Random Fairy Tale Character Generator: Draw Them Somewhere New

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Red Riding Hood's wolf, as a wind-up toy, at a trampoline park, being mistaken for someone else.

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  • CharacterRed Riding Hood's wolf
  • Recastas a wind-up toy
  • Placeat a trampoline park
  • Momentbeing mistaken for someone else
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    Character of the day

     

    Character: all 92 characters

    Heroes and heroines 24

    • Aladdin From 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 Lad From the Norwegian tales collected by Asbjornsen and Moe. His name means ash-lad, and he is the youngest and the least expected to succeed.
    • Beauty From 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 tailor From The Brave Little Tailor, collected by the Brothers Grimm. He swats seven flies and makes a belt that reads "Seven at One Blow".
    • Cinderella From Cinderella. The version Charles Perrault published in 1697 gave her the glass slippers and the pumpkin coach.
    • Elisa of the wild swans From 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 fish From 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.
    • Gerda From 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.
    • Gretel From Hansel and Gretel, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. She and her brother find a house made of bread and cake.
    • Hans in Luck From 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 house From 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 Tsarevich From 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 beanstalk From Jack and the Beanstalk, best known as Joseph Jacobs told it in 1890. He trades the family cow for magic beans.
    • Kai From 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 Toads From Diamonds and Toads by Charles Perrault. A flower or a jewel falls from her mouth with every word.
    • Little Red Riding Hood From Little Red Riding Hood, first printed by Charles Perrault in 1697. The red hood is in the name.
    • the miller's daughter From Rumpelstiltskin, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. Her father boasts to the king that she can spin straw into gold.
    • Rapunzel From Rapunzel, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. Her long hair is let down from a tower.
    • Rose-Red From 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 Beauty From 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 White From 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 tinderbox From The Tinderbox by Hans Christian Andersen, 1835. Striking the box calls three dogs with enormous eyes.
    • Thumbelina From 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 Beautiful From Vasilisa the Beautiful, collected by Alexander Afanasyev. She carries a doll her mother gave her, and it helps her.

    Villains and tricksters 16

    • Baba Yaga From Slavic folklore. She flies in a wooden mortar with a pestle in her hand and lives in a hut on chicken legs.
    • Cinderella's stepmother From Cinderella. The version Charles Perrault published in 1697 calls her proud and haughty.
    • Dame Gothel From Rapunzel, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. She keeps Rapunzel in a tower with no door and no stairs.
    • the fisherman's wife From 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 Pinocchio From 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 beanstalk From 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 fox From 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 wolf From 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 Boots From Puss in Boots by Charles Perrault, 1697. He can change into any animal and is tricked into becoming a mouse.
    • Red Riding Hood's wolf From Little Red Riding Hood, as Charles Perrault printed it in 1697. He takes the grandmother's place in her bed.
    • Rumpelstiltskin From Rumpelstiltskin, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. He loses his bargain when the queen guesses his name.
    • the Snow Queen From 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 queen From Snow White, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. She asks her magic mirror who is fairest of all.
    • the swindler weaver From 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 bridge From Three Billy Goats Gruff, collected by Asbjornsen and Moe. He lives under the bridge the goats must cross.
    • the witch of the gingerbread house From Hansel and Gretel, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. Her house is cake, bread and sugar.

