Horror Monster Generator

Press New monster for a spooky monster to draw: a shape, one odd detail, a hiding place and a fear.

Horror Monster Generator: 30 monsters

A shop dummy that was not in the window yesterday, with a smile wider than the thing wearing it. It moves only in reflections. It hides in the oldest yew in the park and is afraid of warm afternoons. Draw it like this: look up at it from floor level.

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

Shapeshop dummy that was not in the window yesterday
Odd detaila smile wider than the thing wearing it
How it movesmoves only in reflections
Where it hidesin the oldest yew in the park
What it fearswarm afternoons
How to draw itlook up at it from floor level

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Monster of the day

A shop dummy that was not in the window yesterday, with a smile wider than the thing wearing it. It moves only in reflections. It hides in the oldest yew in the park and is afraid of warm afternoons. Draw it like this: look up at it from floor level.
A squat figure hidden by an enormous hat, with a shadow two sizes larger than itself. It darts like a fish and then hangs still. It hides in the museum basement among the crates and is afraid of the first birdsong of the morning. Draw it like this: tilt the whole picture so the floor slopes.
A swarm of dust that gathers when the door shuts, with two pinprick eyes deep inside the dark. It travels along the edges of rooms and never the middle. It hides in the greenhouse that has whitewashed glass and is afraid of a wooden spoon held firmly. Draw it like this: light everything in the room except it.
A wind-up tin toy as tall as a door, with a shadow two sizes larger than itself. It slides under doors like a letter. It hides in the waiting room of a closed station and is afraid of bubble bath. Draw it like this: put the viewer under the table looking out.
A figure wearing a cardboard box for a head, with a top that brushes every ceiling. It travels along the edges of rooms and never the middle. It hides in the cellar beside the cold tap and is afraid of goldfish that seem to be watching. Draw it like this: show it as a bulge under a dust sheet.
A cloud of moths that keeps the outline of a coat, with more teeth than seems needed, all polished. It moves only in reflections. It hides in a shipping container at the docks and is afraid of falling conkers. Draw it like this: run it off the top of the sheet.
A scribble of darkness drawn in a hurry, with a shadow that has more limbs than it does. It is in a new spot each time the light flickers. It hides in the cloakroom of the town hall and is afraid of sunbeams full of dust. Draw it like this: put the viewer under the table looking out.
A column of smoke that holds a shape, with a shadow that has more limbs than it does. It swaps places with its own shadow. It hides in the pay booth of a car park that has closed and is afraid of the vacuum cleaner. Draw it like this: draw it the same size as the furniture.
A small figure in a coat that is far too big, with a smell of cold cellars. It pushes through air as if it were treacle. It hides in the gap behind the piano and is afraid of having its photograph taken. Draw it like this: backlight it and leave the near side black.
A column of smoke that holds a shape, with a mouth that fastens with a zip. It pushes through air as if it were treacle. It hides in the cupboard below the stairs and is afraid of a breeze that smells of cut grass. Draw it like this: black out the page except for a keyhole.
A toad as big as an armchair, with a faint glow like a television in another room. It marches on the spot before every step. It hides behind the bins of a closed cafe and is afraid of warm afternoons. Draw it like this: light it with a birthday candle that is burning low.
A grandfather clock that has started to lean in, with a covering of fine dust that never smudges. It settles like dust and has to be asked to move. It hides in the museum basement among the crates and is afraid of polite applause. Draw it like this: draw a queue and make it third in line.
A rocking chair that always looks just sat in, with a coat of water that never drips. It arrives between blinks. It hides behind the longest curtains in the house and is afraid of hedgehogs. Draw it like this: draw it the same size as the furniture.
A bat that has the wingspan of a bedsheet, with a laugh like a drawer of cutlery. It arrives between blinks. It hides in the cellar beside the cold tap and is afraid of dandelion clocks. Draw it like this: put it small in the background of a bright ordinary scene.
A frost pattern that spreads toward the warm, with a second pair of eyes that looks behind. It keeps time with the nearest dripping tap. It hides in the chimney nobody lights and is afraid of the ting of a bell on handlebars. Draw it like this: draw the view from behind it.
A scribble of darkness drawn in a hurry, with a shadow that gets there first. It travels inside the walls and knocks before it comes out. It hides behind the coats in the hall cupboard and is afraid of sunbeams full of dust. Draw it like this: put it in a group portrait at the back on the left.
A rocking chair that always looks just sat in, with eyes that shine through whatever it hides behind. It squeezes through gaps much too small for it. It hides among the shrubs in the middle of a roundabout and is afraid of being waved at. Draw it like this: put it very small on a seaside postcard.
A figure made of too many elbows, with a surface like candle wax gone cold. It keeps time with the nearest dripping tap. It hides on top of the tallest wardrobe and is afraid of laughter from another room. Draw it like this: put it behind frosted glass.
A rocking horse that rocks on its own, with wooden teeth that clack like a gate. It moves when the page is turned. It hides behind the scenery of a small theatre and is afraid of people who say excuse me and walk straight past. Draw it like this: use only hard white and hard black.
A dog-sized thing that keeps low to the ground, with two pinprick eyes deep inside the dark. It leans a degree at a time toward the warm. It hides in the airing cupboard among the towels and is afraid of butterflies indoors. Draw it like this: see it through a gap in a fence.
A figure on stilts under a floor-length cloak, with far too many eyes that blink in turn. It drifts like a boat that has slipped its rope. It hides behind the scenery of a small theatre and is afraid of goldfish that seem to be watching. Draw it like this: put the viewer under the table looking out.
A column of smoke that holds a shape, with a coat of frost that does not melt indoors. It drifts like a boat that has slipped its rope. It hides in the oldest yew in the park and is afraid of a tortoise crossing the lawn. Draw it like this: smear it behind a wet windscreen.
A figure in a nightshirt and a long pointed nightcap, with far too many eyes that blink in turn. It is always just leaving when someone looks up. It hides in the airing cupboard among the towels and is afraid of the vacuum cleaner. Draw it like this: give it the best chair and draw everyone else standing.
A hare that stands upright when it thinks it is alone, with one large eye that never quite closes. It drifts like a boat that has slipped its rope. It hides in the luggage rack of the night coach and is afraid of a recorder played badly. Draw it like this: frame it in a mirror on the far wall.
A pile of laundry that sits up, with eyes the size of saucers. It moves only in reflections. It hides in a telephone box nobody uses and is afraid of the whistle of a boiling kettle. Draw it like this: fill the frame with it so nothing else fits.
A worm as thick as a drainpipe, with a smile that looks drawn on in chalk. It rocks from side to side and gets nowhere. It hides among the shrubs in the middle of a roundabout and is afraid of oven gloves. Draw it like this: light everything in the room except it.
A swarm of dust that gathers when the door shuts, with a top that brushes every ceiling. It darts like a fish and then hangs still. It hides just beyond the last working street lamp and is afraid of a recorder played badly. Draw it like this: put it exactly in the middle and keep the rest symmetrical.
A column of smoke that holds a shape, with eyes like the heads of two brass tacks. It copies the walk of whoever went by last. It hides in the revolving door of an empty office and is afraid of lambs. Draw it like this: show its reflection and not the thing itself.
A figure wearing a cardboard box for a head, with a laugh like a drawer of cutlery. It follows the pattern in the carpet. It hides in the bulrushes by the boating pond and is afraid of tadpoles. Draw it like this: show its reflection and not the thing itself.
A rocking horse that rocks on its own, with a surface like candle wax gone cold. It rocks from side to side and gets nowhere. It hides in the back row of an empty cinema and is afraid of bumblebees in the lavender. Draw it like this: put it behind a row of ordinary things.

