Alien Species Generator

Press New species for a people to draw: homeworld, body, senses, society, craft and greeting.

Alien Species Generator: 30 species

From a meadow world with no trees at all: a three-legged, round-bodied people who taste the air to tell the time. They live in tents they fold into their own packs, make histories told in rows of planted trees and greet strangers by turning to face the way the stranger came.

Padlock: keep a part. Arrows: change only that part.

Homeworlda meadow world with no trees at all
Body planthree-legged, round-bodied
Sensestaste the air to tell the time
Societyin tents they fold into their own packs
They makehistories told in rows of planted trees
First contactturning to face the way the stranger came

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Species of the day

From a meadow world with no trees at all: a three-legged, round-bodied people who taste the air to tell the time. They live in tents they fold into their own packs, make histories told in rows of planted trees and greet strangers by turning to face the way the stranger came.
From a world of thin cold air and wide skies: a four-way, mirror-sided people who never raise their voices and never need to. They live by lot with nobody leading twice, make walls of stacked pots that are each a home and greet strangers by keeping a river between the two sides for a day.
From a small world losing its air: a feathered, two-armed people who store old sounds and play them back. They live each on a hill of their own, make sand pictures swept away each evening and greet strangers by speaking only from behind a screen.
From a world of glass sand and mirror dunes: a thread-thin, tangle-prone people who read scent trails. They live in towers with the oldest at the top, make bells cast from fallen stars and greet strangers by drawing a line in the dust and stepping over it together.
From a sky world of drifting seed pods as big as towns: a paddle-limbed, six-finned people who dim themselves to listen. They live on a road that circles their whole world, make roads of fitted stone that never need mending and greet strangers by showing them the best view first.
From a small world where a jump lasts a minute: a shelled, slow-walking people who remember every smell they have ever met. They live in pairs that never part, make towers of woven living bamboo and greet strangers by lending a guide for the first mile.
From a frozen moon with a sea under the ice: a spined, round-bodied people who greet the dawn by tasting the dew. They live in silence for half of every year, make paper peeled from the bark of one kind of tree and greet strangers by counting the stranger's buttons aloud.
From a swamp world of roots and still water: a two-shelled, hinged people who store old sounds and play them back. They live in pairs that never part, make walls of thorn hedge trimmed into rooms and greet strangers by offering a map in exchange for news.
From a world of crystal caves that ring when struck: a tailed, upright people who feel a storm coming a day ahead. They live in pairs that never part, make fishing lines a mile long and greet strangers by turning to face the way the stranger came.
From a planet where it has rained for an age: a two-shelled, hinged people who sing one note each to make a sentence. They live alone until they are old and together after, make clothes that grow back when torn and greet strangers by trying on the stranger's hat.
From a world whose pull changes with the seasons: a segment-armoured, rolling people who talk by tapping on whatever is to hand. They live as guests in each other's homes and never their own, make cloth so fine it folds into a nutshell and greet strangers by ringing a bell once for each day of their journey.
From an ocean with no land: a furred, upright people who write in knots that are read by touch. They live by a book of rules nobody has finished reading, make roads of fitted stone that never need mending and greet strangers by asking to see what is in their pockets.
From a world so heavy that nothing flies: a disc-shaped, edge-walking people who talk in clicks too high to hear. They live in schools where the young teach the old, make bridges of trained roots and greet strangers by offering three gifts and asking for one back.
From a world where the sea glows at night: an eight-rayed people who can smell rain a week away. They live under elders who must agree in silence, make libraries of smooth stones kept one a year and greet strangers by trading songs before goods.
From a frozen moon with a sea under the ice: a drop-shaped people who sleep with one eye open and one mind awake. They live in clans named after the weather on their first day, make paintings done only in shadow and greet strangers by following at a distance for three days.
From a world of rivers that change course each year: a shield-backed people who see in every direction at once. They live with one day a week when nothing is decided, make tools that are picked when ripe and greet strangers by standing in silence for the time it takes a leaf to fall.
From a world whose sky is green with auroras: a two-shelled, hinged people who name each other by scent. They live far from the sea they came from, make ropes plaited from the bark of one vine and greet strangers by exchanging seeds.
From a hollowed-out world that is mostly caves: a thick-plated, slow-turning people who feel the pull of north without a compass. They live with a judge chosen for being the best listener, make drums as big as houses and greet strangers by swapping one thing from each pack, unseen.
From a world of high plateaus above poisonous cloud: a five-armed, star-shaped people who taste with the whole surface of their skin. They live in a single city that covers their only island, make mirrors that fold the sunlight into cellars and greet strangers by counting the stranger's buttons aloud.
From the dark side of a world that never turns: a six-legged, long-necked people who know where a visitor has been by smelling them. They live in a single city that covers their only island, make sails stitched from a thousand small scraps and greet strangers by standing still until the stranger speaks first.
From a world of permanent fog: a ten-limbed, low-slung people who read each other's patterns like faces. They live under sail on dry land before the wind, make towers of salt blocks that shine at noon and greet strangers by swapping one thing from each pack, unseen.
From a world under a white sun too bright to look at: a thin, stilt-legged people who keep in step with their eyes shut. They live by a map of who owes whom a favour, make clothes that grow back when torn and greet strangers by leaving food at the edge of camp and withdrawing.
From a world where the ground moves like slow dough: a plate-armoured people who answer each other a day late. They live in rings round a shared fire that never goes out, make star charts pricked into leather and greet strangers by offering a map in exchange for news.
From a world with two suns and no true night: a plate-armoured people who sleep with one eye open and one mind awake. They live wherever the fruit is ripe, make maps tied in lengths of cord and greet strangers by letting the eldest look them over in silence.
From a world capped in ice from pole to pole: an eight-rayed people who know where a visitor has been by smelling them. They live wherever the fruit is ripe, make harbours carved from a single rock and greet strangers by lending a guide for the first mile.
From a world under a white sun too bright to look at: a thin, stilt-legged people who can tell what a thing is made of by tapping it. They live a hundred to a nest of woven reed, make story cloths that take a lifetime to finish and greet strangers by speaking only from behind a screen.
From a world of iron plains that rust red: a sponge-bodied people who see in every direction at once. They live in caravans that never stop for more than a night, make bells cast from fallen stars and greet strangers by swapping one traveller from each side overnight.
From a world of mushrooms taller than towers: a spined, round-bodied people who know each other's moods through the ground. They live in nests they rebuild every morning, make cups from gourds grown inside moulds and greet strangers by giving directions before being asked.
From a world whose sky is green with auroras: a many-handed people who talk by touch along a line of linked bodies. They live a hundred to a nest of woven reed, make tools that are picked when ripe and greet strangers by drawing their portrait on the spot.
From a world with one face always in daylight: a feathered, two-armed people who read each other's patterns like faces. They live by a map of who owes whom a favour, make houses coaxed from living trees and greet strangers by speaking only from behind a screen.

