The Sketchbook Stumper

Random Drawing Prompts & Art Challenges

Staring blankly at well a blank page? The Sketchbook Random Drawing Prompts tools here to maybe nudge you in the right direction. If you would prefer a visual prompt, the photo prompt or museum prompt on my other pages generate a randomized photo or museum object from the Chicago Museum of Art.

The tool combines a subject, an art style, and a twist challenge. Subjects range from everyday objects to surreal scenes, styles span everything from Film Noir to Impressionism, and the challenges are designed to give something you won’t be expecting: wonky scale, limited palette, or negative space focus. Lock any element you want to keep and reshuffle the rest until the combination sparks something worth drawing.

Just click New Page to generate a unique combination. If you land on an idea you love, like a specific art style or subject, click the Circle to keep it safe while you reshuffle the rest. New ideas will be added periodically to mix it up.