Next step Write the story it belongs in

Shape: all 60 shapes

Almost a person 15

figure as thin as a broom and door-high Rule two close lines from floor to lintel. Add shoulders last.
figure in a nightshirt and a long pointed nightcap The cap trails behind like a tail. Keep the hem a little above the floor.
figure in a raincoat buttoned to the very top The collar stands above where a head would be. Leave the opening dark.

Show all 60 shapes (57 more)

Almost a person, continued

figure knitted from grey wool Draw rows of stitches and one loose end trailing off out of the picture.
figure made of too many elbows Give each arm one bend more than it should have. Keep the rest simple.
figure on stilts under a floor-length cloak The cloak hangs straight for far too long. Show the stilts only as two dents in the rug.
figure wearing a cardboard box for a head Two neat holes or none. Decide which is worse and draw that one.
long-armed figure whose sleeves reach the floor Draw the sleeves empty at the ends. What is in them is not your problem.
paper-thin figure seen side on From the front it is a person and from the side a line. Draw it turning.
small figure in a coat that is far too big The hem drags and the sleeves hang. Something small is inside, or several things.
squat figure hidden by an enormous hat The brim hides everything above the chin. Keep the body a plain bell.
stooped figure wrapped in grey blankets A heap that tilts. Suggest a head only by where the folds point.
tall figure folded in half to fit the room Back along the ceiling, head coming down the far wall. Draw the room first.
very polite figure in an old-fashioned suit Nearly human unsettles more than plainly not: the uncanny valley. Keep the suit perfect and the pose stiff.
very tall figure in a narrow grey overcoat Draw the coat as one dark shape, no gap for legs. The height does the work.

Almost an animal 15

bat that has the wingspan of a bedsheet Hang it from a curtain rail, wings wrapped. It is mistaken for a curtain.
black cat that is slightly too long Add one more body length between the shoulders and the hips.
crow that has far too much neck The neck comes up out of the frame's bottom edge like a periscope.
dog-sized thing that keeps low to the ground Draw the back as a flat line and the legs as a blur. Never show it standing.
fox that walks on its hind legs and carries its tail The tail is held over one arm like a folded coat. Keep the walk casual.
goat-shaped thing whose horns scrape the ceiling Draw two pale scratches in the plaster leading back to the door.
hare that stands upright when it thinks it is alone Ears straight up, paws folded. Draw it caught at the moment it notices you.
heap of fur that has no clear front A rounded pile. Hint at which end is which and then contradict it.
long-legged thing that stands over the furniture A small body near the ceiling on legs like bent wire. The table fits underneath.
moth the size of a dinner plate Draw it flat against a window with dusty wings open, lit from inside the house.
owl-shaped thing as tall as a wardrobe A body that fills the alcove, feathered in soft bars. Keep the outline fluffy.
pale eel-shaped thing that can leave the water A wet ribbon on dry floorboards. Draw the trail it has left behind it.
toad as big as an armchair Draw it sitting where the armchair was. The cushions are on the floor.
wolfish thing made mostly of shoulders A wedge of dark fur, narrow at the back. Keep the head low and small.
worm as thick as a drainpipe Only a middle is ever seen. Draw a loop coming out of one hole and into another.