Next step Draw a sci-fi scene for them

Homeworld: all 60 homeworlds

Heavy and light worlds 12

a heavy world of low mountains and wide seas Hills are worn flat by weight. Keep the horizon low and the bodies lower.
a heavy world with a crushing pull A super-Earth has more mass than our planet. Build them short and wide, on many thick legs.
a hollowed-out world that is mostly caves Low ceilings shape them. Build bodies that are long, not tall.

Show all 60 homeworlds (57 more)

Heavy and light worlds, continued

a moon light enough to leap across Draw them mid bound, far above their own shadows.
a planet with rings that rain dust A fine grit falls all year. Draw sealed eyes, covered mouths and smooth outer surfaces.
a small world losing its air Thin air means big chests or big gills. Draw them with a slow, deep breath.
a small world where a jump lasts a minute Weak gravity lets a body grow tall and thin. Draw long limbs and slow, floating poses.
a twin world that hangs huge in the sky The other world fills a quarter of the sky. Put it behind every outdoor scene.
a world so heavy that nothing flies No wings and no leaping. Give them broad feet and keep every pose close to the ground.
a world that spins so fast the day is an hour Lean every figure against the turn. Shadows swing in each panel of a comic.
a world whose pull changes with the seasons Give them a way to be heavy or light: ballast pouches, or bones they can fill.
a world with three small moons and wild tides The sea comes in three times a day. Draw legs for mud and a body that can be left dry.

Water and ice 12

a drowned world of tall stone stacks Life is lived on cliff faces. Draw gripping feet and a body that folds flat to rock.
a frozen moon with a sea under the ice No sunlight reaches them. Leave out eyes or make them tiny, and add feelers.
a moon of slush that is always half frozen Half swimmer, half sledge. Draw a smooth belly and paddles at the sides.
a planet where it has rained for an age Everything sheds water. Give them ridged backs and hoods over the face.
a sea of floating weed as thick as a forest Climbers in water. Draw grasping tails and many small hooks.
a world capped in ice from pole to pole Round bodies lose less heat. Keep limbs short and pulled in close.
a world of geysers where the ground whistles Heat proof below, cool above. Draw thick lower limbs and thin, finned heads.
a world of rivers that change course each year Good swimmers who carry their homes. Draw a pack or a shell on every figure.
a world of salt flats that flood once a year They wait out the dry months. Draw a sealed, seed-like resting shape as well.
a world of shallow warm lagoons Wading bodies: long legs, wide feet and heads held clear of the water.
a world where the sea glows at night Their markings glow too. Draw them in a dark scene, lit from within.
an ocean with no land No hands needed for climbing. Draw fins, jets or sails, and eyes that work above and below.

Light and dark 12

a moon in the long shadow of its planet Day is brief. Draw them gathered at the edge of a shadow, waiting.
a planet with a year of light and a year of dark Two coats, two ways of life. Design a summer form and a winter form.
a world lit only by its own volcanoes Light comes from below. Shade the tops of heads and light the chins.
a world of thick cloud where the sun is a rumour Flat, even light with no shadows. Describe form with outline and pattern.
a world under a dim red sun A red dwarf is the coolest, dimmest kind of ordinary star. Draw very large eyes and dark skin that soaks it up.
a world under a white sun too bright to look at Pale or mirrored skin throws the light back. Leave their bodies as near-bare paper.
a world where the stars are bright enough to read by A clear dark sky. Draw them small under a field of points.
a world whose sky is green with auroras Curtains of light overhead. Reflect green along the top edge of every body.
a world with one face always in daylight A tidally locked world keeps one side to its star. Shade one half of every figure hard.
a world with two suns and no true night Two shadows for each figure. Give them lids, hoods or visors against the glare.
the dark side of a world that never turns No sun at all. Draw huge ears or feelers and a body that keeps its own warmth.
the twilight ring between a hot side and a cold Long shadows always. Light every scene from the horizon.

