If you’ve ever scrolled through Pinterest and felt a burst of inspiration (followed by a little intimidation), you’re not alone. Pinterest is packed with incredible drawings—from intricate fantasy illustrations to minimalist sketches—but it’s also a goldmine for beginner-friendly ideas. The key is knowing where to look and how to break those ideas into achievable steps.
This guide curates the best Pinterest drawing ideas for beginners—while helping you build real drawing skills along the way. Whether you're looking to fill your sketchbook, start a daily practice, or simply get past creative block, the ideas here will help you turn pins into practice.
Let’s make Pinterest your drawing playground—not just a mood board.
Why Pinterest Is a Treasure Trove for Drawing Ideas
Pinterest stands out for three reasons:
- Visual Search: You can follow your curiosity—see one style, click through to more just like it
- Themed Boards: Great for finding drawing prompts tied to seasons, moods, or styles
- Real Artist Workflow: Many posts show step-by-step guides, sketch stages, or how others practice
But what really matters is knowing how to translate those beautiful images into something you can draw confidently—even as a beginner.
Drawing Idea #1: Aesthetic Polaroid Scenes
These mini compositions inside a drawn Polaroid frame are everywhere on Pinterest—and they're beginner-friendly.
How to Draw It:
- Draw a small rectangle with a slightly wider bottom edge (like a photo print)
- Inside, sketch a scene: mountains, window views, beach days, cityscapes
- Keep the scene minimal—use silhouettes or flat shapes
- Use thin lines and one or two highlight colors
Why It’s Great for Beginners:
- Teaches layout within boundaries
- Helps with composition and framing
- Allows you to practice clean lines and stylized simplicity
Variation to Try:
Do a series of Polaroids across a page with different moods (sunset, night sky, rainy day).
Common Beginner Mistake:
Overcrowding the frame. Keep each scene focused on one element or theme.
This style blends well with the clean, conceptual styles found in our drawing ideas for beginners.
Drawing Idea #2: Collage-Style “Mood Girls”
Popular on Pinterest are drawings of simple cartoon or anime-style girls surrounded by small icons—plants, coffee cups, stars, or cats.
How to Draw It:
- Start with a soft outline of a character’s face and shoulders
- Keep features simple: dot eyes, small nose, minimal lines
- Around the character, doodle floating symbols or items that show a vibe or theme
- Use muted color palettes or even just black-and-white
Why It’s Great for Beginners:
- Builds character design confidence
- Helps with drawing small, repeating objects
- Encourages storytelling through accessories
Variation to Try:
Base a character on your current mood or season: “Cozy Girl,” “Spring Vibes,” or “Rainy Day Energy.”
Common Beginner Mistake:
Focusing too much on facial detail. The power of this style is in minimalism and mood.
You’ll find more ideas like this in our ideas for drawing collection.
Drawing Idea #3: Surreal Object Combos
Pinterest is full of creative mashups—like a coffee cup growing plants or a mushroom wearing sneakers. These surreal combinations are fantastic for unlocking imagination.
How to Draw It:
- Start with a real object like a shoe or teapot
- Think: “What unexpected thing could be growing or peeking out of this?”
- Sketch in pencil, experimenting with size and balance
- Add little touches—smoke, vines, stars, or a background circle to frame it
Why It’s Great for Beginners:
- Frees you from “right” or “wrong” results
- Strengthens creativity and observation
- Combines object study with concept building
Variation to Try:
Draw three objects and try to fuse them together (e.g. cactus + cup + headphones).
Common Beginner Mistake:
Making each element too detailed. Keep forms simple and focus on the overall idea.
You'll discover lots of this kind of creative thinking in our unique drawing ideas section.
Drawing Idea #4: Handlettering with Doodles
Pinterest thrives on quote art—especially when hand-lettering is paired with sketchy illustrations.
How to Draw It:
- Pick a short quote or word you like
- Write it in your best print or cursive lettering
- Surround it with matching doodles: for “cozy,” draw mugs, pillows, rainclouds
- Emphasize contrast by combining bold and light line styles
Why It’s Great for Beginners:
- Practices spacing and layout
- Combines lettering with illustration
- Teaches composition in a fun, visual way
Variation to Try:
Create a full-page spread around a weekly theme or mantra.
Common Beginner Mistake:
Using too many styles in one piece. Stick with 1–2 complementary fonts and doodle styles.
Drawing Idea #5: Minimalist Animal Heads
These tiny, clean animal sketches are great for repetition—and they look amazing in a grid layout.
How to Draw It:
- Choose 3–6 animals (fox, bear, dog, cat, frog, owl)
- Use a circle or rounded square base for the head
- Keep features tiny and spaced out
- Focus on ear shape and mouth angle for expression
Why It’s Great for Beginners:
- Reinforces basic shape structure
- Excellent for style exploration
- Fast to repeat and improve
Variation to Try:
Create an emotion series: all cats, each showing a different expression.
Common Beginner Mistake:
Putting eyes too high or close together—space matters a lot with cute proportions.
Skill Builder: Working from a Pinterest Reference
Pinterest is full of beautiful art—but using it to improve takes a bit of strategy. Here’s how to make the most of it:
Use This Step-by-Step:
- Pick one idea—not a full board
- Sketch it from memory first, then look at the reference
- Notice key elements: shape, line weight, spacing
- Try redrawing it in your own style
- Label your version with what worked and what didn’t
Pro Tip:
If a piece looks hard, ask yourself: “Can I simplify this idea and still keep the essence?”
This mindset is how beginners evolve from copying to creating.
Mini Pinterest Challenge: 5 Inspired Sketches
Try this mini challenge for the next 5 days—sketch one idea per day:
- A sleeping fox curled into a coffee mug
- A stack of books with growing plants
- A cloud blowing wind into a paper airplane
- A girl and her cat inside a snow globe
- A giant heart-shaped balloon lifting a bicycle
Each combines character, objects, and emotion—the hallmarks of popular Pinterest drawing ideas.
Final Thoughts
Pinterest doesn’t just have to be a gallery of things to admire—it can be your personal sketchbook prompt machine. With the right mindset and these beginner-friendly ideas, you can draw your way into styles, themes, and moods you love.
Remember: You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to start sketching consistently and thoughtfully. Save your favorite pins, translate them into simple shapes, and make them your own.
Now open Pinterest, pick one idea that made you smile—and draw it today.