AladdinFrom Aladdin, added to the One Thousand and One Nights by the French translator Antoine Galland. A lamp and a ring each hold a jinni.
the Ash LadFrom the Norwegian tales collected by Asbjornsen and Moe. His name means ash-lad, and he is the youngest and the least expected to succeed.
BeautyFrom Beauty and the Beast, written by Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve in 1740. She asks her father for nothing but a rose.
Show all 92 characters (89 more)
Heroes and heroines, continued
the brave little tailorFrom The Brave Little Tailor, collected by the Brothers Grimm. He swats seven flies and makes a belt that reads "Seven at One Blow".
CinderellaFrom Cinderella. The version Charles Perrault published in 1697 gave her the glass slippers and the pumpkin coach.
Elisa of the wild swansFrom The Wild Swans by Hans Christian Andersen, 1838. She knits eleven shirts of nettles and may not speak until they are done.
the fisherman with the wishing fishFrom The Fisherman and His Wife, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. He catches a fish that can grant wishes and kindly lets it go.
GerdaFrom The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, 1844. She walks into the palace of the Snow Queen and finds her friend Kai on a frozen lake.
GretelFrom Hansel and Gretel, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. She and her brother find a house made of bread and cake.
Hans in LuckFrom Hans in Luck, collected by the Brothers Grimm. He is paid a lump of gold as big as his head and swaps it away, one trade after another.
the husband minding the houseFrom the Norwegian tales collected by Asbjornsen and Moe. He does his wife's work for a day and puts the cow on the roof to graze.
Ivan TsarevichFrom Tsarevich Ivan, the Firebird and the Grey Wolf, collected by Alexander Afanasyev. He sets out after a bird that steals golden apples.
Jack of the beanstalkFrom Jack and the Beanstalk, best known as Joseph Jacobs told it in 1890. He trades the family cow for magic beans.
KaiFrom The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, 1844. Splinters of a troll's mirror get into his heart and his eye.
the kind sister of Diamonds and ToadsFrom Diamonds and Toads by Charles Perrault. A flower or a jewel falls from her mouth with every word.
Little Red Riding HoodFrom Little Red Riding Hood, first printed by Charles Perrault in 1697. The red hood is in the name.
the miller's daughterFrom Rumpelstiltskin, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. Her father boasts to the king that she can spin straw into gold.
RapunzelFrom Rapunzel, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. Her long hair is let down from a tower.
Rose-RedFrom Snow-White and Rose-Red, collected by the Brothers Grimm. On a winter night she opens the door to a bear who asks to warm himself.
Sleeping BeautyFrom Sleeping Beauty, told by Charles Perrault in 1697 and by the Brothers Grimm as Little Briar Rose. A spindle and a sleep of a hundred years.
Snow WhiteFrom Snow White, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. The old text gives her seven dwarfs with no names and a poisoned apple.
the soldier with the tinderboxFrom The Tinderbox by Hans Christian Andersen, 1835. Striking the box calls three dogs with enormous eyes.
ThumbelinaFrom Thumbelina by Hans Christian Andersen, 1835. She is a tiny girl who comes out of a flower and sleeps in a walnut-shell cradle.
Vasilisa the BeautifulFrom Vasilisa the Beautiful, collected by Alexander Afanasyev. She carries a doll her mother gave her, and it helps her.
Villains and tricksters 16
Baba YagaFrom Slavic folklore. She flies in a wooden mortar with a pestle in her hand and lives in a hut on chicken legs.
Cinderella's stepmotherFrom Cinderella. The version Charles Perrault published in 1697 calls her proud and haughty.
Dame GothelFrom Rapunzel, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. She keeps Rapunzel in a tower with no door and no stairs.
the fisherman's wifeFrom The Fisherman and His Wife, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. She lives in a hovel by the sea, and after all her wishes she lives in the hovel again.
the Fox from PinocchioFrom The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, 1883. The Fox pretends to be lame and the Cat pretends to be blind.
the giant at the top of the beanstalkFrom Jack and the Beanstalk. He is an ogre in some tellings and a giant in others, and his line begins "Fee-fi-fo-fum".
the gingerbread man's foxFrom The Gingerbread Man, first printed in St. Nicholas Magazine in 1875. The gingerbread man outruns everyone until he meets the fox.
the huffing and puffing wolfFrom The Three Little Pigs, best known as Joseph Jacobs printed it in 1890. He blows down the houses of straw and sticks.
the ogre of Puss in BootsFrom Puss in Boots by Charles Perrault, 1697. He can change into any animal and is tricked into becoming a mouse.