Air and sky 12

a dusty world of red sandstorms Sealed against grit. Draw slit nostrils, lashes and plates that close over joints.
a gas giant with no ground to stand on They float or fly for life. Draw gas bags, sails or wide flat bodies.
a sky world of drifting seed pods as big as towns They live on what floats. Draw them tethered by lines to a pod.
a world of floating islands of pumice Light stone drifts on a sea. Draw them stepping from one raft to the next.
a world of high plateaus above poisonous cloud Life on islands in the sky. Draw climbers and gliders with a long drop below.
a world of permanent fog Sight is short. Draw whiskers, feelers and markings that show at arm's length.
a world of thin cold air and wide skies Large lungs and larger wings. Draw the chest as the biggest shape.
a world of winds that never drop Low, streamlined shapes that all face the same way. Draw them leaning.
a world where storms last for lifetimes They shelter and wait. Give them anchors: hooks, roots or a heavy base.
a world where the clouds are alive They share the sky with something bigger. Put a vast soft shape behind them.
a world whose air hums with static Give them a way to shed charge: trailing threads or a tail that drags.
a world with air as thick as soup Thick air holds up heavy fliers. Give even large bodies small, slow wings.

Ground and growth 12

a desert world with one river Everyone lives along a single line. Draw crowds on the banks and nothing beyond.
a forest world where the trees are miles tall Life at many heights. Draw gripping limbs and no fear of a drop.
a garden world where everything is edible No hunting, no hurry. Draw soft, round, unarmoured bodies.
a meadow world with no trees at all Nowhere to hide. Draw grazers with eyes on the sides of the head.
a swamp world of roots and still water Stilts or rafts. Draw them above their own reflections.
a world of black rock and hot vents Dark bodies against dark ground. Pick them out with one line of warm light.
a world of canyons too deep to see into They live on ledges. Draw long arms and a body that hugs the wall.
a world of crystal caves that ring when struck Sound carries. Draw large ears, or none and a body that feels the hum.
a world of glass sand and mirror dunes Reflections everywhere. Give them dull, matt skin so they can be seen.
a world of iron plains that rust red Red dust on everything. Stain their lower halves with it.
a world of mushrooms taller than towers Soft ground, soft light. Draw them small under wide caps.
a world where the ground moves like slow dough Nothing stays put. Draw wide feet and homes that are carried.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry is an invented world, written to follow the word "From"; no planet from any film, show, game or book. Each note says what that world might do to a body and is design advice, not a prediction. The real terms the notes lean on were checked on 2026-09-30: a tidally locked body keeps one face toward the body it orbits (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_locking); a super-Earth is an exoplanet with a mass higher than Earth's and well below that of Uranus and Neptune (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super-Earth); a red dwarf is the smallest, coolest and least luminous kind of main-sequence star (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_dwarf); surface gravity is the gravitational acceleration at a body's surface (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface_gravity). Licence: own work

Body plan: all 60 body plans

Upright, two arms, two legs 12

big-eyed, small-jawed The eyes sit halfway down the head. Keep the mouth a short, plain line.
broad, short-legged Wider than they are tall. The arms reach the ground with ease.
crested, long-limbed A crest runs from brow to nape. Raise it or flatten it to show mood.

Show all 60 body plans (57 more)

Upright, two arms, two legs, continued

feathered, two-armed Long feathers trail from the forearms like sleeves. The hands stay bare.
furred, upright Draw the outline as short broken strokes and leave the inside plain.
scaled, upright Scale only the shoulders, shins and brow. The eye fills in the rest.
short, barrel-chested Three heads tall. The chest is the widest shape and the legs are pillars.
tailed, upright The tail balances the body. Lean the chest forward and swing the tail back.
tall, long-fingered Stretch every proportion by a third. Keep the head small so the height reads.
tall-necked, upright The neck is as long as the arms. Bend it so the head can look behind.
thick-skinned, heavy-browed Shade under the brow so the eyes sit in shadow. The skin folds at each joint.
thin, stilt-legged Legs take up two thirds of the height. Draw the knees as knots.

Radial bodies 12

ball-bodied, spine-walking A sphere of long spines. It moves by leaning. Draw every spine to the same length.
barrel-bodied, top-mouthed A cylinder with the mouth on top and the limbs in a ring below it.
bell-shaped, trailing-armed Open and close the bell to swim. Let the arms follow a beat behind.
disc-shaped, edge-walking A flat disc that walks on its rim. From the side it is a line.
dome-bodied, fringe-limbed A dome with a skirt of small limbs. It glides more than it walks.
eight-rayed Eight equal limbs round a centre. Fold four up and stand on four.
five-armed, star-shaped No front and no back. Any arm can lead, so draw them changing direction without turning.
flower-headed A stalk with a ring of petals round the mouth. Close the petals for sleep.
four-way, mirror-sided The same from north, south, east and west. Draw it from the corner to show two faces.
ring-shaped A hoop with a hollow middle. Show the scenery through the gap.
six-sided, wheel-bodied They roll. Draw one upright like a coin and one tilted as an ellipse.
three-legged, round-bodied A tripod never wobbles. Space the legs evenly and set the body between.