    Royalty 14

    • the Beast From 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 China From 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 clothes From The Emperor's New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen, 1837. A child in the crowd says aloud that he has nothing on.
    • the frog prince From 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 Princess From 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 Thrushbeard From King Thrushbeard, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. A princess mocks his chin for looking like the beak of a thrush.
    • the Light Princess From The Light Princess by George MacDonald, 1864. A spell takes away her gravity, so she floats.
    • the Marquis of Carabas From 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 hill From 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 pea From 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 ball From The Frog Prince, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. She promises a frog her friendship in return for her ball.
    • the swineherd prince From 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 princes From 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 princesses From 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 tail From 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 godmother From 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 musicians From 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 Hair From The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, 1883. She rescues the puppet and adopts him.
    • the Firebird From Tsarevich Ivan, the Firebird and the Grey Wolf, collected by Alexander Afanasyev. It steals golden apples and leaves one feather behind.
    • Henny Penny From 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 Wolf From Tsarevich Ivan, the Firebird and the Grey Wolf, collected by Alexander Afanasyev. The wolf carries the prince on his back.
    • the jinni of the lamp From 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 hen From 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 Holle From Mother Holle, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. When her feather bed is shaken, it snows on earth.
    • the nightingale From The Nightingale by Hans Christian Andersen, 1843. Its song is more beautiful than the palace of the emperor.
    • one of the seven dwarfs From Snow White, in the Brothers Grimm collection of 1812. The old text gives the dwarfs no names.
    • one of the three bears From 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 Boots From Puss in Boots by Charles Perrault, 1697. The cat asks his master for a pair of boots and a bag.
    • the Reluctant Dragon From The Reluctant Dragon by Kenneth Grahame, 1898. He is a learned dragon who loves poetry.
    • the smallest billy goat Gruff From Three Billy Goats Gruff, collected by Asbjornsen and Moe. The smallest goat crosses the bridge first.
    • the Talking Cricket From The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, 1883. He warns Pinocchio, who does not want to hear it.
    • the third little pig From The Three Little Pigs, best known as Joseph Jacobs printed it in 1890. The third pig builds with bricks.
    • the ugly duckling From The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen, 1843. The farmyard teases him, and he grows up among swans.
    • the white bear From East of the Sun and West of the Moon, collected by Asbjornsen and Moe. The bear is a prince under a spell.
    • the wishing fish From 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 goats From 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 pot From Sweet Porridge, collected by the Brothers Grimm. The pot cooks until someone remembers the words that stop it.
    • Geppetto From The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, 1883. He carves the puppet from a log that can cry out.
    • the gingerbread man From The Gingerbread Man, first printed in St. Nicholas Magazine in 1875. He jumps out of the oven and runs.
    • the hen of the golden eggs From Jack and the Beanstalk. She lays an egg of pure gold when told to, and Jack carries her down the beanstalk.
    • the jeweled mechanical nightingale From The Nightingale by Hans Christian Andersen, 1843. Its song is pretty and always the same, and in the end its cogs wear down.
    • Kolobok From 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 wall From 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 bringer From Ole Lukoie by Hans Christian Andersen, 1841. He opens an umbrella of pictures over good children as they sleep.
    • one of the shoemaker's elves From 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 ballerina From 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.
    • Pinocchio From The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, 1883. He is a wooden puppet whose nose grows when he lies.
    • the self-setting table From 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 harp From Jack and the Beanstalk. It sings when it is told to and calls out "Master!" when Jack carries it off.
    • the steadfast tin soldier From The Steadfast Tin Soldier by Hans Christian Andersen, 1838. He stands on one leg, and so does the paper ballerina he admires.
    • Tom Thumb From 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 mouse From 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 ending The decorations are still up and somebody has to do the dishes.
    • as a baby who already has the famous look A very small version, with the one detail at full size.
    • as a grandparent telling the tale wrong A 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 yet Shrink the famous detail to toy size.
    • as a teenager who finds the whole thing embarrassing Hide the famous detail under a hood or behind a bag.
    • at the age when they first left home A bundle, a door behind them and a road ahead.
    • celebrating a hundredth birthday A cake with too many candles and a face that has seen it all.
    • halfway through the tale and having second thoughts Stop them in mid-step, looking back.
    • in the winter after the tale Wrap them up, and let the famous detail poke out of the scarf.
    • left out of this telling of the tale Draw them at the edge of the page, reading the story over the shoulder of the reader.
    • many years after the tale ended Keep one thing from the tale and let everything else age.
    • on the day of retiring from the story A box of belongings and the famous detail on top of it.
    • on the morning before the tale began Nothing has happened yet. Draw them ordinary and unaware.
    • on the one day off the tale never mentions No costume today. One detail still gives them away.