A made thing that moves 15

bundle of old brooms tied in the shape of a person Twigs for fingers, string at every joint. It sheds a little where it walks.
coat stand that has learned to walk Three feet, many hooks and a hat it keeps. Show the scuffs on the hall floor.
grandfather clock that has started to lean in Tilt it a few degrees toward the room. Everything else stays square.
jack-in-the-box whose lid is already open The spring leans out of the box and round a corner. The end is out of sight.
marionette walking with nobody above it Limbs hang as if strings held them. Draw the empty air above with care.
music box dancer grown to full height One pose, one arm raised, turning on the spot. Paint is chipped at the tips.
pile of laundry that sits up Sleeves, socks and a sheet for a back. Draw the basket tipped over beside it.
rocking chair that always looks just sat in A dent in the cushion and a blanket that keeps the shape of knees.
rocking horse that rocks on its own Motion lines at the rockers and dust everywhere else in the room.
shop dummy that was not in the window yesterday Same pose as the others, different clothes. Let the viewer count them.
snowman that is still there in June Green lawn, long shadows and no puddle. Keep the snow perfectly white.
statue that has changed its pose Draw the plinth with clean patches where its feet used to stand.
wardrobe that breathes Bow the doors out a little, then in. Draw both and blur between.
weathervane that has come down from the roof Flat iron, seen edge on as a line. It still swings to face the wind.
wind-up tin toy as tall as a door Seams, tabs and a key in the back that is slowly turning.

No fixed shape 15

bank of fog that keeps to one shape Soft at every edge and exactly as wide as a person. It stops at doorways.
cloud of moths that keeps the outline of a coat Hundreds of small pale marks, thick at the shoulders and thin at the hem.
cold draught that knows its way round the house Show it by what it moves: one curtain, one page, one candle flame, in a line.
column of smoke that holds a shape Wispy at the base and firm at the top. No fire anywhere in the picture.
drift of leaves that keeps its shape in wind Too tidy to be wind. Draw one leaf lifting, as if something beneath breathed out.
frost pattern that spreads toward the warm Feathery lines creeping across a window from the edge nearest the radiator.
patch of dark that stays when the light comes on Draw a lit room and leave one soft-edged part of it unlit, for no reason.
puddle that is never where it was Dark, still and perfectly round. Draw dry footprints leading away from it.
reflection that arrives late The room in the mirror is a moment behind. Draw one thing in two positions.
rustle that moves along behind the wallpaper A small bulge travelling under the pattern, with the pattern bent over it.
scribble of darkness drawn in a hurry Use fast, loose, overlapping strokes and stop before it looks like anything.
shadow that walks with no one attached A flat dark figure peeled away from the wallpaper, and nobody near who could cast it.
stain on the ceiling that is larger each morning Ring it faintly in pencil with dates, the way people mark a tide.
swarm of dust that gathers when the door shuts Motes in a sunbeam, drawn slightly too close together in one place.
tangle of black thread that unpicks itself A scribble with one end trailing off toward the skirting board.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry is an ordinary outline to start from, written with no article because the sentence adds it. Spooky in the way of a storybook: no blood, no injury and nothing from a film, game, book or internet story. One note names the uncanny valley, the hypothesis that a figure appearing almost human gives viewers an uncanny or eerie feeling, checked on 2026-09-30 at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncanny_valley. The other notes are drawing advice. Licence: own work

Odd detail: all 60 details

Eyes 15

a second pair of eyes that looks behind Put them where nobody would check. They are the ones that notice you.
eyelids that close sideways Draw the blink half done, like two sliding doors meeting in the middle.
eyes a finger's width wider than they should be Move each one outward a little. Nothing else needs to change.

Show all 60 details (57 more)

Eyes, continued

eyes like the heads of two brass tacks Small, round and flat. One dull glint each, and never a blink.
eyes like wet pebbles Dark grey, smooth and shining. One highlight each, in the same place.
eyes that are only ever seen in mirrors Draw it eyeless in the room and watching from the glass.
eyes that catch the torchlight and hand it back green Two pale green discs. Leave them as bare paper in a dark shape.
eyes that reflect a room you are not in Paint a tiny window and a chair in each one, both unfamiliar.
eyes that shine through whatever it hides behind Two soft glows on a curtain, a door or a hand. The hiding does not work.
eyes that stay open while it sleeps Draw the rest of it slack and snoring and the eyes wide and fixed.
eyes the size of saucers Round, pale and rimmed. Give each a small pupil so there is a lot of white.
far too many eyes that blink in turn Draw most open and a few shut, in a wave that crosses from left to right.
one large eye that never quite closes A heavy lid at half mast. Put the highlight low so it looks sleepy, not sharp.
round yellow eyes like a pair of full moons No pupil at all. Shade a few faint grey seas on each.
two pinprick eyes deep inside the dark Two tiny lights, close together, far back in the shape. Keep everything round them black.

Teeth and grin 15

a grin that shows before anything else does Draw the dark first, then the curve of teeth, and stop there.
a laugh like a drawer of cutlery Show the sound: a scatter of small bright angles coming out of the dark.
a mouth that fastens with a zip Brass teeth and a small tag. Leave it open by exactly three notches.
a smile it has clearly been practising Slightly lopsided and held too long. Draw the effort in it.
a smile that looks drawn on in chalk A single dusty white line, a little smudged at one end.
a smile wider than the thing wearing it Take the corners out past the outline on both sides. Keep the lips closed.
a tongue like a roll of red ribbon It unrolls a long way and lies in loops on the floor. Keep it flat and neat.
a yawn as wide as a doorway Draw the yawn as a tall dark arch and everything else squeezed round it.
more teeth than seems needed, all polished Draw them small, even and bright, and keep going past where they should stop.
one long tooth that taps when it thinks Draw small tick marks beside it and a dent in whatever it taps.
small neat teeth in several rows Three arcs, one behind another, like seats in a little theatre.
teeth like a row of white dominoes Tall, flat and evenly spaced, each with a few neat black spots.
teeth that click like knitting needles Thin, pale and crossed at the tips. Add two short sound lines.
teeth that glow faintly like a clock dial A row of dim green marks in the dark and nothing else lit.
wooden teeth that clack like a gate Square pegs with grain on them, and a gap where one has been whittled.

