• 150 ideas

Funny Things to Draw, Each With the Device That Makes It Work

Press the button for one random gag and the device that makes it funny, then start the clock and get it down before you overthink it.

Funny Things to Draw, Each With the Device That Makes It Work

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  1. Bear beekeeper failing the stock checkTiming. Sticky paws, empty jars and a clipboard. The bees hover with their arms folded.

Next step Get the animal right first: animals by body shapeDrop this gag into a full scene prompt

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Visual puns 40

  • A bat holding a bat Literal. One small bat, one cricket bat twice its height and a very pleased face.
  • A cricket playing cricket Literal. Pads on four of the six legs. The bat is a matchstick and the ball is a pea.
  • Alarm clock with wings leaving by the window Literal. Time flies. A circle, two bells, two wings, and a hand from the bed reaching too late.
  • Armchair showing off its arms Literal. A squashy chair flexing two padded arms. The seat cushion makes a proud chest.
  • Bookworm in reading glasses Prop. A worm looped round an open book. Tiny round glasses do all the work.
  • Bread winner on a podium Literal. A loaf on the top step with a medal. A bagel and a bun take silver and bronze.
  • Bull in a china shop, being very careful Reversal. The bull tiptoes with a teacup in two hooves. The shopkeeper is the clumsy one.
  • Butterflies in the stomach, X-ray view Literal. A nervous figure with a window in the tummy. Three butterflies inside, one reading a paper.
  • Cat let out of the bag Timing. One paw out of a paper bag, smug eyes over the rim. The whole room already knows.
  • Copycat at the photocopier Literal. A cat lies flat on the glass. Identical cat printouts slide into the tray.
  • Couch potato watching television Literal. A potato slumped on a sofa with the remote. Half-shut eyes are the whole joke.
  • Cucumber keeping cool in sunglasses Literal. Cool as a cucumber. A long oval, dark glasses, arms folded, everyone else sweating.
  • Ears of corn in headphones Literal. A corn cob with big headphones over the husk, eyes shut, one leaf tapping along.
  • Elephant in the room nobody mentions Deadpan. Two people sip tea and look anywhere else. The elephant fills the wall behind them.
  • Frog in the throat at the doctor's Literal. The patient says ah. A small frog waves at the torch from the back of the mouth.
  • Funny bone doing stand-up comedy Literal. A bone at a microphone under one spotlight. A skeleton in the front row holds its ribs.
  • Giant fork stuck in the road Literal. A fork in the road. Two lanes split round the handle while a driver checks the map.
  • Hammerhead shark putting up a shelf Literal. Nails held in the mouth, spirit level on the wall. The head is the hammer.
  • Kiwi bird meeting a kiwi fruit Deadpan. Same oval, same fuzz, both staring. Draw them the same size so the confusion is fair.
  • Knee wearing a flat cap Literal. Kneecap. One bent leg and one flat cap on the knee. Add a face if you dare.
  • Light bulb having an idea Literal. A bulb with a smaller bulb lit above its head. Thinking pose, one eyebrow up.
  • Pair of cold feet in scarves Literal. Two bare feet, icicles on the toes and a scarf round each ankle. No person needed.
  • Pair of pears in matching jumpers Literal. Two pear shapes side by side in the same knitted pattern. The stalks lean together.
  • Palm tree giving a high five Literal. One frond drawn as an open hand. A passing surfer jumps to meet it.
  • Potato with too many eyes at the optician Literal. A spud reads the chart with six eyes at once. The optician has run out of lenses.
  • Raining cats and dogs on one small umbrella Literal. The pets fall calmly, legs out. The person underneath looks up, unsurprised.
  • River bank with a cash machine Literal. A grassy bank, a cash machine set in the mud and a duck queueing with a card.
  • Rock band made of four actual rocks Deadpan. Guitar, bass, drums and singer, none of them moving. The crowd is pebbles.
  • Seal of approval stamping paperwork Literal. A seal at a desk with a rubber stamp in one flipper. The in-tray is mostly fish.
  • Smart cookie in a graduation cap Prop. A round biscuit with a mortarboard and a scroll. The chocolate chips double as freckles.
  • Snail mail carrier, three weeks late Timing. A snail in a postal cap with one letter. Cobwebs on the letterbox show how long it took.
  • Someone drawing a bath with a pencil Literal. An artist at an easel sketches a bathtub, towel on, sponge tucked behind one ear.
  • Spider web designer presenting to a fly Reversal. The spider has a pointer and a flip chart of web layouts. The client is a nervous fly.
  • The sun trying on sunglasses Literal. A sun with rays at a shop mirror, the price tag still hanging off one lens.
  • Tea rex pouring tea with very short arms Literal. A dinosaur in a bib with the pot out of reach of the cup. The arms never meet.
  • Traffic jam inside a jam jar Literal. Tiny cars sit nose to tail in strawberry jam. One driver leans out, furious at a seed.
  • Trainer with its tongue sticking out Literal. The tongue of the shoe flops over the laces like a cheeky face. Two eyelets become eyes.
  • Two peas in a pod sharing earphones Literal. One open pod, two round faces, one wire between them. A third pea feels left out.
  • Watchdog wearing five wristwatches Literal. A guard dog sat upright, a watch on each leg and one on the tail, all showing different times.
  • Wisdom tooth giving advice on a mountain Literal. A molar with a long beard sits cross-legged on a peak. A small incisor takes notes.

