Monster Generator

One creature to draw: a body plan, a covering, two features, a home and a habit, with 30 to print.

Monster Generator: 30 monsters

A squat, toad-shaped biped the size of an armchair, covered in a rough crust of coral, with a lantern-shaped head with a light inside and four clear dragonfly wings. It lives in a scrapyard and leads travellers in circles, then shows them the way home.

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

Body plansquat, toad-shaped biped the size of an armchair
Coveringa rough crust of coral
Head featurea lantern-shaped head with a light inside
Body featurefour clear dragonfly wings
Habitatin a scrapyard
Behaviourleads travellers in circles, then shows them the way home

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Monster of the day

A squat, toad-shaped biped the size of an armchair, covered in a rough crust of coral, with a lantern-shaped head with a light inside and four clear dragonfly wings. It lives in a scrapyard and leads travellers in circles, then shows them the way home.
A mantis-shaped ambusher as tall as a door, covered in peacock-bright display feathers, with spiralling ram horns and arms long enough to drag on the ground. It lives under a motorway bridge and builds neat towers of pebbles.
A beetle-shaped tank no bigger than a teacup, covered in soot and glowing embers, with a rooster's comb and wattles and a cloud of tiny birds that follows it. It lives on a windy moor and leads travellers in circles, then shows them the way home.
A long-bodied, short-legged weasel shape as long as a canoe, covered in a rough crust of coral, with needle teeth that do not fit inside its mouth and a club tail. It lives at the back of a wardrobe and knocks washing off the line.
A cat-sized fish shape that walks on its front fins, covered in glassy scales you can almost see through, with a bony frill like a shield behind its head and tiny useless wings. It lives high on a mountain ledge and follows travellers at a polite distance.
A stilt-legged wader that stands taller than a house, covered in stiff bristles like a yard broom, with a bony frill like a shield behind its head and a tail so long it has to be carried. It lives in a storm drain that leads to the sea and rattles its whole body as a first warning.
An oak-sized stander that only moves when nobody looks, covered in long shaggy fur matted with burrs, with eyes hidden under a heavy brow of fur and folded bat wings. It lives in a village duck pond and hunts in silent packs of five.
A stilt-legged wader that stands taller than a house, covered in dandelion fluff that blows off in the wind, with a rooster's comb and wattles and a collar of loose skin it can spread like a cape. It lives in the rafters of an abandoned railway station and builds neat towers of pebbles.
A top-heavy biped, all shoulders, on goat legs, covered in glossy black feathers with a blue sheen, with flat grinding teeth that never stop chewing and gliding flaps of skin between its legs. It lives on a rock in the middle of the sea and blows out candles.
A hermit shape that lives inside a borrowed bathtub, covered in glassy scales you can almost see through, with a mane of soft feelers that taste the air and a saddle-shaped dip in its back. It lives inside a shipwreck and knocks washing off the line.
A pig-shaped rooter no bigger than a loaf of bread, covered in soft, ragged feathers that make no sound, with eyes that swivel in two directions at once and a long neck that folds into an S. It lives in a village duck pond and hunts in silent packs of five.
A melon-sized sphere that rolls everywhere it goes, covered in smooth, damp frog skin, with feathery moth antennae and stripes that only show in moonlight. It lives in a forest of crystal pillars and marks its border with stacked stones.
A sea-serpent shape that moves in a row of humps, covered in bony plates set into the skin, with needle teeth that do not fit inside its mouth and a shell it can pull everything into. It lives at the bottom of a well and sleeps twenty hours a day in a patch of sun.
A hermit shape that lives inside a borrowed bathtub, covered in soot and glowing embers, with a trumpet-shaped snout and hands like garden rakes. It lives among tide pools and eats fruit and spits the stones a long way.
