Elemental Generator

A being of fire, water, earth, air, ice, storm or metal to draw, dealt in six parts.

Elemental Generator: 30 elementals

An elemental of packed snow, rolled like a snowman. It is shaped like a figure with four arms and no legs. It moves by stepping from shadow to shadow. Where it has passed, mushrooms come up in its footprints. At its heart is a small bird that sings from inside. It is calmed by someone sitting down nearby and saying nothing.

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

Elementpacked snow, rolled like a snowman
Shapea figure with four arms and no legs
Movesby stepping from shadow to shadow
Leaves behindmushrooms come up in its footprints
Hearta small bird that sings from inside
Calmed bysomeone sitting down nearby and saying nothing

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Elemental of the day

An elemental of packed snow, rolled like a snowman. It is shaped like a figure with four arms and no legs. It moves by stepping from shadow to shadow. Where it has passed, mushrooms come up in its footprints. At its heart is a small bird that sings from inside. It is calmed by someone sitting down nearby and saying nothing.
An elemental of forge fire, yellow at the centre. It is shaped like a great slow fish that swims through the air. It moves by skating, with one long push at a time. Where it has passed, horseshoes over doors hang the other way up. At its heart is a window onto somewhere else. It is calmed by a wave from a child.
An elemental of hailstones. It is shaped like a snake coiled in a neat stack. It moves as a tired carthorse does, head low. Where it has passed, every tree leans a little toward its track. At its heart is an empty space shaped like a person. It is calmed by being given a job to do.
An elemental of sea water, green and never still. It is shaped like a cat the size of a cart, curled up. It moves only while someone is singing. Where it has passed, fallen apples are stacked in small heaps. At its heart is a spinning top, still spinning. It is calmed by a bowl of milk left on a step.
An elemental of thunder you can see as rings in the air. It is shaped like a chair too large for anyone. It moves only in straight lines between old trees. Where it has passed, the ground is level, however steep it was. At its heart is a small bird that sings from inside. It is calmed by falling snow.
An elemental of embers under a skin of grey ash. It is shaped like a chair too large for anyone. It moves in a slow circle round whatever it likes. Where it has passed, chalk games on the paving are redrawn straighter. At its heart is a child's lost shoe. It is calmed by a smooth stone from a child's pocket.
An elemental of dry sand that pours and never spills. It is shaped like a whale with nothing to swim in. It moves toward the last person who spoke to it. Where it has passed, carts by the road have been turned to face home. At its heart is a pearl still in its shell. It is calmed by still water to look into.
An elemental of smoke with a red glow inside it. It is shaped like an eel as long as a street. It moves by leaning until it has to take a step. Where it has passed, the path is swept clean of every leaf. At its heart is a brass key with no lock. It is calmed by a game of catch with a soft ball.
An elemental of clear stream water. It is shaped like a bell with legs. It moves only as far as it can see. Where it has passed, fallen apples are stacked in small heaps. At its heart is a bat hanging by its feet. It is calmed by hearing its own name said kindly.
An elemental of muddy flood water. It is shaped like a child's drawing of a person. It moves in zigzags, as a hare runs. Where it has passed, coins left on a wall are stacked by size. At its heart is a lit room with a table laid for one. It is calmed by someone sitting down nearby and saying nothing.
An elemental of wind that carries scraps of paper. It is shaped like a tall figure with no face. It moves only as fast as the slowest thing beside it. Where it has passed, signposts point somewhere new. At its heart is a brass key with no lock. It is calmed by the turn of the tide.
An elemental of forge fire, yellow at the centre. It is shaped like an owl with a face like a plate. It moves only uphill, and has to be led down. Where it has passed, seeds sprout a month early. At its heart is a horseshoe worn thin. It is calmed by a coin pressed into the earth.
An elemental of thunder you can see as rings in the air. It is shaped like a doorway with nothing behind it. It moves like a puppet on strings nobody holds. Where it has passed, the ground keeps its footprints for a year. At its heart is a beetle with a shining back. It is calmed by a loaf of bread, still warm.
An elemental of slow lava with a black crust. It is shaped like a sleeping giant lying on its side. It moves with long pauses to look at small things. Where it has passed, every window on the street is fogged. At its heart is a coin with both faces rubbed smooth. It is calmed by being told what day it is.
An elemental of breeze full of dandelion seeds. It is shaped like a sleeping giant lying on its side. It moves a little above the ground, never touching. Where it has passed, bells ring once, very quietly, with no one near. At its heart is a map of the place it is standing. It is calmed by a lullaby, however badly sung.
An elemental of fire that burns low and blue. It is shaped like a tall figure with no face. It moves by skating, with one long push at a time. Where it has passed, washing on every line is tied in knots. At its heart is a pocket watch that has stopped. It is calmed by a blanket spread on the ground.
An elemental of clear stream water. It is shaped like a head and two hands, with nothing between. It moves only at dawn and dusk. Where it has passed, small stones are sorted by size in rows. At its heart is a word written on a slip of paper. It is calmed by a hand held out, palm up.
An elemental of icicles. It is shaped like a hand as big as a cart. It moves as a tired carthorse does, head low. Where it has passed, shadows fall the wrong way for an hour. At its heart is a small bird that sings from inside. It is calmed by lamplight through a curtain.
An elemental of clear stream water. It is shaped like a hare sitting upright with its ears turned. It moves like a puppet on strings nobody holds. Where it has passed, puddles point the way it went. At its heart is a small staircase going down. It is calmed by a button given freely.
An elemental of mist rising off a river at sunrise. It is shaped like a wheel that never falls over. It moves in zigzags, as a hare runs. Where it has passed, dead wood puts out one green shoot. At its heart is a flat skimming stone. It is calmed by lamplight through a curtain.
An elemental of copper turned green. It is shaped like a hand as big as a cart. It moves by stepping from shadow to shadow. Where it has passed, chalk games on the paving are redrawn straighter. At its heart is a glow-worm. It is calmed by being thanked for something.
An elemental of liquid silver that will not hold still. It is shaped like a giant sitting with its knees drawn up. It moves only while someone is singing. Where it has passed, dead wood puts out one green shoot. At its heart is a horse chestnut, polished brown. It is calmed by a loaf of bread, still warm.
An elemental of wood smoke on a still day. It is shaped like a dancer caught in mid-turn. It moves by being somewhere else when you blink. Where it has passed, moss grows by morning. At its heart is a single white feather. It is calmed by a flock of geese passing overhead.
An elemental of wall stones fitted with no mortar. It is shaped like a hare sitting upright with its ears turned. It moves by rolling, and unrolls to look around. Where it has passed, shadows fall the wrong way for an hour. At its heart is a small red fish that swims where it likes. It is calmed by the turn of the tide.
An elemental of waterfall spray with a rainbow in it. It is shaped like a ram with horns coiled twice. It moves along roads, and steps aside for carts. Where it has passed, stepping stones appear where there were none. At its heart is a clay cup, mended once. It is calmed by being told what day it is.
An elemental of embers under a skin of grey ash. It is shaped like a dancer caught in mid-turn. It moves by being somewhere else when you blink. Where it has passed, every gate along the way stands open. At its heart is a moth that circles and never lands. It is calmed by a door left open for it.
An elemental of whirlwind of straw and grit. It is shaped like a cat the size of a cart, curled up. It moves a little each night, when nobody is looking. Where it has passed, the path is swept clean of every leaf. At its heart is a small bird that sings from inside. It is calmed by being given a job to do.
An elemental of dust caught in a sunbeam. It is shaped like a spiral that turns slowly. It moves backwards, watching where it has been. Where it has passed, the ground rings hollow underfoot. At its heart is a window onto somewhere else. It is calmed by a fiddle played slowly.
An elemental of falling rain held in one shape. It is shaped like an arch that walks on its two feet. It moves like a puppet on strings nobody holds. Where it has passed, the ground keeps its footprints for a year. At its heart is a pocket watch that has stopped. It is calmed by being asked how its day has gone.
An elemental of waterfall spray with a rainbow in it. It is shaped like a wolf that is mostly legs. It moves like a puppet on strings nobody holds. Where it has passed, the ground rings hollow underfoot. At its heart is a map of the place it is standing. It is calmed by being walked beside, at its own pace.

