Find your inner artist: 6 easy ways to start

Every kid draws. Give them a sheet of paper and it fills up with suns, cats and wobbly houses.

Somewhere along the way, most of us stop, and start saying “I can’t draw.” Your inner artist is still there. It just needs an easy way back in, one that doesn’t ask you to be good at anything yet.

Here are six ideas to try, on your own or with the kids. Pick the one that sounds most like you.

11. Draw with a single line

Line drawing is made of lines and nothing else. Try the one-line challenge: put your pen on the paper and draw a mug, a plant or your own hand without lifting the pen until you’re done.

The result is quirky and loose, and the wobbles are the best part. A pen and ten minutes are all you need.

22. Doodle a cartoon character

If you love comics or anime, invent a character of your own. Cartoons don’t have to look real, so you’re free to play. Start with a circle for the head, add two ears, big eyes and a tiny mouth, then give it a funny hat.

• 1. A circle
• 2. Ears and body
• 3. Face and color

Step-by-step drawing books make this easier still. In How to Draw “Almost” Everything Kawaii, every drawing starts from a few simple shapes and ends with something you’re proud of, like a smiling cat or a tiny dragon. Each one even comes with a fun fact to read while you draw.

33. Color a page someone else drew

Grown-ups color too, and there’s a page for every taste, from cozy animals to gardens in bloom. With the lines already there, you can focus on choosing colors and trying new techniques.

Want a page right now? Print one of our free printable pages and start tonight. For color ideas, see Color theory: how to make colors pop.

44. Draw your own mandala

A mandala is a circular design that repeats around a center. Draw a small circle in the middle of the page, then add rings of shapes around it, like petals or dots. Repeat each shape all the way around before you start the next ring.

A pencil and a glass to trace around are all it takes. Color it when the pattern is done, or keep it in crisp black lines. Our guide How to color a mandala, step by step shows how to bring it to life.

55. Splatter some paint

Splatter painting skips brushstrokes altogether. Load a brush or an old toothbrush with watery paint, then flick it at the paper. Layer two or three colors and watch the pattern build.

It gets messy, so cover the table and wear old clothes. Kids usually love this one, and grown-ups often do too.

66. Blend soft pastels

Soft pastels leave a velvety color that blends under your fingertip. Color an area, then smooth it with a finger or a cotton pad. A sunset, or a landscape with three layers of hills, makes a great first project.

You only need a small box of pastels and paper with a little texture.

• Splatter paint
• Soft pastels

Find the one that feels like you

Try one idea this week and another next week. One of them will stick, maybe the one you least expected.

Keep everything you make, even the pages you don’t love yet. Date them in a corner. In a few months, they’ll show you how far you’ve come.

Questions about getting started with art

I can't draw. Where should I start?

Start with something that doesn't need drawing skills: a one-line drawing, a page to color or a splatter painting. Step-by-step drawing books are a great next step, because every drawing starts from simple shapes.

What supplies do I need to start?

A pen, a pencil and some paper are enough for most of these ideas. Add colored pencils for coloring, a few paints for splatter art and a small box of soft pastels if you want to try blending.

Can kids and grown-ups do these together?

Yes. Every idea here works at the same table: the one-line challenge, cartoon characters and splatter painting are especially fun to do side by side.