A finger-length worm that moves in loops, covered in peacock-bright display feathers, with feathery moth antennae and huge feathered wings it struggles to fold. It lives behind the boiler in a cellar and swoops on anything that moves at dusk.
A hermit shape that lives inside a borrowed bathtub, covered in smooth, damp frog skin, with two heads that disagree and gills that flutter along its neck. It lives on a sandbank that appears at low tide and swallows its meals whole and sleeps for a month.
A lizard-shaped climber as long as a forearm, covered in chalky white armour that flakes at the edges, with a ring of eyes all the way round its head and a throat sac that inflates like a balloon. It lives at the back of a wardrobe and screams like a kettle when something enters its cave.
An eight-legged hunter as wide as a dinner table, covered in autumn leaves that fall and regrow, with a long probing snout like an anteater's and a tail it can drop and regrow. It lives on a rock in the middle of the sea and unties knots, laces and mooring ropes.
A house-sized balloon body that drifts on the wind, covered in soot and glowing embers, with spiralling ram horns and arms long enough to drag on the ground. It lives inside a hollow tree and defends a single tree it has chosen.
A lobster-shaped digger as long as a rowing boat, covered in mossy bark, with two heads that disagree and a saddle-shaped dip in its back. It lives in a bamboo thicket and copies the sound of a doorbell.
An armless two-legged lump the size of a football, covered in glassy scales you can almost see through, with a rooster's comb and wattles and a curled tail with a stinger it never uses. It lives inside the walls of an old cinema and fights its rivals by shoving, never biting.
A woodlouse-shaped crawler as big as a bathtub, covered in smooth sea glass, with a hood that flares when it is angry and a belly that drags on the ground. It lives in the reeds of a slow river and hums to itself while it eats.
A pig-shaped rooter no bigger than a loaf of bread, covered in sleek fur that sheds water like an otter's, with two heads that disagree and a collar of loose skin it can spread like a cape. It lives in a library of books nobody has written and eats ants by the thousand with a sticky tongue.
A pot-bellied biped with tiny arms, leaning far forward, covered in lichen-crusted stone, with a rooster's comb and wattles and a cloud of tiny birds that follows it. It lives in a cave behind a bramble patch and marks its border with stacked stones.
A dog-sized glider that leaps between towers, covered in smooth snake scales in a diamond pattern, with ragged ears bigger than its head and suction-cup fingers. It lives on a staircase with no top or bottom and hums to itself while it eats.
A hand-sized skater that walks on pond water, covered in skin that changes colour with its mood, with a rooster's comb and wattles and long digging claws like a mole's. It lives inside the walls of an old cinema and builds walls of mud across paths it dislikes.
A box-sized cube with a foot on every face, covered in peacock-bright display feathers, with a mane of soft feelers that taste the air and spines down its back that rattle like cutlery. It lives in the roots of a very old forest and roars at thunder as if it started it.
A bird-legged strider as tall as a bus shelter, covered in rusted scrap metal and rivets, with a duck-like bill full of tiny teeth and a ribcage that glows faintly from inside. It lives in the tunnels of an underground railway and builds walls of mud across paths it dislikes.
A beetle-shaped tank no bigger than a teacup, covered in autumn leaves that fall and regrow, with a rooster's comb and wattles and a curling tail that grips like a hand. It lives under a frozen lake and lures its prey with a light and a patient wait.
A ray-shaped flapper as wide as a tennis court, covered in thick grey hide that hangs in folded slabs, with a beak like a pair of garden shears and a collar of loose skin it can spread like a cape. It lives in a flooded quarry and steals left shoes and nothing else.