Next step Draw the winter round it Invent a monster of fur and bone

Element: all 58 elements

Fire 9

bonfire flame with sparks rising Tall ragged tongues, and dots of light drifting up off the top.
candle flame, hundreds of small ones Each flame is a teardrop. They all lean one way when it moves.
embers under a skin of grey ash Grey all over, with orange showing only in the cracks.

Show all 58 elements (55 more)

Fire, continued

fire that burns low and blue Blue at the root and clear at the tip. Keep the outline small and steady.
forge fire, yellow at the centre Yellow, then orange, then red at the edge. No smoke at all.
slow lava with a black crust Black plates with bright seams between them, like a cracked loaf.
smoke with a red glow inside it Soft dark edges. The glow sits where a chest would be.
torch flame streaming backwards The flame trails behind it as hair does in a wind.
white-hot coals Leave the paper white at the centre and darken outward to red.

Water 9

clear stream water Draw what is behind it, bent a little. Add one bright line along the top edge.
deep well water, black and cold Almost black, with one small reflection of the sky.
falling rain held in one shape Short slanted strokes, dense in the body and thin at the edges.
marsh water with reeds standing in it The reeds travel with it. Draw them upright even when it leans.
morning dew Thousands of beads, each with a dot of light on the same side.
muddy flood water Brown and solid-looking, carrying twigs and one lost boot.
pond water with duckweed on top A green skin on the upper surfaces and brown clear water below.
sea water, green and never still Foam along every edge and a darker green in the middle.
waterfall spray with a rainbow in it Soft white mist, and a faint band of colour across one shoulder.