Red Riding Hood's wolfFrom Little Red Riding Hood, as Charles Perrault printed it in 1697. He takes the grandmother's place in her bed.
RumpelstiltskinFrom Rumpelstiltskin, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. He loses his bargain when the queen guesses his name.
the Snow QueenFrom The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen, 1844. She drives a sleigh, snowflakes guard her palace, and her throne sits on a frozen lake.
Snow White's queenFrom Snow White, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. She asks her magic mirror who is fairest of all.
the swindler weaverFrom The Emperor's New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen, 1837. Two swindlers pretend to weave a cloth that fools cannot see.
the troll under the bridgeFrom Three Billy Goats Gruff, collected by Asbjornsen and Moe. He lives under the bridge the goats must cross.
the witch of the gingerbread houseFrom Hansel and Gretel, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. Her house is cake, bread and sugar.
Royalty 14
the BeastFrom Beauty and the Beast, written by Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve in 1740 and abridged by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont in 1756. He is a prince under a curse.
the Emperor of ChinaFrom The Nightingale by Hans Christian Andersen, 1843. He is given a jeweled bird that sings one song, and the real nightingale flies away.
the emperor with no clothesFrom The Emperor's New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen, 1837. A child in the crowd says aloud that he has nothing on.
the frog princeFrom The Frog Prince, by tradition the first tale in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. As a frog he fetches a golden ball out of a well.
the Frog PrincessFrom The Frog Princess, a tale with Russian versions collected by Alexander Afanasyev. A prince must marry whoever finds his arrow, and a frog finds it.
King ThrushbeardFrom King Thrushbeard, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. A princess mocks his chin for looking like the beak of a thrush.
the Light PrincessFrom The Light Princess by George MacDonald, 1864. A spell takes away her gravity, so she floats.
the Marquis of CarabasFrom Puss in Boots by Charles Perrault, 1697. He is a miller's youngest son, and the title is the cat's invention.
the princess on the glass hillFrom The Princess on the Glass Hill, collected by Asbjornsen and Moe. She sits at the top of a glass hill with three golden apples in her lap.
the princess on the peaFrom The Princess and the Pea by Hans Christian Andersen, 1835. She feels one pea through twenty mattresses and twenty feather beds.
the princess with the golden ballFrom The Frog Prince, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. She promises a frog her friendship in return for her ball.
the swineherd princeFrom The Swineherd by Hans Christian Andersen, 1841. A prince takes work as a swineherd and makes a musical pot and a musical rattle.
the youngest of the eleven swan princesFrom The Wild Swans by Hans Christian Andersen, 1838. His shirt lacks a sleeve, so he keeps a swan's wing.
the youngest of the twelve dancing princessesFrom The Twelve Dancing Princesses, collected by the Brothers Grimm. Every morning their shoes are found danced to pieces.
Animals and helpers 22
the bear with the stumpy tailFrom Why the Bear Is Stumpy-Tailed, collected by Asbjornsen and Moe. A fox talks him into fishing through the ice with his tail.
Cinderella's fairy godmotherFrom Cinderella, as Charles Perrault told it in 1697. She turns a pumpkin into a coach and mice into horses.
the donkey of the Bremen town musiciansFrom Town Musicians of Bremen, collected by the Brothers Grimm. A donkey, a dog, a cat and a rooster stand on one another's backs.
the Fairy with Turquoise HairFrom The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, 1883. She rescues the puppet and adopts him.
the FirebirdFrom Tsarevich Ivan, the Firebird and the Grey Wolf, collected by Alexander Afanasyev. It steals golden apples and leaves one feather behind.
Henny PennyFrom Henny Penny, an old folk tale also called Chicken Little. An acorn falls on her head and she decides the sky is falling.
Ivan's Grey WolfFrom Tsarevich Ivan, the Firebird and the Grey Wolf, collected by Alexander Afanasyev. The wolf carries the prince on his back.
the jinni of the lampFrom Aladdin, added to the One Thousand and One Nights by Antoine Galland. He first appears when Aladdin's mother tries to clean the lamp.
the little red henFrom The Little Red Hen, an American fable first printed in 1874. She finds a grain of wheat and nobody will help her with it.