Many limbs 12

centipede-long Too many legs to count. Draw the first five and the last five, and blur the middle.
eight-legged, climbing Legs arch above the body. The knees are the highest points.
four-armed, two-legged Give the lower arms their own shoulders, just under the first pair.
four-winged Two pairs of wings that beat out of step. Draw one pair up and one down.
many-handed A ring of small hands round the waist. Each one can hold a different tool.
many-jointed, stick-thin Every limb has one joint too many. Draw the extra elbow bending the wrong way.
paddle-limbed, six-finned Three pairs of fins, largest in front. They row in turn.
six-legged, long-necked A grazer's body with two more legs. The neck rises from the front like a crane.
six-legged, two-handed Four limbs carry and two work. Raise the front pair off the ground.
ten-limbed, low-slung A long flat body. Draw the legs in a wave that runs from front to back.
twelve-footed Short feet in two rows under a rounded body. Only the nearest six show.
winged, four-legged Six limbs in all. Fold the wings along the back like a closed fan.

Soft and boneless 12

bag-bodied, tube-mouthed A soft sack that takes in water at one end and pushes it out the other.
balloon-bodied, drifting A bag of light gas with a cluster of limbs below. Tether it or it floats off the page.
boneless, many-armed No fixed outline. Draw three poses of the same body and make them all different.
drop-shaped A teardrop that sits on its round end. It leans the way it means to go.
frilled, soft-edged The whole outline ripples. Draw it as a wavy line that never repeats.
jelly-clear See through, with the insides showing as soft shapes. Draw the edge and one highlight.
many-lobed A body of soft rounded bulges. Shade under each one.
ribbon-bodied Flat and long. It swims in waves and rests in folds.
slug-footed One broad foot under the whole body. The front lifts to look about.
sponge-bodied Full of holes that water passes through. Dot the surface with openings of three sizes.
thread-thin, tangle-prone A body like a length of yarn. Draw one in a neat coil and one in a knot.
two-layered, cloak-skinned A loose outer skin over a smaller body. The cloak moves a moment late.

Shelled and armoured 12

domed, six-legged A dome on short legs. From above it is a circle with six dots.
helmet-headed Armour on the head and nothing else. The helmet is part of the skull.
plate-armoured Overlapping plates like roof tiles. Leave a dark gap at each joint.
segment-armoured, rolling Bands of armour that curl into a ball. Draw one walking and one rolled.
shelled, slow-walking The shell is a house. Draw the limbs half out, ready to pull in.
shield-backed One flat plate covers the back. The edges curve down like a tray turned over.
spined, round-bodied A ball of short thick spines. Draw them in rows, like a seed head.
spiral-shelled A coiled shell with the body in the opening. Draw the spiral first.
stone-skinned They look like boulders until they stand. Add lichen and a crack or two.
thick-plated, slow-turning Too heavy to turn fast. Draw the whole body pivoting on one planted foot.
tube-dwelling Each lives in a tube it builds. Only the top third of the body ever shows.
two-shelled, hinged Two halves that open like a book. Show one open and one shut.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry is a body, written to stand before the word "people". No species from any film, show, game or book. The notes are drawing advice. Licence: own work

Senses: all 60 senses

Light and colour 15

change colour when they change their minds An octopus changes colour with cells called chromatophores. Draw one figure in two colours.
dim themselves to listen Draw a ring of dark figures round one that still glows.
glow brighter when they are sure A dim figure is a doubtful one. Draw a meeting with one bright speaker.

Show all 60 senses (57 more)

Light and colour, continued

keep a second set of eyes for the dark Two pairs: small ones for day and wide ones that open at night.
read each other's patterns like faces No two have the same markings. Design three and keep them apart.
see by the light they give off themselves Each one stands in a small pool of its own light.
see heat and not colour Some snakes sense heat with pits on the face. Draw what they see: warm shapes on a cold ground.
see in every direction at once A band of eyes right round the head. Nothing can stand behind them.
see only things that move A still figure is invisible to them. Draw a frozen game of statues.
see the wind as ribbons of colour Paint the air. Streamers of colour bend round every figure.
signal with mirrors of polished shell A flash across a valley. Draw the beam as a thin white line.
sleep with one eye open and one mind awake Draw half the face asleep and the other half watching.
speak by casting shadows on a wall Draw the speaker small and the shadow large.
talk in flashes of light along their sides Many sea animals make their own light. Draw a row of pale dots down each flank.
write in glowing marks that fade by morning A wall of soft light, brightest where the newest words are.