    With a job 15

    • as a bus driver on a day off The uniform cap stays on, and so does the habit of checking a mirror.
    • as a cake decorator A piping bag, a steady hand and a cake in the shape of the famous detail.
    • as a detective looking into their own tale A magnifying glass held over a page of the book.
    • as a gardener with a prize pumpkin A pumpkin bigger than the gardener and a ribbon pinned to it.
    • as a guide who points at their own portrait The painting is grander than the guide.
    • as a librarian who shelves their own book One book held longer than the rest.
    • as a lifeguard A whistle, a float and the costume from the tale under a bright jacket.
    • as a mail carrier with one letter left A big bag, nearly empty, and an address from the tale.
    • as a pizza maker tossing dough A disc in the air and flour on the famous costume.
    • as a referee of a quarrel between two others A whistle, a raised hand and two smaller figures.
    • as a shopkeeper who sells the thing that made them famous A shelf of the same famous object, each with a price tag.
    • as a street performer acting out the tale A hat on the ground for coins and a cardboard prop.
    • as a teacher of the lesson they never learned A blackboard with the moral on it, spelled wrong.
    • as a tour guide to their own story A flag on a stick and a small crowd looking the wrong way.
    • as a weather reporter A map behind them, with one cloud where the tale happens.

    Swapped and turned round 15

    • swapped with their rival Give them the rival's clothes and keep their own face.
    • who became friends with the other side Two old enemies at one small table.
    • who has read the tale and disagrees with it A book open, a pencil out and notes in the margin.
    • who has wandered into the wrong fairy tale Surround them with props from a different story.
    • who is the helper in the tale of someone else Put them at the side of the picture, handing something over.
    • who is tired of being recognized Dark glasses and a hat that hide nothing.
    • who kept the magic thing and never used it It sits on a shelf with dust on it.
    • who learned the lesson too well Overdoing the moral: ten locks on the door, or none at all.
    • who never learned the lesson Making the same mistake again, cheerfully.
    • who said no at the start of the tale Arms folded, at home, with the adventure walking past the window.
    • who slept through the big moment A pillow, an open mouth and the great scene going on behind.
    • who tells the story from the other side Seat them in the armchair of the storyteller with the book upside down.
    • who took the other path at the fork Draw the signpost behind them, with one arm pointing the other way.
    • who went home early A coat already on and a wave from the door.
    • who won without any magic The magic thing lies unused in the corner of the picture.

    Drawn another way 15

    • as a chess piece A turned base, a narrow waist and the famous detail on top.
    • as a costume someone else is wearing Show the zipper, and a different pair of shoes under the hem.
    • as a doodle on a steamed-up window Finger lines on grey, already starting to drip.
    • as a figure folded from one sheet of paper Sharp creases, flat sides and no curves at all.
    • as a hand shadow on a wall Two hands in the light and the character on the wall behind.
    • as a painted shop sign A board on a bracket, with the figure in three colours.
    • as a parade balloon Rounded and shiny, with ropes going down to tiny handlers.
    • as a puppet with strings Lines rise from the wrists and knees to a wooden cross.
    • as a quilt square Patches of printed cloth and stitches round every shape.
    • as a rubber stamp One colour, a few thick lines and a slightly uneven print.
    • as a snow sculpture Round forms with twigs and pebbles for the details.
    • as a stone statue Grey all over, on a block, with a bird sitting on the head.
    • as a stuffed toy Stitched seams, button eyes and a price tag on a string.
    • as a weather vane A flat metal outline on a spike, with an arrow under it.
    • as a wind-up toy A key in the back and stiff, straight limbs.

    In another kind of story 14

    • as a circus acrobat Upside down on a trapeze, with the costume from the tale in sequins.
    • as a go-kart champion A helmet under one arm and a very small trophy.
    • as a magician's assistant A sparkling jacket, and something from the tale handed across.
    • as a polar explorer A fur hood, snow goggles and a small flag.
    • as a robot with one squeaky wheel A boxy body, a bulb for a nose and three small lines beside the wheel.
    • as a rock musician A guitar and a stage light, and the famous detail as a stage prop.
    • as a ship's captain A cap, a telescope and a deck that tilts.
    • as a submarine pilot A round window, a wheel and a fish looking in.
    • as a superhero with one small power A cape, a mask and a power that is only slightly useful.
    • as a time traveller in the wrong year The clothes of one century and the street of another.
    • as a wizard still in training A robe too long and a hat too big.
    • as an astronaut A round helmet, with the famous detail visible through the glass.
    • as an explorer with a notebook A sun hat, a pencil and a sketch of something new.
    • as an inventor Goggles 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 desk A box of single gloves and a form to fill in.
    • at a red light A pole, a button to press and a long wait.
    • at a taxi stand A short line, a painted curb and headlights coming.
    • at a ticket machine A screen, a slot and a line forming behind.
    Show all 60 places (56 more)