Animals with jobs 32

  • Bat radio host broadcasting upside down Deadpan. The microphone hangs from the ceiling too. The mug of coffee is the problem.
  • Bear beekeeper failing the stock check Timing. Sticky paws, empty jars and a clipboard. The bees hover with their arms folded.
  • Beaver carpenter eating his own furniture Timing. A fine chair with one leg already chewed through. The customer arrives in an hour.
  • Cat security guard asleep on the monitors Deadpan. Curled on the warm screens, cap over one ear. A burglar waves on camera three.
  • Chameleon decorator who keeps vanishing Deadpan. Only the roller, the overalls and two eyes show against the fresh wallpaper.
  • Cockerel who overslept on his first day Timing. The sun is already high. Comb flattened, one sock on, the farmer tapping a watch.
  • Cow barista offended by the oat milk order Deadpan. Apron on, hoof on hip, one long stare at the customer. The menu lists one milk.
  • Crab hairdresser with scissors built in Prop. Two claws, one comb and a customer with a very square fringe.
  • Dog ball boy who will not give the ball back Timing. The tennis match has stopped. A player holds out a hand and the dog backs away.
  • Dog postman chasing himself up the path Reversal. Mailbag flying, he barks at his own uniform in a window. Letters go everywhere.
  • Electric eel electrician charging a phone Prop. The eel holds the cable in its mouth. The phone reads 100 per cent and smokes a little.
  • Elephant firefighter with a built-in hose Prop. Helmet strapped between the ears, trunk aimed at one very small bin fire.
  • Flamingo yoga teacher holding one pose Deadpan. Tree pose is just standing. The wobbling humans behind cannot keep up.
  • Frog weather presenter delighted by rain Reversal. A huge grin at a map covered in rain clouds. The camera crew hold umbrellas.
  • Giraffe window cleaner with no ladder Prop. A bucket hangs from one horn. Feet on the pavement, sponge on the fourth floor.
  • Hedgehog balloon seller, stock running low Timing. Three balloons left, a pile of burst rubber at its feet and a hopeful smile.
  • Mole lifeguard squinting at the pool Prop. Thick glasses, a whistle and a tall chair. The mole faces the car park, not the water.
  • Octopus barista making eight coffees at once Scale. One cup per arm, all mid-pour. Keep the face calm and the queue out of the door.
  • Owl librarian shushing with a full head turn Deadpan. The body faces the shelf and the head faces you. One wing tip rests on the beak.
  • Parrot receptionist repeating every caller Deadpan. Headset on, feathers neat. Its speech bubble and the phone's speech bubble match.
  • Penguin waiter already dressed for it Deadpan. No uniform needed. A tray on one flipper, a cloth over the other, fish of the day.
  • Porcupine acupuncturist with a nervous client Prop. The client lies face down and peeks back. The porcupine picks a quill like a pen.
  • Raccoon bin inspector with a clipboard Prop. Hi-vis vest, mask built in. It awards your wheelie bin three stars.
  • Seagull food critic reviewing stolen chips Prop. Notebook under one wing, chip in the beak. The owner of the chips runs up behind.
  • Shark dentist proudly showing his own teeth Reversal. The patient in the chair is a very small fish. Draw the grin wider than the mask.
  • Sheep knitting a jumper from her own wool Timing. Needles clicking, jumper nearly done, her back half already bald.
  • Sloth courier with a parcel due last spring Timing. The sloth is one step from the van. The label on the box has faded in the sun.
  • Snail driving instructor saying slow down Reversal. Dual controls, a clipboard and a terrified face. The car is doing four miles an hour.
  • Squirrel bank manager guarding the acorn vault Prop. A round vault door, acorns stacked like gold bars, a tiny waistcoat and a big key.
  • Tortoise personal trainer timing a sprint Deadpan. Sweatband, whistle and stopwatch. The wall calendar is what he really times it with.
  • Woodpecker road crew with no drill Deadpan. Hard hat, ear defenders, beak in the tarmac. The rest of the crew lean on shovels.
  • Zebra referee who never needs the shirt Prop. Just add a whistle and two cards. The stripes were always there.