Sound and echo 15

answer each other a day late Two figures back to back, each speaking to where the other was.
can throw their voices round corners The speaker is out of frame. Draw only the sound arriving.
find their way by echo Draw the cave as they hear it: near things sharp, far things soft.
hear through whatever part of them touches the ground They stand very still to listen. Draw the ground rippling toward them.
hum together until they agree A circle of figures leaning in. Draw the hum as one shared ring.
laugh in a note that cracks glass Draw the laugh as a jagged line and one cup with a split in it.
never raise their voices and never need to Small mouths and large ears. A crowd of them is quiet.
sing one note each to make a sentence It takes four of them to say anything. Draw them standing in a row.
sing to the weather and wait for a reply Heads back, mouths open and a sky that looks as if it is listening.
speak in drumbeats on their own bodies A raised limb and a hollow thump. Show the sound as short straight lines.
speak only in questions Every head tilts the same way. Draw the tilt.
store old sounds and play them back A sound from long ago comes out of a new mouth. Draw the listeners startled.
talk by tapping on whatever is to hand Draw a long pipe or root with a figure at each end.
talk in clicks too high to hear Toothed whales and some bats find their way by echo. Draw rings spreading from the mouth.
talk in whistles that carry for miles One figure on a ridge, one in the valley and a long curved line between.

Scent and taste 15

argue by releasing smells Two figures and a cloud between them. Bystanders hold their noses.
can smell rain a week away A raised head on a clear day and the washing already brought in.
cannot lie because their scent gives them away Draw one trying, and the rest already knowing.
follow the scent of water for days A line of them crossing dry ground, all heads pointing one way.
greet the dawn by tasting the dew Bent low over grass or stone at first light.
keep a garden of smells in place of a library Rows of sealed jars and one open, with a reader bent over it.
know where a visitor has been by smelling them Draw the visitor uneasy and the host very interested.
leave messages in smells that last for years A post, a rock or a doorway, with a figure pausing to read it.
mark their paths with a different scent for each day Coloured threads of smell cross the ground like string.
name each other by scent A greeting is a long breath in. Draw two of them nose to nose.
read scent trails Draw the trail as a dotted line along the ground and a head held low over it.
remember every smell they have ever met Draw one of them stopped dead in a street by something in the air.
smell fear and politely ignore it One nervous stranger in a calm crowd. Nobody looks at them.
taste the air to tell the time A tongue, a feeler or a frond held up into the wind.
taste with the whole surface of their skin They touch nothing they do not want to taste. Draw them walking with care.

Touch, heat and fields 15

can tell what a thing is made of by tapping it Draw a market where every buyer knocks on the goods.
feel a footstep from a mile off Bodies pressed flat to the ground and one pointing where it came from.
feel a storm coming a day ahead A whole village stops and looks up at the same moment.
feel the pull of north without a compass Draw a group that all face the same way to sleep.
feel the tide even far inland Twice a day they pause. Draw a street of still figures.
feel the weight of being watched Draw one turning round a moment before the watcher is seen.
keep in step with their eyes shut A crowd that turns as one. Draw them like a flock of starlings.
know each other's moods through the ground Draw rings in the dust round an angry one.
read the shape of a room from its draughts Feelers or fine hairs stand out all over. Draw them stirring.
sense the electric hum of living things Some fish sense weak electric fields. Draw a faint halo round every creature they notice.
sense where their kin are at any distance Draw one alone on a hill, facing exactly toward home.
share warmth to share news They huddle to talk. Draw a tight cluster with steam rising.
talk by touch along a line of linked bodies A message passes down a row. Draw the squeeze halfway along.
trade memories by pressing close together Two figures touching, both perfectly still.
write in knots that are read by touch A long cord hangs from a beam, with a reader's touch on one knot.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry says how a people sense or speak, written to follow the words "people who". The senses of real animals used as models were checked on 2026-09-30: echolocation in toothed whales and some bats (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_echolocation), the sensing of electric fields, found almost only in animals that live in water (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electroreception_and_electrogenesis), light made by living things, most of all in the sea (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioluminescence), the pit organs with which boas, pythons and pit vipers sense heat (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrared_sensing_in_snakes) and the chromatophore organs with which cephalopods such as the octopus change colour (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromatophore). The rest of each note is drawing advice. Licence: own work

Society: all 60 ways of living

Close together 15

a hundred to a nest of woven reed Big round baskets in the trees, each with a single doorway.
as one hive that shares every memory Draw a crowd in which every figure holds the same pose.
in a crowd so close they finish each other's thoughts Draw speech as one ribbon that passes through many mouths.

Show all 60 ways of living (57 more)

Close together, continued

in a hive where every job is drawn by lot Draw a bowl of tokens and a queue.
in a single city that covers their only island Roofs to the water's edge. No open ground at all.
in clans named after the weather on their first day Give each group one sign: a cloud, a sun or a slant of rain.
in families of exactly nine Draw groups of nine everywhere: at tables, on paths, in doorways.
in herds that sleep standing up A field of upright figures, all leaning on each other.
in households that swap a child each spring Two families meet on a bridge. One small figure crosses each way.
in one great house with a room for everyone A single building fills the page. Light a different window for each.
in one long street with no side roads Draw the vanishing point and line both sides with doors.
in pairs that never part Two of everything. Draw the pair as one silhouette with two heads.
in rings round a shared fire that never goes out Light every face from the middle of the circle.
in schools where the young teach the old A small figure at the front and rows of large ones listening.
in towers with the oldest at the top Tall narrow buildings with a small bright window near the roof.