Shadow and light 15

a darkness round it that lamps do not reach Draw a lamp's pool of light with a bite taken out of it.
a dull shine like a rained-on pavement Dark grey with one long soft highlight. No sparkle anywhere.
a faint glow like a television in another room A cold blue edge on one side only. It flickers, so vary the edge.
a shadow of deep bottle green Shade the room in greys and its shadow alone in colour.
a shadow that gets there first Draw the shadow in the doorway and the door frame still empty.
a shadow that has more limbs than it does Count the limbs on the body, then add two to the shadow.
a shadow that lies upward along the ceiling Run it from the feet, up the wall and overhead, as if the light were on the floor.
a shadow that points toward the light Draw the lamp, then lay the shadow on the wrong side of the feet.
a shadow that stays on the wall after it has left An empty room and one shadow, slightly paler than the rest.
a shadow that waves when it does not Arms by its sides, shadow mid wave. Keep both very calm.
a shadow two sizes larger than itself The shadow's head reaches the ceiling while its owner's does not.
a way of dimming every bulb it passes Draw a row of lights, bright at each end and brown in the middle.
edges that blur when looked at directly Draw the middle sharply and smudge the outline with a finger.
no shadow at all Give everything else in the room a firm shadow and leave the floor under it clean.
two shadows that do not agree One light, two shadows and each in a different pose.

Size and surface 15

a chill that fogs the nearest window Mist one pane and leave the others clear. Draw a single drip.
a coat of frost that does not melt indoors Fine white needles on every edge, even beside the fire.
a coat of water that never drips Shine it all over and keep the floor beneath it perfectly dry.
a covering of fine dust that never smudges Soft grey all over, with cobwebs at the corners and no fingermarks.
a creak in every movement like old stairs Put a short sound line at each joint, bend or fold.
a front and no back, whichever way it turns Draw it three times from three sides and make the drawings match.
a hum just too low to be sure of Show it in a glass of water: rings on the surface and nothing touching it.
a rattle like dry peas in a tin Add small sound marks whenever it moves and none when it is still.
a smell of cold cellars Show a smell with a curling line and one figure in the room turning to sniff.
a surface like candle wax gone cold Smooth, pale and slightly run at the lower edges.
a top that brushes every ceiling Whatever the room, it just fits. Draw a faint grey mark along the plaster.
a tread far too heavy for its size Draw cracked tiles or bowed floorboards under something that looks light.
corners where there should be curves Square off the shoulders, the back and the top. Keep the lines ruler straight.
the grey grain of a faded snapshot Grey, slightly out of focus and a little faded at the edges. Everything else is in colour.
moss on the side away from the door A soft green fringe down one edge. It has been standing there some time.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry is one thing that is slightly off, written to follow the word "with" and to read on any shape: eyes, teeth, shadows and surfaces. Nothing is hurt, ill or disfigured. The notes are drawing advice. Licence: own work

How it moves: all 60 movements

When nobody is looking 15

arrives between blinks Draw the scene twice, side by side. It is in the second and nothing else has changed.
crosses a whole room during a sneeze Draw the sneeze, with eyes shut, and the thing already on the other side.
goes from window to window while the curtains are drawn A row of windows and a bulge behind a different curtain each time.

Show all 60 movements (57 more)

When nobody is looking, continued

is always just leaving when someone looks up Draw the last of it going out of the frame and a head turning too late.
is in a new spot each time the light flickers Three small frames, darker between. It is somewhere different in each.
keeps exactly to the corner of the eye Put it at the far edge of the page, cut in half by the border.
moves along by one stair a night Mark the stairs with small chalk dates. It is halfway.
moves only in reflections The room is still. In the mirror, the window and the kettle it is mid step.
moves only while every eye is elsewhere Draw two pictures of a room. In the second it is one pace nearer the door.
moves when the page is turned Draw it on the left side of a spread and its prints on the right.
slips behind whatever is nearest and thinnest Draw a lamp post, a broom or a coat stand that is slightly wider than it should be.
stands as still as furniture until the door clicks shut Draw it in line with the chairs. Only the title of the picture gives it away.
swaps places with its own shadow One is flat on the wall and one stands on the floor. Now exchange them.
takes one step for each tick of the clock Draw the clock large and a neat row of prints, evenly spaced.
travels along the edges of rooms and never the middle A worn track in the carpet runs round the walls. The centre is like new.