Food arguments 26

  • Avocado going brown by lunchtime Timing. Half an avocado checks a watch in panic. A brown patch creeps in from one edge.
  • Banana in denial about one bruise Deadpan. A banana at a mirror turning its good side. The bruise is the size of a coin.
  • Biscuit lifeguard too late for a dunking accident Timing. Half a biscuit floats in the tea. The lifeguard biscuit stands on the saucer with a ring.
  • Broccoli running for election on a child's plate Prop. A rosette, a tiny podium and a campaign poster. The chips are winning by a mile.
  • Brussels sprout sulking until Christmas Deadpan. One sprout alone with a calendar, eleven months crossed off. Small, round, furious.
  • Carrot resigning as a snowman's nose Timing. The carrot walks off with a small suitcase. The snowman stares at the hole in its face.
  • Crisp packet defending being mostly air Scale. An X-ray view shows four crisps at the bottom of a huge bag. The bag looks shifty.
  • Doughnut and bagel arguing over the hole Deadpan. Two rings nose to nose, each sure it had the hole first. Sprinkles against sesame seeds.
  • Fork and spoon blaming the spork Prop. The spork stands between them looking like both. Draw the family resemblance clearly.
  • Gherkin thrown out of a burger, offended Timing. A gherkin slice on the wrapper looks back at the bun. A finger and thumb retreat.
  • Grape meeting its grandad, a raisin Scale. One smooth oval, one small wrinkled one with a walking stick. Same smile on both.
  • Jam and clotted cream arguing over a scone Timing. Each holds a spoon over the same split scone. The scone looks from one to the other.
  • Ketchup and mustard arguing over a hot dog Timing. Two bottles square up, caps off. The hot dog between them is still bare and waiting.
  • Last biscuit in the tin, nobody looking Deadpan. Four hands hover near the tin and four faces study the ceiling. The biscuit sweats.
  • Marshmallow eyeing the campfire Timing. On the stick but not yet toasted. One bead of sweat and a sideways look at the flames.
  • Milk and cereal arguing over who goes in first Timing. A carton and a box both lean over one empty bowl. The spoon has given up.
  • The one popcorn kernel that refuses to pop Anticlimax. A bowl of fluffy popcorn and one hard kernel at the bottom with folded arms.
  • Onion making the knife cry Reversal. The knife wipes its eyes. The onion sits smug on the chopping board.
  • Peanut turned away from the nut club Deadpan. A walnut doorman checks the list. The peanut is a legume and its pod gives it away.
  • Pineapple turned away at the pizza door Deadpan. A pepperoni bouncer with folded arms. The pineapple ring holds up an invitation.
  • Salt and pepper not speaking Deadpan. Two shakers back to back with crossed arms. A few spilled grains on the cloth say why.
  • Sushi roll dizzy on the conveyor belt Timing. Spiral eyes, third lap. Every other plate has been picked.
  • Tea bag and coffee bean in a staring contest Deadpan. Two tiny faces, one mug between them, neither blinking. The kettle referees.
  • Toast landing butter side down, again Timing. Draw the moment before it lands. The toast has seen the carpet and knows.
  • Tomato stuck between the fruit and veg aisles Deadpan. A tomato with a suitcase under two signs. Botanists call it a fruit, cooks a vegetable.
  • Two slices of bread arguing over who goes on top Deadpan. The filling waits on the plate with its arms out. Each slice points at itself.