Far apart 15

alone but within shouting distance Dots across a plain, evenly spaced. Each has its mouth open.
alone until they are old and together after Draw a house full of elders and an empty road leading to it.
apart all day and together at dusk Paths from every direction meet at one lit doorway.
as guests in each other's homes and never their own Everyone carries a bag. Nobody has a key.
as lone wanderers who meet once a year One figure in a wide landscape, and a faint path leading to the next valley.
at opposite ends of a long valley by choice Two villages, one road and a marker stone exactly halfway.
each on a hill of their own Small hills, one house on each and a flag on every roof.
far from the sea they came from Draw a shell, a net or an anchor kept on a wall, far inland.
in burrows a day's walk apart Mounds on a plain with a thread of smoke from each.
in hermit cells along a cliff A row of small openings in a rock face, each with a ledge.
in lookout posts that watch for each other Small towers on high ground, each with a figure facing outward.
in silence for half of every year Draw a market with no speech marks at all.
on roped-together islets of one family each Thin sagging lines between green dots, seen from above.
one to a boat in a fleet of thousands Tiny hulls to the horizon. Give each a different sail.
with one neighbour each and no more Houses in pairs across a wide land. Draw two chimneys close, then a long gap.

On the move 15

along the edge of the ice as it moves A line of shelters on a white shore, and old stone rings where the edge used to be.
in a canopy they never climb down from Rope, hooks and a child carried on a back.
in a new town every time the season turns Three empty towns and one full one.
in caravans that never stop for more than a night Wheels, sledges or legs. Draw the camp half packed.
in floating towns that follow the rain Flat rafts with houses on them, all drifting toward a dark cloud.
in nests they rebuild every morning Loose bundles of fresh branches. Yesterday's lie in a heap.
in tents they fold into their own packs Draw the same figure three times: walking, pitching and inside.
in the shade as it crosses the day A crowd inches round a great rock, following its shadow.
in the wake of great storms Broken trees, clear sky and builders arriving.
on a road that circles their whole world Draw a milestone carved with a very large number.
on rafts that drift with the current Low decks, a steering oar and washing on a line.
on the backs of slow enormous animals A village on a living hill. Show the animal's eye to give the scale.
on the tide line as it moves up and down the beach Footprints go both ways. Shelters stand on stilts above the weed.
under sail on dry land before the wind Wheeled boats on a salt plain, all heeled over.
wherever the fruit is ripe Trees on the left are bare, trees on the right are heavy and the crowd is in between.

By rule and custom 15

behind doors that have no locks Draw a street where you can see straight through each house.
by a book of rules nobody has finished reading Draw the book. It needs its own table and a ladder.
by a law that must be sung to count A choir stands where a court would be.
by a map of who owes whom a favour A wall covered in threads between pegs.
by a vote that must be the same on three days Three bowls of pebbles in a row.
by asking the children and doing the opposite A serious circle of adults round one small, pleased figure.
by lot with nobody leading twice A chain of office that is far too large for its wearer.
by the rule that guests eat first A long table, full plates at the far end and hosts waiting.
by the say-so of whoever has travelled furthest Draw the dustiest figure seated highest.
by trading every job once a year A baker in a fisher's boots. Draw the wrong tools in every hand.
by turns so that half are always asleep A town at noon with every second window shuttered.
under an old tree whose advice they ask first A meeting of small figures at the foot of a very large trunk.
under elders who must agree in silence A ring of seated figures, hands still, eyes moving.
with a judge chosen for being the best listener A figure with large ears and a closed mouth, raised on a plain stool.
with one day a week when nothing is decided A square full of people doing nothing at all, with care.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry says how a people live together, written to follow the words "They live". No society is modelled on a real human culture or taken from any film, show, game or book. The notes are drawing advice. Licence: own work

They make: all 60 crafts

Grown 15

boats from a single enormous seed pod A split pod with benches. The stalk is the prow.
bridges of trained roots Roots cross a gap and knit together. Draw the oldest part thickest.
clothes that grow back when torn Draw a sleeve with a fresh pale patch.

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Grown, continued

cups from gourds grown inside moulds Every cup is slightly square. Draw a shelf of them.
furniture of shaped fungus Rounded, pale and faintly ridged. It dents when sat on.
houses coaxed from living trees Trunks bend into doorways. Leaves grow from the roof.
ladders of knotted vine Uneven rungs and a few leaves still on.
lamps of glowing moss in clear shells A soft green light with no flame and no cord.
musical reeds that grow already tuned A bed of reeds of stepped heights, like the pipes of an organ.
paper peeled from the bark of one kind of tree Curled sheets hang to dry on a line.
sails of a single giant leaf Veins show against the light. The edge is slightly torn.
ships grown like coral Draw the hull with branching ribs and no straight line anywhere.
tools that are picked when ripe A bush hung with hammers at different stages. One is still green.
towers of woven living bamboo A lattice that sways. Draw it leaning slightly in the wind.
walls of thorn hedge trimmed into rooms Seen from above, a village is a maze of green lines.