Earth and stone 10

clear crystal with flat faces Draw it as long prisms. Give each face one flat tone.
dry sand that pours and never spills Stipple it, and let thin streams run down wherever it bends.
flint with sharp pale edges Dark lumps with a white rind. The chipped faces catch the light.
garden soil with roots and worms in it Dark crumbs, pale root threads and one worm for scale.
grey slate in flat sheets Thin plates with sharp edges, stacked like a pile of roof tiles.
mossy boulders Big rounded blocks, green on top and grey underneath.
red clay, still wet Smooth and heavy, with thumb marks. Let it sag a little at the bottom.
river pebbles, each one round Hundreds of ovals that touch. Shade the same side of each.
wall stones fitted with no mortar Flat stones laid in rows, with small ones wedged into the gaps.
white chalk Soft edges, and a pale dust on everything it has touched.

Air 7

breeze full of dandelion seeds Each seed is a dot under a tiny star. Space them unevenly.
dust caught in a sunbeam Bright specks inside a slanted bar of light, with dark all round.
mist rising off a river at sunrise No outline at all. Fade the edges with the side of the pencil.
sea fog A flat grey with no edge. It hides its own feet.
warm air that shimmers over a road Draw the background in wavy lines wherever the body is.
wind that carries scraps of paper Air cannot be drawn. Draw the paper and it gives the wind a body.
wood smoke on a still day Blue-grey ribbons that rise straight, then spread flat at one height.

Ice 8

black ice, thin and clear A shine with nothing under it. Draw only the highlights.
blue glacier ice with cracks Pale blue blocks, and a deeper blue inside each crack.
fresh snow Leave the paper white. Shade only the hollows, in pale blue.
hailstones Rough white balls of different sizes, packed like gravel.
hoar frost, white needles on every edge Short white spikes standing off every outline.
icicles Long thin cones that hang from every edge, even while it moves.
lake ice with leaves frozen in it Clear grey-green, with brown leaf shapes held inside at odd angles.
packed snow, rolled like a snowman Round masses with twigs and grass stuck in from the rolling.

Storm 7

driving rain blown sideways Long strokes at one slant. The body is where they are thickest.
lightning that holds still One bright jagged line that branches. Keep everything round it dark.
low cloud the colour of a bruise Purple-grey and flat underneath, with a yellowish edge.
sparks that jump between its parts Separate dark pieces joined by thin bright zigzags.
storm cloud lit from inside Dark grey heaps with a pale glow deep in the middle.
thunder you can see as rings in the air Faint circles spreading from its chest, as from a stone in a pond.
whirlwind of straw and grit A leaning funnel. Draw the straw and the spin is in its curve.

Metal 8

chain links, hundreds of them Draw one link well, then repeat it. The chains hang and swing.
copper turned green Green on the flat parts, bright orange-brown where it bends and rubs.
gold leaf, thin enough to tear Bright yellow sheets that lift and flutter at the edges.
iron gone orange with rust Rough orange-brown flakes, with dark metal at the rubbed edges.
liquid silver that will not hold still A mirror that flows. Round every corner and reflect the sky.
old bronze, like a bell Dark and smooth, with a bright rim where hands have touched it.
polished brass Warm yellow with hard white highlights and a bent reflection of the scene.
tin, dented all over Dull grey with small flat dents, each one a lighter patch.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Seven groups: the four elements of antiquity (fire, water, earth, air) and three more (ice, storm, metal). The four kinds of elemental named in the answer on this page (gnomes of earth, undines of water, sylphs of air, salamanders of fire, as Paracelsus described them in the 16th century) were checked on 2026-10-09 against https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elemental. The notes are our own drawing advice. Licence: own work

Shape: all 58 shapes

Figures 13

a child's drawing of a person Stick limbs, a round head and hands like forks. Keep it wobbly.
a crowd of small figures moving as one Twenty knee-high shapes packed close, all facing the same way.
a dancer caught in mid-turn One foot down, arms flung out, everything trailing the same way.

Show all 58 shapes (55 more)

Figures, continued

a figure with a doorway in its chest An arch from collarbone to belt. You can see through to the far side.
a figure with four arms and no legs It rises from the ground at the waist. Give each arm a different job.
a giant sitting with its knees drawn up One big triangle. The head rests on the knees.
a head and two hands, with nothing between Three parts that float in the right places. The gap is the body.
a hooded figure whose hood is empty Draw the folds of the hood with care and put nothing in it.
a sentry standing at attention Feet together, one arm straight at its side, the other holding nothing.
a sleeping giant lying on its side A low line of hills with a shoulder, a hip and one bent knee.
a tall figure with no face Smooth where the face should be. The tilt of the head does the acting.
an old woman bent under a bundle A spine like a question mark. The bundle is larger than she is.
two figures joined at the hands They lean apart and hold each other up, like a letter M.