Slow 15

creeps at the speed of a minute hand You never see it move. Draw where it was at noon and where it is now.
drifts like a boat that has slipped its rope Turn it a little as it goes. It does not steer.
glides as if on a slow conveyor No stride and no bob. Draw it upright and slightly ahead of where it was.
leans a degree at a time toward the warm A fire or a radiator at one side and the whole shape tipping that way.
paces the same square of floor all night Wear a square into the boards and put it at one corner.
pushes through air as if it were treacle Push the top forward and drag the lower half behind.
rocks from side to side and gets nowhere Draw a faint double outline either side of the firm one.
settles like dust and has to be asked to move Lower it onto the furniture in a soft heap. It has clearly been there all week.
sinks through the floor as slowly as a setting sun Half is above the boards and half is not. No hole, no splinters.
sways on the spot like washing on a line Draw the lean to the left faintly, the lean to the right firmly.
takes the stairs one at a time and rests on each Draw it sitting halfway, as if it were waiting to get its breath back.
trails along a wall and keeps one side touching A long smear at shoulder height runs round the room.
turns to face the door a little at a time Draw it side on. Tomorrow it will be three quarters. Label the days.
unfolds for a full minute before it stands Draw four stages in a row, like a deckchair being put up.
walks backwards without hurry Draw the prints with the heels leading and the pose quite relaxed.

Sudden 15

bounces very slightly as if on a string Draw a faint thread going up out of the picture. It may not be there.
darts like a fish and then hangs still A streak, a stop and a small swirl of dust where it turned.
drops from the ceiling and lands without a sound Draw it an inch above the rug with no shadow yet beneath it.
flaps once and is somewhere else Two loose feathers or scraps hang in the air where it was.
hops every third step Two prints close together and one long gap, repeated across the floor.
jerks along like a film that has frames missing Draw four overlapping outlines with uneven gaps between them.
pops up somewhere new with a small polite cough Draw the cough as a tiny puff and three heads turning.
rolls like a dropped coin and wobbles to a stop A long curving track ends in a tight wobble.
scrabbles up walls and across ceilings Small scuffs climb the wallpaper and go on overhead.
scuttles in short bursts and freezes between them Dotted line, gap, dotted line. Draw it at the end of the last dash.
spins once before it goes anywhere A tight spiral on the ground with a straight line leading out of it.
starts at every noise and bolts for the nearest dark Draw the noise small and the reaction enormous.
tumbles down the stairs on purpose and enjoys it A blur on the staircase and a pleased heap at the bottom.
whisks round corners faster than its shadow can follow The shadow is still in the corridor. Its owner has gone.
zigzags as if it were dodging rain Sharp turns across an empty floor. Indoors, on a dry day.

Odd 15

climbs whenever there is a choice It is on the bookcase, the mantelpiece or the door top. Never the floor.
copies the walk of whoever went by last Draw a person leaving at one side and the same stride entering at the other.
flows downhill like something spilt It pools at the foot of the stairs and in the low corner of a sloping room.
follows the pattern in the carpet Draw a busy carpet and put it exactly on one of the repeats.
goes everywhere by the longest way round A looping trail visits every corner on the way to the door.
hovers just clear of the carpet Leave a clear strip of light between it and its own shadow.
keeps time with the nearest dripping tap A drop in mid air and one foot, or what serves as one, raised.
marches on the spot before every step A cluster of prints, one stride, another cluster.
moves only in straight lines and turns in square corners Its track is a row of right angles, like a street map.
never crosses a doorstep without being asked It stands square in the open doorway, very patient.
slides under doors like a letter Half through, flat as card. The rest is still in the hall.
squeezes through gaps much too small for it Draw it halfway through a letterbox, a keyhole or a gap in the fence.
swings from one light fitting to the next Every lampshade in the hall is still rocking.
travels inside the walls and knocks before it comes out A hand's width of plaster bulging, and three small knock marks.
walks on tiptoe and still makes the floor creak Draw care in every line of it and a sound mark under each step.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry is one way of moving, written to follow the word "It". None chases, grabs or harms anyone. The notes are drawing advice. Licence: own work

Where it hides: all 60 hiding places

At home 15

at the turn of the stairs Draw the stairs from below. The corner is the darkest part of the picture.
behind the coats in the hall cupboard A row of sleeves and one that is slightly fuller than the others.
behind the longest curtains in the house The hem does not quite reach the floor. Draw what the gap shows.

Show all 60 hiding places (57 more)

At home, continued

behind the pipes under the kitchen sink Bottles and cloths in front, pipes behind and a space beyond the pipes.
between the wall and the back of the sofa Draw the sofa from behind, pulled a hand's width out from the wall.
in the airing cupboard among the towels Slatted shelves, folded linen and a snug dark corner. It looks comfortable.
in the attic among the Christmas boxes Tinsel, a tree in a bag and one box that is not labelled.
in the cellar beside the cold tap Bare brick, one bulb and a drip. Put it just past the reach of the light.
in the chimney nobody lights A clean hearth, a dried flower arrangement and a little fresh soot on the tiles.
in the cupboard below the stairs Draw the little triangular door ajar and a thin strip of black inside.
in the dark at the end of the landing Draw the landing light on and the far end still unlit.
in the gap behind the piano A narrow dark slot, a line of dust and something that is not dust.
in the spare room nobody dusts Sheets over the furniture. One sheet has no furniture under it.
inside the case of the hall clock Draw the narrow glass door with the pendulum pushed over to one side.
on top of the tallest wardrobe Seen from the floor, only an edge shows above the cornice.