    In town, continued

    • at a yard sale A folding table, a hand-lettered sign and a lamp with no shade.
    • in a bicycle shop Wheels hanging from the ceiling and a stand with one bicycle in pieces.
    • in a drive-through line A speaker on a post and a car window rolled down.
    • in a line at the bank A rope between posts and a counter far away.
    • in a paint store Walls of colour cards and a machine that shakes the cans.
    • in a phone repair shop A counter of tiny screws under a bright lamp.
    • in a revolving door Four glass wings and a second trip round.
    • in a shoe shop A slanted mirror at floor level and a tower of boxes.
    • in the frozen food section Glass doors in a row and cold mist at ankle height.
    • on a park bench Slats, an armrest and a pigeon at a polite distance.
    • on a school bus High seat backs, a long aisle and a round mirror at the front.

    Places to play 15

    • at a birthday party Paper hats, a cake and one balloon on the ceiling.
    • at a mini golf course A small windmill and a ball that will not go in.
    • at a roller rink A rail to hold, a mirror ball and a slippery floor.
    • at a school play A painted backdrop, a cardboard tree and a curtain rope.
    • at a school sports day Chalk lanes on grass and a table of ribbons.
    • at a skate park Curved ramps and a rail, drawn with long sweeping lines.
    • at a trampoline park Squares of bouncing floor and socks with grips.
    • at a water slide A tall tube with a staircase beside it.
    • in a bouncy castle Fat rounded walls and everyone in the air.
    • in a costume shop Racks of capes, a wall of masks and a mirror.
    • in a sandbox A wooden edge, a bucket and a tower already leaning.
    • in a seaside arcade Rows of blinking machines and a floor of patterned carpet.
    • in the audience at a puppet show Rows of small chairs and a striped booth in front.
    • on a playground swing Two chains and a seat at the top of its arc.
    • on a seesaw One end up and one end down. They are on the wrong end.

    At home 15

    • at a kitchen table doing homework A sheet of sums, a chewed pencil and a snack.
    • by a window on a rainy day Drops on the glass and a blurred street outside.
    • in a backyard tent A triangle of cloth with a glow inside it.
    • in a blanket fort Sheets over chairs, held with clothespins, and a flashlight inside.
    • in a closet under the stairs A sloping ceiling, coats and a vacuum cleaner.
    • in a garage A workbench, a bicycle on a hook and an oil stain.
    • in a hallway full of boots Coats on hooks above and pairs of boots below.
    • in a kitchen at breakfast A table, a cereal box and light from one window.
    • in a laundry room A humming machine, a basket and one sock on the floor.
    • on a bunk bed A ladder, a rail and a ceiling very close.
    • on a front step A door behind, a mat underfoot and a street in front.
    • on a porch swing Two chains, a cushion and a slow back and forth.
    • on a sofa Cushions that have taken the shape of whoever sits there.
    • on the bottom stair Sitting, with the rest of the stairs rising behind.
    • under a kitchen table Table legs like pillars and a cloth hanging down.

    Out and about 15

    • at a car repair shop A car raised on a lift and a row of tyres.
    • at a car wash Giant brushes, foam and a dripping windshield.
    • at a farm stand A table of vegetables and a jar for the money.
    • at a highway rest stop A picnic table, a map on a board and a row of parked cars.
    • at a mountain picnic spot A cloth on the grass and a view that goes on for miles.
    • at a petting farm A low fence and a goat with an interest in sleeves.
    • at an airport gate Rows of seats, a big window and a plane nose outside.
    • in a garden centre Rows of pots on benches and a cart with one wobbly wheel.
    • in a hotel lobby A revolving door, a bell on the desk and a big plant.
    • in a museum gift shop Postcards on a spinning rack and pencils in a jar.
    • in a pedal boat on a pond Two pedals, a small wake and a duck keeping pace.
    • on a boardwalk Planks underfoot, a rail and gulls on every post.
    • on a hiking trail A narrow path, a signpost and a long view.
    • on a moving walkway A long belt, a handrail and suitcases gliding past.
    • on a train with a window seat A 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 head Drips down both sides and a sigh.
    • eating lunch alone and enjoying it A sandwich, a view and nobody asking questions.
    • emptying their pockets to find one thing String, a button, a ticket stub and, at last, the thing.
    Show all 60 moments (57 more)