Beasts 13

a bear standing on its hind legs A pear shape with a small head and heavy forearms.
a bull with its head down The shoulders are the highest point. The horns point at the viewer.
a cat the size of a cart, curled up A spiral. The tip of the tail covers the nose.
a fox with a tail longer than its body A slim triangle for the face and one long brush curving behind.
a great tortoise with a dome for a back A half circle on four posts. Pattern the dome in plates.
a hare sitting upright with its ears turned Two tall ears at different angles: one listens ahead, one behind.
a hound with long ears and a low belly A long box on short legs. The ears nearly touch the ground.
a ram with horns coiled twice Each horn is a spiral that ends beside the eye.
a riderless horse with a streaming mane Draw the arch of the neck first. The mane follows its last movement.
a snake coiled in a neat stack Flat rings piled like rope, with the head resting on top.
a stag with antlers wider than a doorway The antlers are the picture. Branch them like winter trees.
a toad as wide as a door A squashed circle with two bumps for eyes and a very wide mouth line.
a wolf that is mostly legs Thin, tall and leaning forward, with a small body slung between.

Birds, fish and crawling things 12

a crab that walks sideways on stilts A flat oval high on jointed legs, with two claws held like fists.
a crow twice the height of a person A wedge of a body, a heavy beak and a tilted, curious head.
a flock of small birds holding one shape Draw the big outline in dots, each dot a tiny bird.
a great slow fish that swims through the air Draw it a hand's width above the ground. The fins row slowly.
a heron standing on one leg An S for the neck, a spear for the beak and one thin upright.
a moth with wings like doors Two big rectangles hinged on a small furry body.
a snail with a tower for a shell A tall spiral cone, leaning, on a soft foot.
a spider with long careful legs Eight thin arcs. The body hangs lower than the knees.
a swan with its wings half lifted The wings make a heart shape over the back.
a whale with nothing to swim in A long heavy shape resting on its belly, with one fin lifted.
an eel as long as a street One line that wanders. Decide last where the head is.
an owl with a face like a plate A round flat face, two rings for eyes and no neck at all.

Things 10

a bell with legs A wide dome on two short legs, with something swinging underneath.
a boat sailing on dry ground A hull with its keel in the grass and a sail full of no wind.
a chair too large for anyone Four legs and a tall back. Put a bird on the seat for scale.
a column that leans as it listens A plain pillar, bent a little toward whoever is speaking.
a doorway with nothing behind it Two posts and a beam across, standing alone in a field.
a great mask with nothing behind it A face as tall as a person: two eye holes with the sky through them.
a hand as big as a cart It walks on its fingers. The wrist ends in nothing.
a staircase that climbs itself A spiral of steps with no building, turning as it goes.
a tree that walks on its roots Lift the roots clear like a crab's legs. The crown sways behind.
a wheel that never falls over A ring taller than a house, with no axle. Tilt it into the turn.

Loose shapes 10

a ball that rolls uphill A sphere taller than a gate, with a worn track behind it going up.
a curtain hanging from nothing Upright folds that end in a ragged hem just above the ground.
a heap that stands up when spoken to Draw it twice: a low mound, then the same mound with shoulders.
a knot that ties and unties itself Thick loops passing through each other. Show one loose end.
a ribbon wider than a road One long band, folding over itself as it travels.
a shape that copies whoever looks at it Draw a person, then a rough twin facing them, a head taller.
a spiral that turns slowly A coil seen from the side, wide at the top and narrow at the foot.
a swarm of thumb-sized pieces flying as one A cloud with a dense centre. Keep the rough outline of a body.
a wave that never breaks A curl taller than a person, travelling over the ground.
an arch that walks on its two feet The shape of a bridge with no river. One foot lifts at a time.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Every shape can be built from any of the materials on this page, so no shape names an element. The notes are our own drawing advice. Licence: own work

Moves: all 58 ways of moving

Slowly 15

a little each night, when nobody is looking Draw the same view twice. Only its place has changed.
as a glacier does, too slowly to see Show it by what it has pushed aside: a heap of earth at the front.
as a tired carthorse does, head low Heavy feet, and a head that nods with each step.

Show all 58 ways of moving (55 more)

Slowly, continued

backwards, watching where it has been The head faces the trail. The feet go the other way.
by growing at the front and fading at the back The leading edge is sharp and new. The tail is thin and see-through.
by leaning until it has to take a step Tilt the whole body past balance. One foot is just leaving the ground.
by rocking from one edge to the other As you shift a heavy wardrobe: one corner forward, then the other.
in a slow circle round whatever it likes A worn ring in the grass, with the favourite thing in the middle.
in a straight line, and goes over, not round Draw it halfway over a wall it could have walked past.
in slow strides and never hurries Draw one foot planted and the other a long way behind.
like someone wading through deep snow Knees lifted high and the body rocking from side to side.
on tiptoe, as if the ground were asleep Heels up, arms out for balance, shoulders hunched.
only as fast as the slowest thing beside it Put a tortoise or a small child next to it, in step.
sideways, like a crab The body faces us and the feet cross over to the left.
with long pauses to look at small things Bent right over, studying a snail.