In town 15

among the unclaimed coats at the station Shelves of single gloves, and something waiting to be claimed.
at the deep end of a drained swimming pool Blue tiles, a ladder to nowhere and leaves in the corner.
behind the bins of a closed cafe Chairs on tables seen through the window, and a lid that has been moved.
behind the scenery of a small theatre Painted trees from the back: bare wood, ropes and weights.
in a telephone box nobody uses Dusty glass, a dangling receiver and breath on the inside of one pane.
in the back row of an empty cinema Rows of folded seats and one that is down.
in the cloakroom of the town hall Numbered hooks, all empty, and one ticket on the floor.
in the goods lift at the back of a department store A folding metal gate, a bare bulb and a floor button nobody has pressed.
in the luggage rack of the night coach A row of lit windows passing. One bag on the rack is not a bag.
in the map room of the public library Wide flat drawers, a rolling ladder and one drawer pushed out from inside.
in the museum basement among the crates Stencilled boxes, straw on the floor and one lid resting loose.
in the pay booth of a car park that has closed A small glass box, a lowered barrier and a blind pulled halfway.
just beyond the last working street lamp A cone of yellow light, a kerb and then nothing. Put it in the nothing.
under the railway arches Brick curves in a row, each a little darker than the last.
up among the bells of the market hall Louvres, cogs and pigeon feathers. Draw the bells still.

Outdoors 15

in a bathing hut shut for the winter A row of faded doors, padlocked, and sand drifted against all but one.
in a drainpipe under the lane A round black mouth in a grassy bank with a trickle coming out.
in the allotment shed that has a broken latch A door that swings a little. Flowerpots, twine and a deckchair folded wrong.
in the bucket of a well nobody draws from A frayed rope, a mossy wall and a bucket that hangs a little too low.
in the bulrushes by the boating pond Brown heads all nodding one way, and a few that are held still.
in the fog over the football pitch Goalposts fading out. Draw the far post fainter than it should be.
in the greenhouse that has whitewashed glass Soft pale panes with a blurred shape that might be a tomato plant.
in the hedge at the end of the garden A dark hollow low down, the kind a football rolls into.
in the hollow of a split oak A tall narrow opening and bark curling in at the edges.
in the last haystack in the field Stubble all round, crows keeping their distance.
in the long grass by the railway line Draw the grass bent in a path that leads in and does not come out.
in the oldest yew in the park A trunk like a bundle of ropes, with room inside for more than a squirrel.
under the footbridge in the park Draw the arch and its reflection as one dark ring.
under the pier among the wet posts A forest of dark legs and green weed, darker toward the far end.
under the tarpaulin of a beached dinghy A tarpaulin sagging in the middle, except where it does not sag.

Places in between 15

among the shrubs in the middle of a roundabout Traffic goes round and nobody looks in. Draw it from a passing car.
behind the screen in an empty lecture hall Rows of seats rising. The screen stirs when the room has no draught.
in a bus shelter on a road that has no buses Scratched plastic panes, a tilted seat and grass through the tarmac.
in a hotel corridor where the carpet repeats Identical doors to the vanishing point. One is open a crack.
in a lay-by caravan that has its curtains drawn Flat tyres, moss on the roof and one curtain not quite closed.
in a shipping container at the docks Corrugated walls, a door bar left up and a slice of dark.
in a stairwell that smells of floor polish Square spirals of handrail seen from the top, going down further than the building.
in the back of a removal van Blankets, straps and a tall thing wrapped up that was not on the list.
in the fitting room at the end of the row Curtains on rings, all open but the last.
in the foot tunnel under the main road White tiles, a puddle and a bend you cannot see past.
in the hold of a moored barge A low hatch, a coil of rope and water slapping the hull.
in the last carriage of an empty train Seats in rows and the connecting door sliding shut by itself.
in the revolving door of an empty office Four glass wings turning slowly with nobody pushing.
in the waiting room of a closed station A bench, a stopped clock and a timetable for trains that no longer run.
on the landing halfway between two floors A window, a pot plant and a turn in the stairs. Nobody stops here.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry is an ordinary place with its own preposition, written to follow the word "hides". No real place is named and none is a child's bedroom. The notes are drawing advice. Licence: own work

What it fears: all 60 fears

Around the house 15

a feather duster Hang the duster on a hook like a trophy. It cannot look away.
a freshly made bed Smooth covers, plump pillows and it refusing to go near.
a jar of buttons being shaken Show the rattle as a burst of small marks, and it covering whatever it hears with.

Show all 60 fears (57 more)

Around the house, continued

a row of clean socks on a clothes horse Draw the socks in a cheerful row and it pressed flat to the far wall.
a welcome mat A cheerful mat on the step, and it unable to put one foot on it.
a wooden spoon held firmly Draw only the spoon and the hand. The rest of the person is not needed.
bright yellow wellies by the door Stand the boots by the door and keep it as far from them as the room allows.
bubble bath A tub brimming with foam and one bubble drifting toward it.
fridge magnets shaped like fruit A bright little row at eye level and it keeping to the other side of the kitchen.
the hall mirror It edges past with its front turned to the wall.
oven gloves Quilted, floral and enormous. Draw it flinching.
pink soap on a dish Put the soap on a dish in the middle of an empty floor. Nothing goes near.
rubber gloves hung up to dry Two pink hands waving on a peg. It waves back, unhappily.
toast popping up Two slices in mid air, a small clunk and it backing down the hall.
the vacuum cleaner Even unplugged, even in its cupboard. Draw it eyeing the cupboard door.