Mother HolleFrom Mother Holle, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. When her feather bed is shaken, it snows on earth.
the nightingaleFrom The Nightingale by Hans Christian Andersen, 1843. Its song is more beautiful than the palace of the emperor.
one of the seven dwarfsFrom Snow White, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. The old text gives the dwarfs no names.
one of the three bearsFrom The Story of the Three Bears, published by Robert Southey in 1837. A visitor eats their porridge, breaks a chair and sleeps in a bed.
Puss in BootsFrom Puss in Boots by Charles Perrault, 1697. The cat asks his master for a pair of boots and a bag.
the Reluctant DragonFrom The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame, 1898. He is a learned dragon who loves poetry.
the smallest billy goat GruffFrom Three Billy Goats Gruff, collected by Asbjornsen and Moe. The smallest goat crosses the bridge first.
the Talking CricketFrom The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, 1883. He warns Pinocchio, who does not want to hear it.
the third little pigFrom The Three Little Pigs, best known as Joseph Jacobs printed it in 1890. The third pig builds with bricks.
the ugly ducklingFrom The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen, 1843. The farmyard teases him, and he grows up among swans.
the white bearFrom East of the Sun and West of the Moon, collected by Asbjornsen and Moe. The bear is a prince under a spell.
the wishing fishFrom The Fisherman and His Wife, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. It begs to be set free and grants wish after wish.
the youngest of the seven young goatsFrom The Wolf and the Seven Young Goats, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. The youngest hides in the clock case.
Small folk and made things 16
the endless porridge potFrom Sweet Porridge, collected by the Brothers Grimm. The pot cooks until someone remembers the words that stop it.
GeppettoFrom The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, 1883. He carves the puppet from a log that can cry out.
the gingerbread manFrom The Gingerbread Man, first printed in St. Nicholas Magazine in 1875. He jumps out of the oven and runs.
the hen of the golden eggsFrom Jack and the Beanstalk. She lays an egg of pure gold when told to, and Jack carries her down the beanstalk.
the jeweled mechanical nightingaleFrom The Nightingale by Hans Christian Andersen, 1843. Its song is pretty and always the same, and in the end its cogs wear down.
KolobokFrom Kolobok, an East Slavic tale also called The Runaway Bun. He is a round bun who escapes from the old man and old woman who made him.
the mirror on the wallFrom Snow White, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. The queen asks it who is the fairest of all, and it never lies.
Ole Lukoie the dream bringerFrom Ole Lukoie by Hans Christian Andersen, 1841. He opens an umbrella of pictures over good children as they sleep.
one of the shoemaker's elvesFrom The Elves and the Shoemaker, collected by the Brothers Grimm. The elves finish his shoes overnight, and he and his wife make them clothes in thanks.
the paper ballerinaFrom The Steadfast Tin Soldier by Hans Christian Andersen, 1838. She is made of paper, wears a spangle on her sash and stands on one leg.
PinocchioFrom The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, 1883. He is a wooden puppet whose nose grows when he lies.
the self-setting tableFrom The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack, collected by the Brothers Grimm. At the words "Table, deck yourself" it fills with the finest food.
the singing golden harpFrom Jack and the Beanstalk. It sings when it is told to and calls out "Master!" when Jack carries it off.
the steadfast tin soldierFrom The Steadfast Tin Soldier by Hans Christian Andersen, 1838. He stands on one leg, and so does the paper ballerina he admires.
Tom ThumbFrom The History of Tom Thumb, printed in 1621 and called the first fairy tale printed in English. He is only as big as his father's thumb.
the turnip-pulling mouseFrom The Gigantic Turnip, collected by Alexander Afanasyev. The turnip comes up only when the mouse joins the line.