Quickly 14

as a thrown stone skips across a pond Low flat hops, each one shorter, with a puff of dust at each.
by falling apart and gathering again further on Draw both: a scatter here and a half-built body over there.
by leaping from one high place to the next In the air between two roofs, legs tucked.
by rolling, and unrolls to look around A ball, with a face just appearing over the top.
by skating, with one long push at a time One leg stretched behind, the body low, arms swinging across.
by sliding, as if the ground were tilted Feet together, body upright, a smooth track behind.
faster than a horse along open ground Stretch it long and low. Nothing touches the ground.
in a spin, like a winged seed falling Show the spin with curved lines and one arm flung wide.
in bursts, then stands quite still Draw the stillness, with the dust behind it not yet settled.
in great bounds that flatten no grass Caught as it lands, knees bent, and nothing disturbed beneath.
in zigzags, as a hare runs Sharp turns in the track, and the body leaning into the newest one.
like a dropped ball, bouncing lower each time A dotted arc behind it shows the last three bounces.
like a flock turning, all of it at once Every part tilts to the same angle in the same instant.
like a startled cat, straight up and then away Every foot off the ground and the back arched.

Strangely 15

a little above the ground, never touching Leave a strip of daylight under its feet, and a shadow below that.
along roads, and steps aside for carts Standing in the verge, waiting politely, far too large to hide.
along stream beds and ditches only Keep it in the low line of the land, with a bank on either side.
by being somewhere else when you blink Draw it twice in one picture, the first one fainter.
by following the nearest river downstream The river stays on one side of it, and it never crosses.
by stepping from shadow to shadow One foot in a tree's shadow, the next reaching for a wall's.
by turning cartwheels A wheel of limbs. Show three positions in a row.
in step with whoever walks beside it Match its stride to a person's exactly, at three times the size.
in the footprints of whoever walked there last Small human prints, with its large feet set carefully in them.
like a puppet on strings nobody holds Limbs lifted from above, joints loose, feet dangling.
only along walls, hedges and fence lines Pressed close to a wall, with one hand trailing along it.
through walls, and leaves them standing Half of it on each side of a wall. The wall is whole.
to the sound of bells, and stops when they stop One foot raised, waiting. Put a bell tower in the distance.
toward the last person who spoke to it A long way off, and turned exactly to face one small figure.
upside down along the undersides of things Hanging from a bridge or a branch, quite at ease.

By a rule 14

anywhere but over a doorstep, unless invited Stopped at an open door, bending to look in.
one field each day, and rests at every gate Leaning on a gate that is much too small to lean on.
only along paths people have made It will not cross grass. Draw it squeezed onto a narrow track.
only as far as it can see It stops on each hilltop and looks before going on.
only at dawn and dusk Long shadows and a low sun. In full daylight it stands still.
only in straight lines between old trees Mark its path with a ruler, from one oak to the next.
only on nights with a moon Light it from above and give it one hard shadow.
only toward the sea Every picture of it has the coast somewhere ahead.
only uphill, and has to be led down A small figure walks ahead with a rope it does not need.
only when a clock is striking One step for each stroke. Draw it at noon with a foot in the air.
only when asked, and exactly as far as asked Stopped in the middle of a field, waiting for the next word.
only when no one is watching Seen from behind someone who has just turned away.
only when the wind drops Everything still: flags limp, smoke straight up, and it is walking.
only while someone is singing A child walks in front, singing, and it follows like a goose.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Every way of moving can be done by a being of any shape and any material on this page. The notes are our own advice on how to show the movement in a still drawing. Licence: own work

Leaves behind: all 58 trails

On the ground 15

a shallow groove is worn, as if by years of feet A dip in the ground with smooth rounded edges.
cart ruts are filled level A rough road gone smooth in one strip, the width of its feet.
the dust settles in a pattern like writing Curling lines in the dust that almost make letters.

Show all 58 trails (55 more)

On the ground, continued

every step leaves a little of itself behind A handful of its own stuff in each print, still doing what it does.
the ground is level, however steep it was A flat shelf cut across a slope, exactly as wide as it is.
the ground keeps its footprints for a year Deep clear prints, with grass growing round them but not in them.
the ground rings hollow underfoot Someone stamping on its track with their head tilted, listening.
its prints fill with clear water overnight A line of small pools, each the shape of a foot.
molehills come up in a line behind it A row of small fresh heaps, evenly spaced.
the mud dries in rings like a cut tree Circles inside circles, cracked across.
nothing is marked at all, not even the dew Dew everywhere, unbroken. Only an open gate shows that it passed.
the path is swept clean of every leaf A bare stripe through a carpet of leaves.
puddles point the way it went Long thin puddles, all drawn out in one direction.
small stones are sorted by size in rows Neat lines of pebbles across a path, the largest at one end.
stepping stones appear where there were none Flat stones across a stream or a boggy field, one for each stride.