Weather and outdoors 15

a breeze that smells of cut grass Curtains blow inward and it leans back at the same angle.
a rainbow Colour only the rainbow. It is hurrying away in grey.
a washing line full of sheets White squares snapping in the wind. It thinks they are bigger than it is.
bright moonlight on snow Nowhere is dark. Draw it standing very small in the open.
dandelion clocks One seed floats toward it. Draw the distance between them shrinking.
falling conkers One bounces. Draw it mid jump, a foot in the air.
the first birdsong of the morning A pale window, one note in the air and it already going.
garden gnomes A cheerful painted row along a path. It will not pass them.
garden sprinklers An arc of drops sweeping the lawn and it timing a run between sweeps.
kites A diamond high up with a long tail and it flat against the ground below.
puddles Draw it going a very long way round a very small one.
sunbeams full of dust A bright slanting bar across the room and it squeezed into the shade beside it.
thunder three valleys away A flicker on the horizon. It has already counted and does not like the answer.
warm afternoons Draw long golden light, a deckchair and it sulking in the shed.
wind chimes on a porch A few notes drifting over the rooftops and it under something, waiting.

Small creatures 15

a kitten that will not stop following it Draw it retreating upstairs and the kitten two steps behind, delighted.
a puppy that has hiccups Each hic makes it jump. Draw three jumps, getting higher.
a robin that hops a little too close The robin sings. It hides behind the wheelbarrow, badly.
a tortoise crossing the lawn The slowest race ever drawn. It is losing.
a very small spider in the bath For once the spider is the brave one. Draw them eye to eye.
bumblebees in the lavender A lazy hum by the path and it taking the other path.
butterflies indoors One is loose in the room. Draw it ducking each time the butterfly turns.
ducklings in a row They cross in front in single file. It waits, rigid, until the last has gone.
goldfish that seem to be watching A round bowl on a table and two calm faces turned its way.
hedgehogs A small snuffling ball on the lawn at dusk and it up on the fence.
ladybirds One, on a leaf, doing nothing. Draw it enormous in the monster's mind.
lambs A field of them bouncing and it standing stiff at the gate.
sparrows having a dust bath A flurry of small wings in a dry flowerbed and it peering round a pot.
the squeak of a pet's exercise wheel A small steady squeak in the dark. It has not slept either.
tadpoles A jam jar on a windowsill, full of commas. It cannot bear the wriggling.

Sounds and manners 15

a recorder played badly A squeal of notes from an open window and it fleeing down the street.
a sneeze it did not expect Draw the sneeze as a starburst and it clinging to the ceiling.
being asked its name Draw a friendly speech bubble with a question mark and it shrinking.
being handed the plate of biscuits first A plate held out by a friendly hand. It has no idea what to do.
being waved at A hand in a window, a friendly face and it pretending to be a post.
being wished good morning Two cheerful words in a bubble and it frozen mid creep.
having its photograph taken A flash, and it throwing up whatever it has for arms.
laughter from another room A lit doorway, the sound spilling out and it tiptoeing the other way.
people who say excuse me and walk straight past Draw it mid loom and a commuter squeezing by without looking up.
polite applause A small row of clapping hands. It bows by accident and is mortified.
someone humming out of tune Draw the wobbly notes and it wincing at each.
squeaky shoes on a polished floor A squeak at every step, coming nearer, and it backing along the corridor.
three firm knocks at the front door It is the one inside, and it will not answer. Draw it behind the sofa.
the ting of a bell on handlebars One bright ting. Draw it leaping sideways into the hedge.
the whistle of a boiling kettle A rising whistle and a plume of steam. It is already in the next room.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry is something small and harmless, written to follow the words "is afraid of". The fear turns the scare into a story. The notes are drawing advice. Licence: own work

How to draw it: all 60 staging orders

Hide most of it 15

draw only its two brightest points in a field of black Hides the body. Two small lights are enough to say something is there.
draw the room and leave a monster-shaped gap Negative space is the empty space round a subject. Here the gap is the subject.
draw what it has just left behind Hides it completely. A swinging door and a rocking lamp do the work.

Show all 60 staging orders (57 more)

Hide most of it, continued

let a curtain cover all but the lowest part Hides the top. Draw what shows beneath the hem and stop.
lose it in a busy pattern Hides it in plain sight. The eye finds it late, and then cannot stop seeing it.
put it behind a row of ordinary things Hides most of it. Let it show in the gaps between coats, books or railings.
put it behind frosted glass Hides every edge. A soft dark blot that is clearly standing up.
run it off the top of the sheet Hides its height, which is then as tall as the viewer fears.
show it as a bulge under a dust sheet Hides what it is made of. Folds point to where the top must be.
show its reflection and not the thing itself Hides where it really is. The viewer checks behind their own shoulder.
show its shadow on the wall and keep it out of frame Hides everything but the shape. The shadow can be much bigger than it is.
show only its outline in a lit doorway A silhouette is a solid shape of one colour. With no detail to read, the viewer supplies it.
show only the half that fits on the sheet Hides one side. The viewer finishes it and makes it worse.
show only the part that has come round the door frame Hides the size of the rest. Small parts make large guesses.
show the back of it going round a corner Hides the front, which nobody ever sees. Draw the last of it leaving.

Light it 15

backlight it and leave the near side black Hides the front. Give it a thin bright rim and nothing inside.
catch it in a thin slice of light from the hall Hides all but a slice. Draw one bright bar and what falls inside it.
draw it in fog with the light behind Hides distance. It could be near and small, or far and very large.
keep it in the unlit half of a split picture Hides it beside something cheerful. Divide the page straight down.
let the light of an open fridge find it Hides nothing, and that is the joke. Cold white light and a midnight snack.
light everything in the room except it Hides only the monster. A calm, bright picture with one part missing.
light it from below with a torch left on the floor Hides the top in shadow. Light from underneath turns every familiar shape over.
light it through slats so it comes in stripes Hides half of it in bars. The eye joins the stripes up.
light it with a birthday candle that is burning low Hides the edges of the room. The circle of light is shrinking.
light the room from a television nobody is watching Hides colour. Everything is blue and flickering, with long soft shadows.
put it in moonlight and drain the colour Hides warmth. Use blue-grey and bare paper and nothing else.
show it in headlights at the end of a lane Hides the lane beyond. Two cones of light, hedges either side and it in the middle.
show it lit by one flash through the window Hides what came before and after. Hard white, hard black, one frame.
use one small light and let the rest go black Low-key lighting keeps most of the scene in shadow. The dark does the drawing.
use only hard white and hard black Chiaroscuro is strong contrast between light and dark. Leave out the greys between.