How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Every entry is a figure from a tale first published before 1900, under its traditional English name. The tale, its collection or author, the year where one is given and the detail in each note were checked on 2026-09-30 against the English Wikipedia article of the tale, at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ followed by: Cinderella, Little_Red_Riding_Hood, Jack_and_the_Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Thumbelina, Hansel_and_Gretel, Snow_White, Sleeping_Beauty, The_Snow_Queen, Beauty_and_the_Beast, Aladdin, The_Brave_Little_Tailor, Vasilisa_the_Beautiful, Askeladden, Snow-White_and_Rose-Red, Tsarevitch_Ivan,_the_Firebird_and_the_Gray_Wolf, Rumpelstiltskin, The_Wild_Swans, The_Tinderbox, Hans_in_Luck, The_Fisherman_and_His_Wife, Diamonds_and_Toads, The_Husband_Who_Was_to_Mind_the_House, Baba_Yaga, Three_Billy_Goats_Gruff, The_Adventures_of_Pinocchio, The_Emperor's_New_Clothes, The_Three_Little_Pigs, The_Gingerbread_Man, Puss_in_Boots, The_Frog_Prince, The_Princess_and_the_Pea, King_Thrushbeard, The_Twelve_Dancing_Princesses, The_Swineherd, The_Nightingale_(fairy_tale), The_Princess_on_the_Glass_Hill, The_Frog_Princess, The_Light_Princess, The_Ugly_Duckling, Goldilocks_and_the_Three_Bears, Town_Musicians_of_Bremen, Henny_Penny, The_Little_Red_Hen, Frau_Holle, East_of_the_Sun_and_West_of_the_Moon, The_Wolf_and_the_Seven_Young_Goats, The_Reluctant_Dragon_(short_story), Why_the_Bear_Is_Stumpy-Tailed, Tom_Thumb, The_Steadfast_Tin_Soldier, The_Elves_and_the_Shoemaker, Kolobok, Ole_Lukøje, Sweet_Porridge, The_Gigantic_Turnip, The_Wishing-Table,_the_Gold-Ass,_and_the_Cudgel_in_the_Sack. A detail the article does not state was left out. Tales whose main event is a killing, a mutilation or cruelty to a child were left out. Names and details come from the old printed tales only. Nothing is taken from a film, studio, show or game version. Licence: own work
Recast: all 73 recasts
Another time of life 14
a week after the happy endingThe decorations are still up and somebody has to do the dishes.
as a baby who already has the famous lookA very small version, with the one detail at full size.
as a grandparent telling the tale wrongA chair, an audience of small listeners and a hand waving the facts away.
Show all 73 recasts (70 more)
Another time of life, continued
as a small child who has not heard the story yetShrink the famous detail to toy size.
as a teenager who finds the whole thing embarrassingHide the famous detail under a hood or behind a bag.
at the age when they first left homeA bundle, a door behind them and a road ahead.
celebrating a hundredth birthdayA cake with too many candles and a face that has seen it all.
halfway through the tale and having second thoughtsStop them in mid-step, looking back.
in the winter after the taleWrap them up, and let the famous detail poke out of the scarf.
left out of this telling of the taleDraw them at the edge of the page, reading the story over the shoulder of the reader.
many years after the tale endedKeep one thing from the tale and let everything else age.
on the day of retiring from the storyA box of belongings and the famous detail on top of it.
on the morning before the tale beganNothing has happened yet. Draw them ordinary and unaware.
on the one day off the tale never mentionsNo costume today. One detail still gives them away.
With a job 15
as a bus driver on a day offThe uniform cap stays on, and so does the habit of checking a mirror.
as a cake decoratorA piping bag, a steady hand and a cake in the shape of the famous detail.
as a detective looking into their own taleA magnifying glass held over a page of the book.
as a gardener with a prize pumpkinA pumpkin bigger than the gardener and a ribbon pinned to it.
as a guide who points at their own portraitThe painting is grander than the guide.
as a librarian who shelves their own bookOne book held longer than the rest.
as a lifeguardA whistle, a float and the costume from the tale under a bright jacket.
as a mail carrier with one letter leftA big bag, nearly empty, and an address from the tale.
as a pizza maker tossing doughA disc in the air and flour on the famous costume.
as a referee of a quarrel between two othersA whistle, a raised hand and two smaller figures.
as a shopkeeper who sells the thing that made them famousA shelf of the same famous object, each with a price tag.
as a street performer acting out the taleA hat on the ground for coins and a cardboard prop.
as a teacher of the lesson they never learnedA blackboard with the moral on it, spelled wrong.
as a tour guide to their own storyA flag on a stick and a small crowd looking the wrong way.
as a weather reporterA map behind them, with one cloud where the tale happens.