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Body plan: all 92 body plans

Two legs 15

ape-shaped knuckle-walker with a sloping back The arms are longer than the legs, so the spine runs downhill from the shoulders.
armless two-legged lump the size of a football All character has to come from the feet and the face. Try big feet.
bird-legged strider as tall as a bus shelter Thin legs under a bulky body look fast and slightly ridiculous, which is useful.

Show all 92 body plans (89 more)

Two legs, continued

headless biped with its face in its chest Ancient writers such as Pliny the Elder described headless people with faces in their chests.
hunched, bear-sized biped with a barrel chest The chest is the biggest shape. Let the head hang in front of it, not above it.
kangaroo-shaped hopper the size of a pony Fold the back legs into a Z and keep the front limbs small and tucked.
knee-high biped that runs like a startled bird Lean the body far forward and keep the legs a blur. The head stays level.
long-necked biped as tall as a lamp post Give the neck a slight S so it looks alive, not like a pole.
penguin-shaped waddler as big as a wardrobe One smooth shape from head to feet, with no neck and no waist.
pot-bellied biped with tiny arms, leaning far forward Draw the spine nearly level, so the head and the hips balance over the feet.
squat, toad-shaped biped the size of an armchair Wider than it is tall, with knees higher than its hips when it sits.
stilt-legged wader that stands taller than a house A small body on very long legs. Show the water or rooftops far below the belly.
thin, door-tall biped that folds up like a deckchair Draw it twice: once standing at full height and once folded flat.
top-heavy biped, all shoulders, on goat legs Narrow the waist sharply and keep the hooves small so it looks ready to tip.
towering biped with arms that reach its ankles Put a door or a person beside it. Without something familiar, big just looks close.

Four legs 16

bear-shaped heavyweight that can rear up on two legs Draw it both ways. Standing, the weight settles into the hips.
bull-shaped heavyweight with a huge shoulder hump Most of the mass sits over the front legs. The back end is almost an afterthought.
cat-shaped stalker the size of a van Shoulder blades rise above the spine when it crouches. The head stays low and level.
four-legged crawler with elbows higher than its back The limbs arch up and over like a spider's, so the body hangs between them.
frog-shaped leaper the size of a sofa Back legs folded in three, front legs turned inward, and no neck at all.
giraffe-necked browser that looks over rooftops Slope the back down from the shoulders to the hips so the neck has something to balance.
greyhound-thin sprinter no bigger than a hare One long curve from nose to tail at full stretch, all four feet off the ground.
horse-sized, stag-shaped runner with a deep chest Long thin legs under a deep ribcage. Keep the belly tucked up high.
lizard-shaped climber as long as a forearm Splay the toes and press the belly flat to the wall it is climbing.
long-bodied, short-legged weasel shape as long as a canoe The spine is the whole pose. Bend it into a loop, an arch or a wave.
low, crocodile-shaped sprawler as long as a bus The legs stick out sideways and the belly nearly touches the ground.
pig-shaped rooter no bigger than a loaf of bread A barrel on four pegs with the snout at ground level.
pillar-legged giant with a body like a boulder The legs are straight columns with no visible knees. The feet are flat pads.
sloth-shaped hanger as long as a ladder It lives upside down, so draw the branch first and hang the body from it.
tortoise-shaped plodder the size of a small hill Add trees or huts on its back and the scale explains itself.
wolf-shaped runner, all legs and ribs A deep narrow chest, a tucked waist and legs longer than the body is deep.

Six legs or more 15

ant-shaped worker the size of a dog Three clear body sections with a pinched waist between the last two.
beetle-shaped tank no bigger than a teacup A dome on six short legs. Put it beside a real teacup for scale.
centipede-shaped runner as long as a train carriage A centipede has one pair of legs on each body segment. A millipede has two.
crab-shaped sidestepper the size of a car Wider than it is long. It faces you while it walks away sideways.
eight-legged hunter as wide as a dinner table Arachnids have eight legs and a two-part body, with no antennae and no wings.
hand-sized skater that walks on pond water Long thin legs spread wide, with a dimple in the water under each foot.
lobster-shaped digger as long as a rowing boat A heavy front end, a fan at the back and a body made of jointed rings.
long-legged walker with a body no bigger than a plum Nearly all leg. The body is a dot hung in the middle of the legs.
mantis-shaped ambusher as tall as a door The front pair of limbs fold like a penknife and are held up under the chin.
millipede-shaped roller that curls into a wheel Draw the segments as overlapping hoops. The legs become a fringe along the bottom.
rug-sized carpet of legs that ripples as it moves Flat and wide. Show the ripple as a wave passing along the fringe.
six-legged grazer the size of a cow Insects have a three-part body of head, thorax and abdomen, and three pairs of jointed legs.
six-limbed climber with four legs and two grasping arms Give the arms one job and the legs another, so the pose stays easy to read.
ten-legged strider that stands over the treetops Tiny body, enormous legs. The knees rise higher than the body itself.
woodlouse-shaped crawler as big as a bathtub Overlapping bands of armour from front to back, with many small legs hidden underneath.

