What to Draw Wheel

So… blank page. Empty sketchbook. You sitting there like “what the heck am I supposed to draw now?” Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. It’s honestly the worst part about wanting to make art – not the actual drawing part, but figuring out what to draw in the first place.

That’s basically why I love our What to Draw Wheel so much. Like, instead of sitting there for twenty minutes scrolling Instagram looking for “inspiration” (we all do it, don’t lie), you just spin this What to Draw Wheel thing and boom. Decision made. No more choice paralysis.

Random stuff actually works though

I know it sounds kinda backwards but hear me out. When you take away all the choosing and second-guessing, your brain can actually focus on the fun part. You know what I mean?

This one time I watched my friend spin the What to Draw Wheel and get “dinosaur in a tutu.” She was like “ugh seriously?” but then spent the next hour completely absorbed drawing this amazing T-rex doing ballet. Would she have picked that on her own? Definitely not. Did it turn out awesome? Absolutely.

It’s weird how your mind works differently when you’re not precious about the subject. Less pressure = more creativity. Simple as that.

Teachers figured this out ages ago

My art teacher in high school used to do something similar (though way less cool than our What to Draw Wheel). She’d write random words on slips of paper and make us pick from a hat. Same idea, but the wheel is way more fun.

Kids lose their minds over it in the best way. You spin the What to Draw Wheel, get something like “alien grocery shopping,” and suddenly everyone’s cracking up and sketching these ridiculous scenes. Way better than another boring apple study.

Art therapists do this too apparently. Makes sense when you think about it – sometimes you need something outside yourself to point you toward feelings or ideas you might not explore otherwise.

You get better without realizing

Here’s the thing nobody tells you about using a What to Draw Wheel regularly – you accidentally become good at drawing all sorts of random stuff. One week you’re doing portraits, next week it’s cars, then maybe weird fantasy creatures.

Each thing teaches you something different, right? Faces are all about proportions and expression. Buildings force you to think about perspective (ugh, perspective). Animals make you figure out how fur works or how to show movement.

Best part? When the What to Draw Wheel throws you something you suck at, you actually notice. Like if it lands on “hands” and you realize you’ve been drawing people with mittens their whole lives because hands are hard. Now you know what to work on.

Drawing with other people is the best

Seriously, get a group together and everyone spin the What to Draw Wheel for the same prompt. It’s hilarious seeing how different everyone’s brains work.

Last month my friend group all got “haunted house” from spinning the What to Draw Wheel. Sarah drew this cute cartoon ghost house. Mike went full horror movie mode with twisted trees and stuff. I did something weirdly architectural because that’s just how my brain works apparently.

Social media made this even cooler. People post their wheel results and everyone tries the same prompt. There’s something really satisfying about seeing twenty different versions of “cat wearing a hat” or whatever. The Met museum has some cool drawing stuff that shows how art connects people in unexpected ways.

Online art classes use What to Draw Wheel sessions to break the ice too. Less awkward than “introduce yourself by drawing your self-portrait” or whatever.

Making it work however you want

The cool thing about our What to Draw Wheel is it’s flexible. Need a quick warm-up sketch? Spin and doodle for five minutes. Want a whole project? Same prompt could keep you busy for weeks.

When you’re starting out, getting simple stuff feels good. “Cat,” “tree,” “your breakfast” – things that make sense and don’t freak you out. Been drawing for years? Maybe you want weird abstract concepts like “what does Thursday feel like” or “the sound of rain.”

Time changes everything too. Same What to Draw Wheel prompt hits different depending on whether you’ve got ten minutes or ten hours. “Ocean waves” could be quick gesture lines or this whole detailed seascape masterpiece.

Works with whatever you use

Doesn’t matter if you’re team iPad or old school pencil person. The What to Draw Wheel doesn’t care. Digital folks can spin the What to Draw Wheel right on their tablet then jump into whatever app they use. Traditional people might spin a bunch of times and write down good ones for later.

Same subject, different medium = totally different vibe. “Mountain scene” in watercolor feels peaceful and flowy. Same thing in charcoal? Dramatic and moody. Digital version might be all vibrant and fantasy-like.

Some people go crazy and spin the What to Draw Wheel multiple times for one drawing. Main subject, then spin again for mood, maybe again for color scheme. Honestly pretty genius way to push yourself into weird new territory.

Professional stuff

Freelance artists figured out something smart about What to Draw Wheel practice. Clients throw the weirdest requests at you sometimes. Like you specialize in character design then suddenly need to illustrate “industrial equipment” or something random.

If you’ve been using the What to Draw Wheel regularly, you’ve probably drawn mechanical stuff before. Or at least you’re not completely terrified of unfamiliar subjects. Keeps you flexible, which clients love.

Portfolio building too. Instead of showing only your favorite style, you can prove you handle whatever gets thrown at you. That’s worth something in the freelance world.

The zen thing

There’s this calm thing that happens when you use a What to Draw Wheel. Hard to explain but since you’re not making the big decisions, your mind just… settles into the making part.

It’s almost meditative? Not worrying about whether your choice is cool enough or interesting enough. The wheel decided, you just draw. Takes all the pressure off.

I do my best work when I’m not overthinking it. The What to Draw Wheel basically forces you not to overthink, which is probably why it works so well.

Stuff people ask about

How much should I use the What to Draw Wheel?

However much feels right? Some people make it their daily warmup thing. Others use it weekly for bigger projects. I usually spin it when I’m stuck or bored. No rules really.

What if the What to Draw Wheel gives me something I hate?

Spin again! Life’s too short for miserable art time. Though honestly, some of my favorite drawings came from prompts I initially didn’t want to do. Sometimes pushing through the “ugh” feeling leads somewhere interesting.

Can I change what the wheel suggests?

Totally! Use it as a starting point and go wherever your brain takes you. Mix prompts, add your own twist, whatever. The What to Draw Wheel is just a suggestion, not a homework assignment.

Is this actually helpful for beginners?

Yeah definitely. New artists get stuck on “what to draw” way more than technique stuff. Taking that choice away lets you focus on actually learning to see and draw things. Plus you end up trying subjects you might avoid otherwise.

How do I share my wheel drawings?

Instagram, TikTok, art communities, text them to your mom – whatever works. It’s fun seeing how different people interpret the same What to Draw Wheel prompt. Makes you feel less alone in the creative struggle.

Can I use this for other creative stuff?

People are creative with it! Photography challenges, writing prompts, sculpture ideas. The prompts work for lots of different creative things even though it’s meant for drawing.