Swapped and turned round 15
swapped with their rivalGive them the rival's clothes and keep their own face.
who became friends with the other sideTwo old enemies at one small table.
who has read the tale and disagrees with itA book open, a pencil out and notes in the margin.
who has wandered into the wrong fairy taleSurround them with props from a different story.
who is the helper in the tale of someone elsePut them at the side of the picture, handing something over.
who is tired of being recognizedDark glasses and a hat that hide nothing.
who kept the magic thing and never used itIt sits on a shelf with dust on it.
who learned the lesson too wellOverdoing the moral: ten locks on the door, or none at all.
who never learned the lessonMaking the same mistake again, cheerfully.
who said no at the start of the taleArms folded, at home, with the adventure walking past the window.
who slept through the big momentA pillow, an open mouth and the great scene going on behind.
who tells the story from the other sideSeat them in the armchair of the storyteller with the book upside down.
who took the other path at the forkDraw the signpost behind them, with one arm pointing the other way.
who went home earlyA coat already on and a wave from the door.
who won without any magicThe magic thing lies unused in the corner of the picture.
Drawn another way 15
as a chess pieceA turned base, a narrow waist and the famous detail on top.
as a costume someone else is wearingShow the zipper, and a different pair of shoes under the hem.
as a doodle on a steamed-up windowFinger lines on grey, already starting to drip.
as a figure folded from one sheet of paperSharp creases, flat sides and no curves at all.
as a hand shadow on a wallTwo hands in the light and the character on the wall behind.
as a painted shop signA board on a bracket, with the figure in three colours.
as a parade balloonRounded and shiny, with ropes going down to tiny handlers.
as a puppet with stringsLines rise from the wrists and knees to a wooden cross.
as a quilt squarePatches of printed cloth and stitches round every shape.
as a rubber stampOne colour, a few thick lines and a slightly uneven print.
as a snow sculptureRound forms with twigs and pebbles for the details.
as a stone statueGrey all over, on a block, with a bird sitting on the head.
as a stuffed toyStitched seams, button eyes and a price tag on a string.
as a weather vaneA flat metal outline on a spike, with an arrow under it.
as a wind-up toyA key in the back and stiff, straight limbs.
In another kind of story 14
as a circus acrobatUpside down on a trapeze, with the costume from the tale in sequins.
as a go-kart championA helmet under one arm and a very small trophy.
as a magician's assistantA sparkling jacket, and something from the tale handed across.
as a polar explorerA fur hood, snow goggles and a small flag.
as a robot with one squeaky wheelA boxy body, a bulb for a nose and three small lines beside the wheel.
as a rock musicianA guitar and a stage light, and the famous detail as a stage prop.
as a ship's captainA cap, a telescope and a deck that tilts.
as a submarine pilotA round window, a wheel and a fish looking in.
as a superhero with one small powerA cape, a mask and a power that is only slightly useful.
as a time traveller in the wrong yearThe clothes of one century and the street of another.
as a wizard still in trainingA robe too long and a hat too big.
as an astronautA round helmet, with the famous detail visible through the glass.
as an explorer with a notebookA sun hat, a pencil and a sketch of something new.
as an inventorGoggles on the forehead and a machine with one part left over.
How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Every entry is a way to redraw a known character, written to follow the name after a comma. Each fits a person, an animal or a made thing. The notes are our own drawing advice. Licence: own work
Place: all 60 places
In town 15
at a lost and found deskA box of single gloves and a form to fill in.
at a red lightA pole, a button to press and a long wait.
at a taxi standA short line, a painted curb and headlights coming.
at a ticket machineA screen, a slot and a line forming behind.
Show all 60 places (56 more)
In town, continued
at a yard saleA folding table, a hand-lettered sign and a lamp with no shade.
in a bicycle shopWheels hanging from the ceiling and a stand with one bicycle in pieces.
in a drive-through lineA speaker on a post and a car window rolled down.
in a line at the bankA rope between posts and a counter far away.
in a paint storeWalls of colour cards and a machine that shakes the cans.
in a phone repair shopA counter of tiny screws under a bright lamp.
in a revolving doorFour glass wings and a second trip round.
in a shoe shopA slanted mirror at floor level and a tower of boxes.
in the frozen food sectionGlass doors in a row and cold mist at ankle height.
on a park benchSlats, an armrest and a pigeon at a polite distance.
on a school busHigh seat backs, a long aisle and a round mirror at the front.