In growing things 14

the corn stands taller in one stripe A raised line through a flat crop, like a seam.
dead wood puts out one green shoot A fence post with a single leaf.
every tree leans a little toward its track A lane of trees, all bowing inward.
fallen apples are stacked in small heaps Tidy pyramids under an untidy orchard.
flowers come up that nobody planted A thin line of one kind of flower crossing a ploughed field.
grass grows in a darker ring where it rested A dark circle in a pale field, big enough to lie in.
the grass lies flat for a day A pressed stripe through a meadow, already starting to lift.
the hedges are parted and stay parted A gap in each hedge, in a straight line across four fields.
ivy lets go of the walls Ivy lying in loops at the foot of a clean wall.
leaves turn their pale sides up A stripe of lighter green through a hedge and a wood.
moss grows by morning A green line across bare rock and over a doorstep.
mushrooms come up in its footprints A cluster in each print, spaced as its stride is.
the reeds are bent into arches A tunnel of bowed stems, tied by nothing.
seeds sprout a month early One green stripe across brown winter ground.

In a village 15

bells ring once, very quietly, with no one near A bell rope still swinging in an empty tower.
boots left outside are paired, toes to the door A row of boots on a step, perfectly straight.
carts by the road have been turned to face home A cart in a yard, its shafts pointing at its own gate.
chalk games on the paving are redrawn straighter A child's wobbly hopscotch, now with perfect squares.
coins left on a wall are stacked by size A neat tower of coins on a stone wall, the largest at the bottom.
doorsteps are scrubbed clean One pale clean step in a row of grey ones.
dropped things are set on the nearest wall A glove, a toy horse and a key in a row on a wall top.
every gate along the way stands open A line of open gates leading the eye to the horizon.
every window on the street is fogged A row of blank grey windows, and one face drawn with a finger.
fences are mended with knots nobody knows A broken rail tied with a strange neat knot.
horseshoes over doors hang the other way up Every door on the street, every shoe flipped.
scarecrows have turned to watch it go Three scarecrows across three fields, all facing the same way.
signposts point somewhere new A signpost with its arms swung round, and a puzzled walker.
washing on every line is tied in knots Sleeves knotted to trouser legs along a whole street.
weathervanes point after it and stay there Three roofs, three vanes, all pointing one way against the wind.

Odd signs 14

a thin line of mist hangs at knee height A long low ribbon across the fields, in clear weather.
ants carry crumbs along it in both directions A two-way road of ants, exactly down the middle of its track.
bees follow the line as if it were a hedge Dots in a stream, all travelling its route.
birds will not land for a day A full sky and an empty field, with one stripe they avoid.
cats sit in a row and stare at where it went Six cats on a wall, all looking the same way.
dogs lie down along its track and sleep Four dogs in a line across a village, all asleep.
feathers stand upright in the ground A row of single feathers, planted like tiny flags.
prints of smaller creatures follow its own Big prints, with lines of tiny ones trotting alongside.
rainbows end there for a week A small low rainbow with one foot on the path.
shadows fall the wrong way for an hour Shadows of posts and trees all aimed at one spot, against the sun.
sheep stand in a ring round each footprint Small circles of sheep dotted up a hillside.
snails gather along its track by the hundred A silver-edged line of small spirals.
spiders string webs across the track in rows Web after web between the grass stems, like a line of small sails.
swallows fly its whole length and back Small forked shapes, low and fast, following a line you cannot see.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Each trail is something to draw after the elemental has gone, and each can be left by a being of any material on this page: none is a burn, a flood or a frost. The notes are our own advice on the scene. Licence: own work

Heart: all 58 hearts

Found things 15

a bird's egg, pale blue and whole The only pale smooth thing in the picture. Keep its edge clean.
a drop of amber the colour of honey Warm yellow-brown, see-through, with one bright spot.
a flat skimming stone Small, grey and plain, the kind that sits between a finger and a thumb.

Show all 58 hearts (55 more)

Found things, continued

a four-leaved clover pressed flat Four heart-shaped leaves on a thin stalk, seen from the front.
a horse chestnut, polished brown A glossy brown ball with a pale patch and one highlight.
a knot of old tree root Twisted cords that fold back on themselves.
a pearl still in its shell A rough dark shell, half open, round a small bright ball.
a piece of honeycomb Rows of small cells. Fill a few and leave the rest open.
a pine cone, tightly shut Rows of overlapping scales in a spiral. Draw the rows, not each scale.
a seed that has not sprouted A dark teardrop. Leave a clear space round it so that it reads.
a single white feather A curved spine and soft edges, hanging quite still.
a smooth white stone the size of a fist Leave it as white paper with one soft shadow.
a snail shell, empty One spiral, with the opening turned toward us and dark.
a stone shell curled like a ram's horn A flat ribbed spiral in grey.
an acorn in its cup A smooth oval in a rough cap. Shade the cap with crossed lines.