Woven and knotted 15

baskets that hold water Tight coils with no gaps. Draw one being carried on a head.
cloth so fine it folds into a nutshell Draw the shell open and a banner pouring out of it.
fishing lines a mile long Draw the reel. It is taller than the fisher.
hammocks slung across whole canyons A thin curve between two cliffs with one sleeper in the middle.
kites that carry messages between towns A string runs out of the frame. The kite has writing on it.
maps tied in lengths of cord A net where every knot is a place. Hang it on a wall and add a pointing figure.
mats plaited fresh each morning Yesterday's mat hangs on the fence post.
nets that can hold fog A frame on a hilltop, beaded with drops, and a jar filling below.
ropes plaited from the bark of one vine Coils by every door, each one a different thickness.
rugs that are also calendars A border of small squares, most filled in and a few still blank.
sails stitched from a thousand small scraps No two patches match. Draw the seams as dashes.
story cloths that take a lifetime to finish A strip longer than a street. Draw the weaver at the newest end.
tents of felt as thick as a hand Round, heavy shapes with a flap for a door and smoke from the top.
wind harps strung between rocks Lines across a gap and a listener sitting below.
wire cages woven to hold light A globe of fine mesh with something bright inside.

Built and shaped 15

bells cast from fallen stars Dark pitted metal. Draw one hung in a frame and a dent in the ground beside it.
canals that run uphill by locks Steps of water. Draw a boat waiting in one.
cities of blown glass Domes and tubes with no corners. Draw the highlights first and the walls second.
clocks driven by dripping water A row of bowls with a float in each and a scale on the side.
domes of packed snow that last one season Draw one whole and one sagging in the sun.
doors too heavy for one to open Two figures push together. The hinge is as tall as they are.
furnaces that burn for a hundred years A squat tower, a glow at the base and a keeper asleep in a chair.
harbours carved from a single rock Smooth curved walls and steps down into the water.
mirrors that fold the sunlight into cellars A chain of small bright squares leads down a shaft.
pipes that carry sound from house to house Tubes run along every wall, with a flared mouth in each room.
roads of fitted stone that never need mending Many-sided blocks with hair-thin joints.
stairs cut into every cliff A zigzag line up a rock face with small figures on it.
towers of salt blocks that shine at noon Pale cubes, lightly ridged. Leave them as bare paper.
walls of stacked pots that are each a home A honeycomb of round openings with a face at some.
windmills with sails of thin stone Heavy blades that turn slowly. Give the tower thick walls.

Records and music 15

books that are sung and never read A reader with an open mouth and a shelf of thin tall spines.
dances that record a journey step by step Footprints painted on a floor, with turns marked.
drums as big as houses A figure stands on the skin to play it.
flutes from the wing bones of great birds Thin, pale and slightly curved, with holes burned in.
histories told in rows of planted trees An avenue in which each trunk is a different age.
ink from soot and one kind of berry A stained bowl, a reed pen and purple marks on whatever held it.
letters pressed into soft clay and baked Small tablets tied in a bundle with cord.
libraries of smooth stones kept one a year Shelves of pebbles, sorted by colour.
music written for the wind to play Pipes on a ridge and nobody near them.
paintings done only in shadow A blank wall, a carved screen and a low sun.
portraits printed from the sitter's own tracks A sheet of prints arranged in a spiral.
puzzles that take a village to solve A carved block the size of a cart, and a crowd round it.
sand pictures swept away each evening A figure with a broom stands at the edge of a finished design.
songs that are also recipes Draw a cook singing into a pot.
star charts pricked into leather Hold one to the light. Draw the pinholes as points.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry is something a people make, written to follow the word "make". Nothing is taken from any film, show, game or book. The notes are drawing advice. Licence: own work

First contact: all 60 greetings

Curious 15

asking the same question in every language they know A speech ribbon in several scripts, all ending in the same mark.
asking to see what is in their pockets A blanket on the ground and small things laid out in a row.
asking where the sun rises where they come from A stick, a patch of dust and two sunrises drawn side by side.

Show all 60 greetings (57 more)

Curious, continued

copying every gesture exactly Draw the stranger and the host in the same pose, like a mirror.
counting the stranger's buttons aloud Draw the host with a different number, comparing.
drawing their portrait on the spot Draw the drawing as well. It is not flattering.
following at a distance for three days Far behind a walking figure, a line of smaller ones.
inviting them to name a newborn A very small bundle is held out and the visitor is alarmed.
listening to their heartbeat A head against a chest and a crowd waiting for the report.
measuring them and writing it down A knotted cord held up against a patient visitor.
showing them the best view first An arm pointing and a wide landscape. The talk can wait.
tasting the dust on their shoes One bent low and one looking down, surprised.
teaching them one word and learning one back Two figures point at the same stone.
trying on the stranger's hat The hat is passed down a line. It fits nobody.
walking a full circle round them Footprints in a ring with the stranger at the centre.

