Easy Drawing Warmups for All Levels

Drawing warm-ups help you loosen up, get into a calm and creative mindset, and make confident marks. 

Since lines and shapes are the foundation of all drawings, it’s also important to build our muscle memory to be able to draw these basics well. 

For these warm ups, get a pencil and paper (dotted paper works well so you can check the straightness of your lines and size of your shapes). With bold, loose strokes, practice drawing:

1. Scribble: Loosen up by scribbling, varying the pressure and thickness of your lines, just have fun with it! 
2. Lines: Draw straight lines and curved lines (S-curve, C-curve) 
3. 2D Shapes: Draw circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles in different sizes. 
4. 3D Shapes: Draw spheres, boxes, cones, and cylinders at different angles. You can draw from life using blocks or other objects, or use photo references. 

Artist tip: Try to draw with your whole arm, not just your wrist. It will make your strokes appear smoother and more energetic and puts less strain on your body. 

If you want to learn how to draw, my Drawing Foundations class covers the basics in a fun and motivating way! Learn more about it here.