Made things 15

a brass key with no lock A ring, a stem and two teeth. Hang it at a slight tilt.
a candle stub that has never been lit A short fat cylinder with a clean white wick.
a child's lost shoe Small, scuffed, with the buckle undone.
a clay cup, mended once A plain cup with one line of repair across it.
a clay marble, chipped on one side A dull ball with one flat pale chip.
a coin with both faces rubbed smooth A blank disc with a soft raised rim.
a compass that points at you A round case, and the needle aimed straight out of the picture.
a hand bell that makes no sound A small dome on a handle, with the dark inside showing empty.
a horseshoe worn thin A narrow U with the nail holes pulled long.
a plain ring on a loop of string A thin band hanging from a knot. Put a leaf near it for scale.
a pocket watch that has stopped Give the hands a time and keep to it in every drawing.
a spinning top, still spinning Blur the stripes into bands and tilt it a little.
a thimble full of thread A dimpled cup with a tangle of colour spilling out.
a whistle carved from a twig A short tube with one notch and the bark left on.
a wooden button A disc with four holes and a few lines of grain.

Living things 14

a bat hanging by its feet A folded teardrop with two pointed ears at the bottom.
a beetle with a shining back An oval split down the middle, with one long highlight.
a glow-worm One small greenish light in a dark space.
a green shoot with two leaves The only green in the picture. Keep it small.
a hedgehog rolled tight A ball of short strokes that all point outward.
a hive of bees A domed shape with a dark door, and dots coming and going.
a moth that circles and never lands Draw its path as a faint loop, with the moth somewhere on it.
a nest lined with its own element A rough ring of twigs. The lining is whatever the elemental is made of.
a rose that has not opened A tight bud on a short stem with two leaves.
a sleeping dormouse A ball of fur, with the tail wrapped over the nose.
a small bird that sings from inside Beak open, head back. Show the song as two short curved lines.
a small red fish that swims where it likes One spot of red, placed off-centre. It is never in the same place.
a spider and its web The web fills the chest like a window. The spider sits at the centre.
a white mouse with its own small door An arch the height of a thumb, and a nose looking out.

Strange things 14

a door the size of a playing card Give it a handle, a keyhole and a line of light underneath.
a lit room with a table laid for one A tiny warm square: a table, a chair and a lamp.
a map of the place it is standing A square of paper with the scene drawn small on it, itself included.
a mirror that shows tomorrow's weather A round glass with a small sun or cloud in it that is not in the sky.
a music box that plays when it walks A small box with its lid up and a drum of pins inside.
a scrap of midnight, stars and all A dark shape with clean edges, and white dots inside it.
a second, smaller elemental of the same stuff The same shape again at a tenth of the size, looking out.
a single unanswered letter An envelope with a seal that has not been broken.
a small staircase going down Five steps and then darkness.
a tiny model of itself in something else Carve it small in wood, or fold it from paper.
a window onto somewhere else A small frame showing different weather from the scene outside.
a word written on a slip of paper Fold the paper so that the word cannot quite be read.
an empty space shaped like a person Leave the paper blank in the outline of a small standing figure.
an hourglass that runs upward The thread of sand goes from the lower bulb to the upper one.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Each heart is one small thing to draw inside the body, where a chest would be, and it gives the picture a point to look at. The notes are our own drawing advice. Licence: own work

Calmed by: all 58 comforts

Sounds 14

a bell rung three times, slowly A hand bell in the air, and its head turned to the sound.
a cat purring nearby The cat is asleep on part of it.
a child counting out loud A child with fingers up, and it holding quite still to listen.

Show all 58 comforts (55 more)

Sounds, continued

a clock ticking in a quiet room Seen through a window: a mantel clock, and it outside with its head tilted.
a drum beaten at walking pace It walks behind the drummer, in step.
a fiddle played slowly The bow at the end of a long stroke.
a low whistle on two notes Someone leaning on a gate with their lips pursed.
a lullaby, however badly sung Its shoulders are dropping. Show the singer pulling a face at a high note.
a song with no words Draw the singer small, mouth open, with it bending down to hear.
a story told from the beginning A storyteller on a stool with a lamp, and it curled round them.
the creak of a rocking chair A chair on a porch, tipped back, and it sitting on the grass nearby.
hearing its own name said kindly One person, close, looking up and speaking.
hens settling for the night A henhouse door, a row of feathered backs, and it peering in.
the sound of someone sweeping A broom, a doorstep and a small cloud of dust.