Places to play 15
at a birthday partyPaper hats, a cake and one balloon on the ceiling.
at a mini golf courseA small windmill and a ball that will not go in.
at a roller rinkA rail to hold, a mirror ball and a slippery floor.
at a school playA painted backdrop, a cardboard tree and a curtain rope.
at a school sports dayChalk lanes on grass and a table of ribbons.
at a skate parkCurved ramps and a rail, drawn with long sweeping lines.
at a trampoline parkSquares of bouncing floor and socks with grips.
at a water slideA tall tube with a staircase beside it.
in a bouncy castleFat rounded walls and everyone in the air.
in a costume shopRacks of capes, a wall of masks and a mirror.
in a sandboxA wooden edge, a bucket and a tower already leaning.
in a seaside arcadeRows of blinking machines and a floor of patterned carpet.
in the audience at a puppet showRows of small chairs and a striped booth in front.
on a playground swingTwo chains and a seat at the top of its arc.
on a seesawOne end up and one end down. They are on the wrong end.
At home 15
at a kitchen table doing homeworkA sheet of sums, a chewed pencil and a snack.
by a window on a rainy dayDrops on the glass and a blurred street outside.
in a backyard tentA triangle of cloth with a glow inside it.
in a blanket fortSheets over chairs, held with clothespins, and a flashlight inside.
in a closet under the stairsA sloping ceiling, coats and a vacuum cleaner.
in a garageA workbench, a bicycle on a hook and an oil stain.
in a hallway full of bootsCoats on hooks above and pairs of boots below.
in a kitchen at breakfastA table, a cereal box and light from one window.
in a laundry roomA humming machine, a basket and one sock on the floor.
on a bunk bedA ladder, a rail and a ceiling very close.
on a front stepA door behind, a mat underfoot and a street in front.
on a porch swingTwo chains, a cushion and a slow back and forth.
on a sofaCushions that have taken the shape of whoever sits there.
on the bottom stairSitting, with the rest of the stairs rising behind.
under a kitchen tableTable legs like pillars and a cloth hanging down.
Out and about 15
at a car repair shopA car raised on a lift and a row of tyres.
at a car washGiant brushes, foam and a dripping windshield.
at a farm standA table of vegetables and a jar for the money.
at a highway rest stopA picnic table, a map on a board and a row of parked cars.
at a mountain picnic spotA cloth on the grass and a view that goes on for miles.
at a petting farmA low fence and a goat with an interest in sleeves.
at an airport gateRows of seats, a big window and a plane nose outside.
in a garden centreRows of pots on benches and a cart with one wobbly wheel.
in a hotel lobbyA revolving door, a bell on the desk and a big plant.
in a museum gift shopPostcards on a spinning rack and pencils in a jar.
in a pedal boat on a pondTwo pedals, a small wake and a duck keeping pace.
on a boardwalkPlanks underfoot, a rail and gulls on every post.
on a hiking trailA narrow path, a signpost and a long view.
on a moving walkwayA long belt, a handrail and suitcases gliding past.
on a train with a window seatA table, a paper cup and fields going past.
How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Every entry is an ordinary modern place with its preposition, written to follow the recast after a comma. The notes are our own drawing advice. Licence: own work
Moment: all 60 moments
Waiting and resting 15
cooling off with a wet cloth on the headDrips down both sides and a sigh.
eating lunch alone and enjoying itA sandwich, a view and nobody asking questions.
emptying their pockets to find one thingString, a button, a ticket stub and, at last, the thing.
Show all 60 moments (57 more)
Waiting and resting, continued
fast asleep sitting upHead back, mouth open and the famous detail slipping off.
letting a drink go coldA cup with no steam and eyes on nothing.
listening hard to something far offOne hand cupped behind an ear and a finger raised for quiet.
looking at an old pictureA small frame held in both hands.
practicing a smile for a photographThree small versions of the same face, each smile worse.
pretending not to notice someoneEyes fixed on nothing and a figure waving at the edge of the picture.
reading the tale aloud and frowningA book held close and one eyebrow up.
tapping a footTwo small curved marks beside the foot, and folded arms above.
trying not to yawnLips pressed shut, eyes watering.
waiting for a kettle to boilStaring at it. It does not help.
watching a ladybug cross a tableChin on the hands and eyes level with the bug.
wearing every sweater they ownRound as a ball, with the arms sticking out.