Choose the view 15

black out the page except for a keyhole Hides nearly all of the room. Draw the keyhole and fill only that.
draw the view from behind it Hides the front. We see the room as it does, and its back.
find it warped in a shiny kettle Hides its true shape. Everything curves, and it is stretched wide.
frame it in a mirror on the far wall Hides which side of the room it is on. Draw the mirror small.
look at it through the banisters Hides it in bars. Draw the spindles sharply and what is beyond them softly.
look down on it from the top of the stairs Hides its size. It is a dark shape in a pool of hall light.
look past a shoulder that has not noticed it Hides it from the one person who should see. The viewer wants to call out.
look up at it from floor level Hides the top in distance. From down here everything is tall.
put the viewer under the table looking out Hides everything above knee height. Draw table legs, a cloth edge and what goes by.
see it at the far end of a long corridor Hides detail in distance. Draw a small upright mark where the lines meet.
see it in a wing mirror as the car pulls away Hides it in a small oval. It is getting smaller and has not moved.
see it through a gap in a fence Hides it in slices. Draw a tall thin strip of something passing.
show it in the corner of a snapshot of something else Hides it by not being the subject. A birthday cake is in focus.
smear it behind a wet windscreen Hides its outline. Let every edge run downward.
tilt the whole picture so the floor slopes A Dutch angle tilts the view so the horizon is not level. Nothing is wrong, yet it feels wrong.

Size and place 15

draw a queue and make it third in line Hides it in good manners. It is waiting its turn like everyone else.
draw it once clearly and three times as a suspicion Hides the count. Smudges in the dark might be more.
draw it the same size as the furniture Hides it among the chairs. Let the viewer count the chairs twice.
draw the scene twice and move it between the two Hides the movement. Spot the difference, and wish you had not.
fill the frame with it so nothing else fits Hides the room. There is no way to tell where it stops.
give it the best chair and draw everyone else standing Hides the reason. Nobody in the room will say why.
push it to one side of a bare page Hides it in the place nobody looks first. The empty middle feels watched.
put it exactly in the middle and keep the rest symmetrical Hides nothing. The stillness is the unsettling part.
put it in a crowd that faces the other way Hides it from everyone but the viewer. All backs, and one front.
put it in a group portrait at the back on the left Hides it among smiling faces. Nobody in the picture seems to mind.
put it small in the background of a bright ordinary scene Hides it behind normal life. Found late, it changes the whole picture.
put it very small on a seaside postcard Hides it in a holiday. Bright sand, blue sky and one grey dot.
put it where all the lines of the picture meet Hides it in the far distance. Every line points the eye toward it.
repeat it faintly in every window of a street Hides which one is real. Draw them all a little differently.
show it half a page away from the thing it fears Hides the scare behind the joke. Leave clear space between the two.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry is an order for how to show the monster, written to follow the words "Draw it like this:". Each note says what the choice hides. The craft terms in the notes were checked on 2026-09-30: a silhouette is a solid shape of a single colour (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silhouette); negative space is the empty area round the subjects of an image and between them (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negative_space); low-key lighting keeps most of the scene in shadow (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-key_lighting); chiaroscuro uses strong contrast of light against dark (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiaroscuro); a Dutch angle tilts the camera so the horizon is not level (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_angle). Licence: own work

How it works

This horror monster generator writes one spooky monster to draw. Press New monster and a sentence gives its shape, one odd detail, how it moves, where it hides, what it fears and how to stage it. Spooky, never gory.

Read the full guide

What to hide

A scary picture is mostly what it leaves out. The last line of each result is a staging order: show only its outline in a lit doorway, or put it small in the background of a bright ordinary scene. A silhouette is a solid shape of one colour, so the viewer supplies the detail. The lists below say what each order hides.

One odd detail, one silly fear

Each monster starts from an ordinary shape with a single thing wrong: its eyes, its teeth or its shadow. Then it gets a fear, such as ladybirds or a feather duster. Used as a horror monster idea generator for a story, that fear is your ending.

Draw the hiding place first, in full, with nothing in it. Then add the monster last and small.
Keep the odd detail the only odd thing. An ordinary coat makes a wrong shadow stronger.
For a funny picture, draw the fear large and the monster backing away from it.

Questions and answers

Is this scary monster generator suitable for children?

It was written to be spooky in the way of a storybook. No entry has blood, injury or anything gory, nothing chases or harms anyone, and every monster is afraid of something small and harmless. An adult should still judge for a very young child.

Are the monsters from horror films or games?

No. Every entry is a plain description written for this site. No monster, character or look from any film, game, book or internet story appears.

Can I use it as a horror creature generator for writing?

Yes. The sentence gives a writer what a scene needs: what the thing looks like, how it moves, where it hides and the weakness that beats it. The staging order tells you what the narrator sees first.

Does it draw the monster for me?

No. It writes the description and you do the drawing. Nothing is made up on the spot: the words come from six fixed lists, each dealt right through before an entry returns.