Silly sizes 26

  • Bee arriving at a daisy with too much luggage Prop. Three suitcases and a sun hat for a one-night stay. The daisy bends under the weight.
  • Centipede horrified by the shoe shop bill Scale. Fifty pairs on the counter and a receipt that reaches the floor. Socks are extra.
  • Cocktail umbrella against a thunderstorm Scale. A soaked figure holds a paper umbrella the size of a coin. Draw the rain in thick slants.
  • Concert pianist hunched over a toy piano Scale. Tailcoat, grand gesture, knees up by the elbows. The piano has eight keys.
  • Cruise ship moored in a garden pond Scale. Passengers wave from the rail at a gnome. A frog on a lily pad is level with the anchor.
  • Dachshund so long its back half is late Timing. The front end has sat down for dinner. The back end is still coming round the corner.
  • Dentist brushing a crocodile's teeth with a broom Scale. Stood inside the open jaw in wellies. A bucket of toothpaste sits by the tongue.
  • Dinosaur on a child's tricycle Scale. Knees out wide, tail dragging, streamers on the handlebars. It is concentrating hard.
  • Duckling the size of a bus at a zebra crossing Scale. Traffic waits. A crossing patrol no taller than its foot holds up the sign.
  • Elephant driving a very small car Scale. Knees by the ears, trunk out of the sunroof. Draw the car in perfect proportion and the driver not.
  • Fly chasing a tiny person with a swatter Reversal. Swap the sizes and the roles at once. The person runs for a crack in the skirting board.
  • Full orchestra playing inside a matchbox Scale. Slide the tray half open. A conductor the size of a match head, players like pins.
  • Giraffe in a lift, neck out through the roof Scale. Inside, four passengers stare at knees. Outside, the head rides above the building.
  • Giraffe in a scarf that took all winter to knit Scale. The scarf wraps the neck twelve times. Its gran is still knitting the far end.
  • Goldfish with a whole swimming pool to itself Scale. One orange dot in the middle lane, a lifeguard on duty, armbands optional.
  • House cat as big as the house, wanting in Scale. One eye fills the upstairs window. A paw the size of a car pats the front door.
  • Huge trophy for coming ninth Anticlimax. The cup is taller than the winner. The plaque says ninth and the smile is real.
  • Knight in full armour riding a guinea pig Scale. Lance level, visor down, feet dragging on the ground. The guinea pig is eating.
  • One enormous ant carrying off the picnic table Reversal. The family still sit on the benches, mid-sandwich, six feet off the ground.
  • Sandwich so tall it needs scaffolding Scale. Builders in hard hats lower the top slice by crane. Count the fillings as floors.
  • Small fish reeling in a huge fisherman Reversal. The fish sits in a boat underwater, rod bent double, a pair of wellies on the line.
  • Snail carrying a three-storey house Scale. Chimney smoking, washing line out. The snail's face shows the mortgage.
  • Tall camper in a tiny tent, feet out in the rain Scale. A triangle, two boots and one rain cloud. The socks are already soaked.
  • Top hat so big only the shoes show Scale. A tall cylinder with a brim and two shoes underneath. Add a hand feeling for the door.
  • Two people writing a list with one giant pencil Scale. One steers the point and one carries the rubber end. The list so far says milk.
  • Whale in a bathtub Scale. The tail hangs over one end and the spout hits the ceiling. A rubber duck sits on its head.