Making and mending 15
blowing up a balloonCheeks out and the balloon half its size.
building a tower of blocksOne block held above a tower that is about to fall.
counting on their fingers and starting againLips moving, and one finger held down by the other hand.
decorating a cake that has gone wrongIt leans. They add more icing.
drawing their own house from memoryA pencil, a tongue between the teeth and a chimney in the wrong place.
dusting a shelf that is not theirsA cloth, a raised object and a guilty look.
matching up odd socksA heap of singles and one pair held up in triumph.
mending the one thing they are known forA needle, glue or a hammer, and great care.
oiling a squeaky hingeA small can with a long spout and an ear held close.
painting a signA brush, a board and one letter crowded at the end.
planting something in a potSoil on the hands and a seed packet stuck on a stick.
sewing a name tag into a coatA small label, a long thread and a squint.
tying a bow that will not sit straightLoops of ribbon and a look of great patience.
untangling a ball of yarnThe knot has reached the elbows.
writing a letter of apologyA pen, a crumpled first try and a second one going better.
Playing 15
balancing a spoon on their noseHead tipped back and eyes crossed.
blowing on hot soupA spoon held high and steam bending away.
building something out of whatever is nearbyA wobbly tower of unlikely things.
dancing to music only they can hearOne foot off the ground and the eyes closed.
feeding crumbs to one pigeonA hand held low and a bird making up its mind.
folding a paper airplaneA crease pressed flat with one finger and a test throw to come.
looking for glasses that are on their headSearching high and low, with the answer in plain sight.
peeling an orange in one long stripA spiral of peel and a look of great care.
playing hide and seek badlyHidden behind something much too small.
practicing a secret handshakeTwo hands in the middle of a complicated move.
reading the rules of a board game aloudA folded sheet held at arm's length and a finger raised.
singing into a hairbrushHead back, with a hairbrush for a microphone.
spinning a coinThe coin is a blur on its edge. They watch it closely.
walking a line as if it were a tightropeArms out, one foot in front of the other.
winning a prize by accidentA ribbon pinned on and a look of surprise.
With others 15
apologizing with a small presentA plant in a pot held out with both hands.
arguing politely about directionsTwo hands pointing two ways and a map between them.
asking a stranger what day it isA polite finger raised and a stranger thinking about it.
being mistaken for someone elseA stranger waves. They look behind them.
combing their hair in a reflectionA window or a spoon for a mirror.
dividing one sandwich four waysA sandwich, a ruler and four hopeful faces.
helping someone carry groceriesBags in both arms and a door held open with a foot.
making a toast with a glass of milkThe glass held high and a milk moustache.
meeting an old rival and being politeA stiff handshake and two tight smiles.
posing for a school photoShoulders square, hair flattened and a fixed smile.
returning something borrowed long agoThe thing is dusty and the owner is surprised.
signing an autographA pen, a notebook held out and a flourish.
teaching a child a clapping gameTwo pairs of hands, one large and one small, meeting in the middle.
telling a joke that does not landA wide grin, with silence drawn as empty space.
waving at someone who is not lookingOne arm up, and the other person walking on.
How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Every entry is something ordinary to be caught doing, written to end the sentence. Each fits a person, an animal or a made thing. The notes are our own drawing advice. Licence: own work
How it works
Each result moves a character from an old printed tale somewhere new: Cinderella, as a wind-up toy, in the frozen food section, waving at someone who is not looking.
Read the full guide
Four parts, each lockable
Character, recast, place and moment lock separately. When Puss in Boots comes up, lock him, press until the recast makes you laugh, then draw the boots first. One detail from the old tale keeps a character recognizable anywhere.
What the old text fixes
The lists under the tool name each character's tale, its author or collection, and one detail the printed tale gives: twenty mattresses over one pea, a hut on chicken legs, a belt that reads Seven at One Blow. Everything else is yours to invent.
Keep one detail from the tale and change everything else.
Print 30 for a class, one line for each child.
Lock the place and deal three characters, then draw them in one scene.
Questions and answers
Which fairy tales are the characters from?
Tales first published before 1900, by the Brothers Grimm, Charles Perrault, Hans Christian Andersen, Joseph Jacobs, Asbjornsen and Moe, Alexander Afanasyev, Carlo Collodi and a few others. Each note under the tool names the tale and was checked against its Wikipedia article.
Are these the film versions of the characters?
No. Names and details come from the old printed tales, so there are no film dress colours, no names for the seven dwarfs and no sidekicks invented for the screen. The design is left to you.
Why are some famous tales missing?
This page is made for children. A tale whose main event is a killing, a mutilation or cruelty to a child was left out, and so was any figure whose details could not be checked.
Can I get only villains or only animals?
No. The tool deals from the whole of each list and cannot filter by group. Lock the character when the one you want comes up, then keep pressing for the other three parts.