Gifts 15

a blanket spread on the ground A patchwork square, far too small, and it trying to sit on it.
a bowl of milk left on a step A plain bowl, a worn step and a door left ajar.
a button given freely A child holding out one button on a flat hand.
a coin pressed into the earth A thumb pushing a coin into soft ground at its feet.
a cup of tea set down and left A cup and saucer on a tree stump, steaming.
a drawing of itself Someone holding up a sheet of paper. Draw the drawing too, a little wrong.
a handful of salt An open palm with a small white heap on it.
a jar of honey with the lid off A jar on a wall, and one slow drip down its side.
a lit candle in a window A dark house with one small warm square.
a loaf of bread, still warm Draw the steam, and a cloth folded back.
a pair of knitted mittens, far too small It wears them anyway, on two fingertips.
a posy of hedgerow flowers tied with grass Laid on the ground in front of it, stalks toward us.
a ribbon tied to a gatepost One bright strip moving in the wind.
a smooth stone from a child's pocket A small hand, a small stone, and its huge one reaching down.
an apple cut in half Two halves, cut side up, showing the star of pips.

Kindnesses 15

a door left open for it Light spilling out of a doorway much too small for it.
a game of catch with a soft ball The ball in the air between a child and it.
a hand held out, palm up Draw only the hand, and whatever it uses for a hand, not yet touching.
a wave from a child A child on a wall with one arm up, and its own arm half raised.
an apology, even a small one Someone looking at their boots, cap in both hands.
being asked how its day has gone A person with their hat in their hand, looking up.
being given a job to do It carries one small bucket very carefully.
being read to An open book, a finger on the line, and it leaning close.
being shown the way home A child pointing, and it looking along the arm.
being thanked for something A small bow from a small person.
being told what day it is Someone holding up a calendar page or pointing at a church clock.
being walked beside, at its own pace Two figures of very different size, side by side on a road.
having its picture drawn An artist on a folding stool, and it holding a pose.
someone humming while they work A person hanging washing, not looking round, and it behind them.
someone sitting down nearby and saying nothing A person on the ground, facing the same way it faces.

Quiet things 14

a circle drawn round it in chalk A wobbly white ring on the ground, and it sitting neatly inside.
a field of sheep It lies down among them and they do not move away.
a flock of geese passing overhead A V high up, and its head following it across the sky.
a full moon Light it from above and let it cast a long shadow.
a long shadow to stand in The shadow of a tower or a tall tree, with it tucked into the dark part.
a rainbow after a long wet day A full arc, and it sitting to watch with its back to us.
falling snow Large slow flakes, and it sitting still with a white cap forming.
the first star of the evening A plain dusk sky with one dot, and its head turned up.
the first warm day of spring Open windows, coats on a fence, and it lying in the sun.
the hour before dawn A grey sky with a pale edge. Everything else is asleep.
lamplight through a curtain A soft glowing window with a pattern on the cloth.
the last light on a hilltop A dark valley with a gold rim above, and it turned toward the gold.
still water to look into A pond, and it looking down at itself, puzzled.
the turn of the tide Wet sand, a line of weed and a calm flat sea.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. No elemental on this page is fought: each is calmed by a sound, a gift, a kindness or a quiet thing, and each entry suits a being of any material. The notes are our own advice on the scene. Licence: own work

How it works

This elemental generator writes one being to draw. Press New elemental for what it is made of, its shape, how it moves, what it leaves behind, what sits at its heart and what calms it.

Read the full guide

The element is a material

Read the first part as a material and not a colour. Embers under grey ash, river pebbles and sea fog each want a different mark: orange in the cracks, packed ovals, no outline at all. Build the shape out of that stuff and let its edges behave as the stuff does.

An elemental creature generator with a story in it

The last three parts are the story. The trail is how a village learns it came by. The heart is the one thing in it that is not its element, and the place the eye should land. The calm is how the scene ends.

Draw the trail first, as an empty scene, then put the elemental at the far end of it.
Keep the heart small and exact. One hard-edged object makes a body of mist or flame read as a body.
For the calm, draw both figures at their true sizes: the elemental and whoever brought the gift.

Questions and answers

What is an elemental?

A being of a single element. In the 16th century Paracelsus described four kinds: gnomes of earth, undines of water, sylphs of air and salamanders of fire. This page adds ice, storm and metal.

Can it pick one random element?

Yes. The element is the first part, so read it and stop. It is fire, water, earth, air, ice, storm or metal, given as a material such as white-hot coals or sea fog. Press New elemental for another.

Are the elementals from a game, book or film?

No. No published creature is named, and nothing follows the rules of any game. Every entry is original to this site, and the six lists are printed in full under the tool with a drawing note beside each.

Is it suitable for children?

Yes. No elemental here is fought and nothing is harmed. Each is calmed by something small: a bowl of milk left on a step, a song with no words or a drawing of itself.