Goofy heroes 26

  • Flying hero afraid of heights, hugging a chimney Reversal. Eyes shut, cape flapping, both arms round the brickwork. A pigeon offers support.
  • Fortune teller hero who sees three seconds ahead Timing. A finger raised to warn you, the banana skin already under your foot.
  • Hero tripping over a cape that is far too long Timing. Mid-air, halfway down the town hall steps. The end of the cape is still at the top.
  • Hero who can fly one inch off the ground Anticlimax. Full flying pose, cape out, toes just clear of the pavement. Draw the tiny shadow.
  • Hero who talks to pigeons, who never listen Deadpan. Arms spread in command. Twelve pigeons eat a dropped sandwich and one looks up, briefly.
  • Hero whose mask keeps slipping over both eyes Prop. Eye holes up on the forehead, hands out in front, a lamp post dead ahead.
  • Hero whose only power is finding the end of the tape Anticlimax. A heroic stance with a roll of sticky tape held high. The crowd is wrapping presents.
  • Hero with a cape shut in the lift doors Timing. The lift has gone up and the hero has not. Draw the cape as one tight straight line.
  • Hero's mum fixing the cape before a battle Timing. She licks a thumb and wipes the mask. The villain waits politely, checking the time.
  • Invisible hero, but only when nobody is looking Deadpan. An empty street and a dotted outline in a cape. One passer-by peeks through her fingers.
  • Laser eyes used for making toast Anticlimax. Two beams and one slice of bread on a fork. The smoke alarm has a face and it is worried.
  • Magnet hero covered in cutlery Prop. Forks, keys and a saucepan stuck all over the costume. A fridge door is on its way.
  • Plant-control hero whose only ally is cress Anticlimax. A heroic gesture at a tray on the windowsill. The cress leans slightly.
  • Retired hero feeding ducks in full costume Deadpan. A park bench, a bag of oats, a faded cape and slippers. The ducks salute.
  • Robot sidekick stuck on an update mid-battle Timing. A progress bar on its chest reads 12 per cent. The hero holds off the villain alone.
  • Secret identity that is just a false moustache Prop. Same cape, same boots, one stuck-on moustache. Nobody in the office has worked it out.
  • Shape-shifter who can only turn into a wardrobe Anticlimax. Mid-change: a wardrobe with a mask, boots and one arm. The villain is just confused.
  • Sidekick who is clearly better at the job Reversal. The sidekick holds three captured villains. The hero poses for the photograph.
  • Speedster who always arrives far too early Timing. Sat on the kerb with a flask outside a quiet bank. The robbery is tomorrow.
  • Stretchy hero used as a washing line Deadpan. Arms tied between two lamp posts, pegs along each sleeve. The neighbours say thanks.
  • Super hearing kept awake by a dripping tap Scale. A hero in bed with a pillow over each ear. The tap is three streets away, shown in a cutaway.
  • Super strength in the left little finger only Scale. One finger lifts a car. The other arm struggles with a shopping bag.
  • Teleporter who always lands in a hedge Timing. Boots and cape stick out of the top of a hedge. A puff of stars marks the entry.
  • Villain whose evil plan is hiding left socks Anticlimax. A lair wall covered in single socks, pinned up like trophies. The laugh is enormous.
  • Weather hero who can only summon light drizzle Anticlimax. A dramatic pose under one small grey cloud. The villain opens an umbrella.
  • X-ray vision that only works through glass Anticlimax. The hero squints hard at a window. Beams from the eyes, a bored cat on the other side.

How it works

Every one of these 150 funny things to draw is a finished gag, not a bare noun: a Bull in a china shop, being very careful, or a Hedgehog balloon seller, stock running low. Each hint names the device doing the work, such as Deadpan or Scale, then what to draw so it lands.

Read the full guide

Seven comic devices, one per hint

A drawing is funny for a reason you can name. Literal (31 hints) draws a figure of speech exactly as said: A bat holding a bat. Deadpan (27) keeps every face calm while something absurd happens. Timing (27) picks the moment just before or after the disaster. Scale (25) makes one thing far too big or small. Prop, Reversal and Anticlimax cover the other 40. Learn the seven and you can write your own funny drawing prompts.

Five kinds of joke in the list

Visual puns (40) are the quickest funny drawing ideas because the caption is already written. Animals with jobs (32) work when the body suits the job or ruins it: Crab hairdresser with scissors built in. Food arguments (26) need two faces and a grudge. If you came for silly things to draw, Silly sizes (26) is the group: careful scenes with one thing far too big. The goofy things to draw sit under Goofy heroes (26), where every power is useless.

  • Eyebrows carry the expression. Two short slanted lines turn the same dot eyes from furious to worried, so draw them last.
  • Redo any result with your wrong hand, or without looking at the paper. Wonky on purpose reads as funny.
  • Write the caption first. Goofy drawing ideas such as Huge trophy for coming ninth work in five words, so the picture only has to agree.

Questions and answers

Which gags are easiest to draw?

Choose Easy for 53 easy funny drawing ideas built from one character and a few shapes: Whale in a bathtub, Onion making the knife cry, Magnet hero covered in cutlery. Stick figures are fine: a joke survives rough drawing better than a portrait does. Cute and funny, beside it, holds 43 gentler gags.

What is the difference between funny and weird?

A reason. Each idea here is a joke with a named device behind it. For strange combinations with no punchline, weird drawing ideas is the list. If a gag falls flat, check its device: a Deadpan joke dies the moment a character grins.

Can a group use this as a drawing game?

Yes, and silly drawing ideas suit a group because nobody minds losing. Set the clock to two minutes, have everyone draw the same gag, then compare. Food arguments works well in pairs, with one person drawing each side of the grudge.

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