawing. Realistic drawings can take some time to get the hang of, so it’s important to take some breaks in between creating. We love that this challenging drawing idea, shows the progress of creating an artwork because it’s important to take time out to stand back and take a wider look at your drawing. Give yourself time and grace for tackling a new challenge.
10. Wine glass pour
For a challenging drawing idea, that’s good enough to sip on, try this wine glass project using pencils and graphic fine liners. This idea not only shows how to draw a reflective surface using glass, it also shows water in action. However, we haven’t left you in the dark, you can follow along with our project here.
11. Sunny side up
Image: sushantsrane
Food’s always inspiring (and yummy) to draw, so why not have a crack at drawing a breakfast food like this realistic fried egg drawing? We love the detail in this challenging drawing idea, from the air bubbles to the fried crust around the egg, plus it’s all brought to life with coloured pencils. Sometimes it’s the simplest of ideas that can be the most effective.
12. Eye portrait
Image: ayush.__.__
Check out this realistic eye using charcoal. You can try an idea like this for yourself by focussing on one area of the body and adding as much detail and precision as you can including hair, wrinkles and fine skin detailing like this.
Looking for more? Grab your markers and try crosshatching a black cockatoo in fineliners with this project, or if you’re looking for a challenging painting, learn how to paint glass in watercolours.
We hope that you feel inspired to create. Try these 11 challenging drawing ideas for yourself and #montmarteart or tag us @montmarteart on Instagram or Facebook, we’d love to see what you create.