    Waiting and resting, continued

    • fast asleep sitting up Head back, mouth open and the famous detail slipping off.
    • letting a drink go cold A cup with no steam and eyes on nothing.
    • listening hard to something far off One hand cupped behind an ear and a finger raised for quiet.
    • looking at an old picture A small frame held in both hands.
    • practicing a smile for a photograph Three small versions of the same face, each smile worse.
    • pretending not to notice someone Eyes fixed on nothing and a figure waving at the edge of the picture.
    • reading the tale aloud and frowning A book held close and one eyebrow up.
    • tapping a foot Two small curved marks beside the foot, and folded arms above.
    • trying not to yawn Lips pressed shut, eyes watering.
    • waiting for a kettle to boil Staring at it. It does not help.
    • watching a ladybug cross a table Chin on the hands and eyes level with the bug.
    • wearing every sweater they own Round as a ball, with the arms sticking out.

    Making and mending 15

    • blowing up a balloon Cheeks out and the balloon half its size.
    • building a tower of blocks One block held above a tower that is about to fall.
    • counting on their fingers and starting again Lips moving, and one finger held down by the other hand.
    • decorating a cake that has gone wrong It leans. They add more icing.
    • drawing their own house from memory A pencil, a tongue between the teeth and a chimney in the wrong place.
    • dusting a shelf that is not theirs A cloth, a raised object and a guilty look.
    • matching up odd socks A heap of singles and one pair held up in triumph.
    • mending the one thing they are known for A needle, glue or a hammer, and great care.
    • oiling a squeaky hinge A small can with a long spout and an ear held close.
    • painting a sign A brush, a board and one letter crowded at the end.
    • planting something in a pot Soil on the hands and a seed packet stuck on a stick.
    • sewing a name tag into a coat A small label, a long thread and a squint.
    • tying a bow that will not sit straight Loops of ribbon and a look of great patience.
    • untangling a ball of yarn The knot has reached the elbows.
    • writing a letter of apology A pen, a crumpled first try and a second one going better.

    Playing 15

    • balancing a spoon on their nose Head tipped back and eyes crossed.
    • blowing on hot soup A spoon held high and steam bending away.
    • building something out of whatever is nearby A wobbly tower of unlikely things.
    • dancing to music only they can hear One foot off the ground and the eyes closed.
    • feeding crumbs to one pigeon A hand held low and a bird making up its mind.
    • folding a paper airplane A crease pressed flat with one finger and a test throw to come.
    • looking for glasses that are on their head Searching high and low, with the answer in plain sight.
    • peeling an orange in one long strip A spiral of peel and a look of great care.
    • playing hide and seek badly Hidden behind something much too small.
    • practicing a secret handshake Two hands in the middle of a complicated move.
    • reading the rules of a board game aloud A folded sheet held at arm's length and a finger raised.
    • singing into a hairbrush Head back, with a hairbrush for a microphone.
    • spinning a coin The coin is a blur on its edge. They watch it closely.
    • walking a line as if it were a tightrope Arms out, one foot in front of the other.
    • winning a prize by accident A ribbon pinned on and a look of surprise.

    With others 15

    • apologizing with a small present A plant in a pot held out with both hands.
    • arguing politely about directions Two hands pointing two ways and a map between them.
    • asking a stranger what day it is A polite finger raised and a stranger thinking about it.
    • being mistaken for someone else A stranger waves. They look behind them.
    • combing their hair in a reflection A window or a spoon for a mirror.
    • dividing one sandwich four ways A sandwich, a ruler and four hopeful faces.
    • helping someone carry groceries Bags in both arms and a door held open with a foot.
    • making a toast with a glass of milk The glass held high and a milk moustache.
    • meeting an old rival and being polite A stiff handshake and two tight smiles.
    • posing for a school photo Shoulders square, hair flattened and a fixed smile.
    • returning something borrowed long ago The thing is dusty and the owner is surprised.
    • signing an autograph A pen, a notebook held out and a flourish.
    • teaching a child a clapping game Two pairs of hands, one large and one small, meeting in the middle.
    • telling a joke that does not land A wide grin, with silence drawn as empty space.
    • waving at someone who is not looking One 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.