Cautious 15

approaching only as close as a thrown pebble A line of pebbles on the ground marks the distance.
asking them to wait outside until the wind changes A visitor sits on a doorstep, watching a flag.
keeping a river between the two sides for a day Two camps face each other across water.
leaving food at the edge of camp and withdrawing A covered bowl on a flat stone and nobody in sight.
letting the eldest look them over in silence One seated, one standing and a long pause.
lighting a signal and waiting for an answer A small fire on one hill and a dark hill opposite.
meeting them on neutral ground at noon A bare hilltop with short shadows and two small groups.
offering a seat that faces the door The visitor can leave at any time. Draw the open doorway behind them.
sending a drawing of themselves ahead A scroll arrives first. The figure on it waves.
sending the youngest forward with a gift A small figure crosses open ground alone while the rest stay back.
speaking only from behind a screen A woven panel with a shadow on it.
standing still until the stranger speaks first Two figures a long way apart, both waiting.
swapping one traveller from each side overnight Two walk in opposite directions past each other.
watching for a year before speaking A hide on a hill and a notebook full of marks.
wearing masks until trust is earned A row of plain masks. One has been lifted.

Ceremonial 15

brushing the road dust from the stranger's coat A soft brush, a cloud of dust and a visitor standing very still.
drawing a line in the dust and stepping over it together Two figures in mid step, side by side, with the line under them.
giving them a new name for the length of their stay A tag on a cord goes over the visitor's head.
lighting one lamp for each traveller A row of small flames in a window.
offering the warmest seat by the fire An empty stool, close to the hearth, with a cushion on it.
planting a tree that will bear the stranger's name A sapling, a spade and a label tied on with cord.
reciting the names of their own rivers Arms sweep to show each bend.
ringing a bell once for each day of their journey A bell rope, a tired ringer and a visitor who came a long way.
sharing one fruit cut into as many pieces as people A plate of very small pieces for a very large crowd.
singing the list of every guest before them The song is long. Draw the visitor sitting down halfway through.
standing in silence for the time it takes a leaf to fall Draw the leaf halfway down.
strewing the doorstep with fresh leaves Scatter them thickly near the house and thinly at the far end.
turning to face the way the stranger came A whole crowd with their backs to us and one road.
walking them slowly through every room An open door at each step and a hand held out to show.
weaving a thread of the stranger's coat into the town banner A long banner of many colours and one new strand.

Trading 15

exchanging a knot each for a cord both sides keep Two short lengths tied into one.
exchanging seeds Two small pouches change owners. A few seeds spill.
giving directions before being asked An arm points down the right road before the stranger has opened a map.
laying out their finest work and saying nothing A blanket of fine things and a host who looks at the sky.
lending a guide for the first mile A small figure walks ahead and looks back.
matching whatever the stranger gives, exactly Two identical loaves on a table.
offering a map in exchange for news A scroll held out, and the visitor talking with both arms.
offering three gifts and asking for one back Three things on a cloth and an open, empty palm or pad beside them.
running to fetch whatever the visitor lacks A host already running, and a visitor still speaking.
swapping a story for a story Two seated figures. One is mid gesture and the other leans in.
swapping one thing from each pack, unseen Two closed fists held out, knuckles up.
trading a day's work for a night's shelter A visitor with a borrowed tool and a host with a blanket.
trading recipes and cooking both Two pots on one fire and two cooks watching each other's.
trading songs before goods Two singers face each other. The packs stay shut.
weighing gifts so that neither side owes A balance with a different thing in each pan, level.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry is a first meeting, written to follow the words "greet strangers by". Every one is peaceful. Nothing is taken from any film, show, game or book. The notes are drawing advice. Licence: own work

How it works

This random alien species generator writes one people to draw. Press New species and a sentence gives their homeworld, body plan, senses, way of living, what they make and how they greet strangers. The lists are printed below.

Read the full guide

Let the homeworld explain the body

Start with the world. Each homeworld in the lists below has a note on what it might do to a body: a heavy pull builds them short and wide, and a sea under ice leaves them with feelers in place of eyes. Draw the place first and fit the body plan to it. The senses, the craft and the greeting give you the scene.

A people, not one monster

Used as an alien creature generator, the page still deals a whole people, so draw more than one figure. The page has a timer and prints 30 species.

Draw three of them together. Height, markings and posture should differ, the way they do in any crowd.
Design one object from the craft line. A cup or a boat says as much about a people as a face.
Every greeting is peaceful. Put yourself in the picture as the stranger.

Questions and answers

Are these aliens from a film, show or game?

No. Every entry was written for this site. No species, planet, ship or character from any film, show, game or book appears, and no society is modelled on a real human culture.

Can I use it as an alien race generator for a story or a game?

Yes. The sentence is a one-line brief: where they come from, how they sense and speak, how they live, what they make and how a first meeting goes. Press again for a neighbouring people and decide what the two trade.

Is the science real?

The worlds are invented. The notes lean on a few real terms, such as tidal locking, a red dwarf star and echolocation, and those were checked against Wikipedia. What a world does to a body is design advice, not a prediction.

Does it only make humanoid aliens?

No. One body plan in five is upright with two arms and two legs. The rest are radial, many-limbed, soft or shelled, and each has a note on how to draw it in the lists below.