Serpents, worms and swimmers 15

ball-sized coil that travels by bouncing A spring. Squash it on landing and stretch it in the air.
cat-sized fish shape that walks on its front fins Prop the front of the body up on two stiff fins and let the rest drag behind.
eel-shaped swimmer as long as a canoe A ribbon on edge. The fin runs most of the way round the body.
finger-length worm that moves in loops It brings its back end up to its front end, arches, then reaches forward again.
legless burrower the size of a rolled-up rug Blunt at both ends. Rings along the body show how it squeezes through soil.
ray-shaped flapper as wide as a tennis court A flat diamond. From below it blocks out the light.
scarf-sized ribbon that swims through the air Draw it as a wave with a twist in it, so both sides of the body show.
sea-serpent shape that moves in a row of humps Only the humps break the surface. Leave the rest to the viewer.
seahorse-shaped drifter as tall as a person Upright, with a curled lower body and a head held at a right angle to the neck.
serpent as thick as a tree trunk and as long as a street Show only part of it. A coil leaving the frame says more than the whole animal.
slug-shaped creeper as big as a sofa One soft mass that flattens where it touches the ground.
snake-bodied climber with two small grasping arms The arms sit close behind the head and the rest is one long coil.
tadpole-shaped swimmer the size of a bus, nearly all head A huge round front and a thin flat back end that does all the work.
tyre-sized hoop that rolls along on its edge The hoop snake of North American and Australian folklore bites its own tail and rolls like a wheel.
whale-sized swimmer shaped like a teardrop Blunt front and tapering back. Add a small boat for scale.

Fliers and gliders 15

bat-shaped flier the size of an umbrella A bat's wing is a hand: long finger bones with a thin membrane stretched between them.
bird-shaped flier with the wingspan of a small plane Seen from below it is a cross. Add a farmhouse underneath to set the size.
dog-sized glider that leaps between towers Spread flat in the air, it is a square of skin with a foot at each corner.
dragonfly-shaped darter as long as a broom Insects carry two wing pairs at most. Here both pairs are long, narrow and clear.
four-winged flier whose two pairs beat out of time Draw one pair up and one pair down in the same picture.
hand-sized spinner that falls like a maple seed One wing and a heavy end. It spins all the way down and climbs back up to do it again.
house-sized balloon body that drifts on the wind A taut round bag with small trailing limbs. It steers badly.
leather-winged soarer with a wingspan wider than a road Small body, vast wings. It rides rising air and rarely flaps.
moth-shaped flutterer as wide as a doorway Broad soft wings and a thick furry body. It flies as if it is not quite sure how.
owl-shaped glider no bigger than a sparrow A round head sunk into a round body, with a flat face.
pram-sized beetle shape with hinged wing cases A beetle's hard wing cases are its forewings. Most beetles hold them open and fly with the hindwings.
sail-sized kite shape that never lands Flat and angular with a long trailing end. It sleeps in the air.
thumb-sized hoverer that hangs in one spot The wings are a blur, so draw them as a pale fan on each side.
vulture-shaped circler that rides the air for hours Broad wings with fingered tips and a small head tucked between the shoulders.
winged serpent as long as a bus One pair of wings near the front and the rest of the body streaming out behind.

Blobs, radial bodies and oddities 16

box-sized cube with a foot on every face However it lands, it is the right way up.
caravan-sized snail shape with a long neck The shell is the architecture. Decide on its spiral before anything else.
door-tall stack of rings, like a walking tower of tyres Offset the rings to bend it. It has no front until it decides on one.
five-armed star shape as wide as a roundabout Starfish and their relatives are five-fold as adults, although their larvae are two-sided.
hermit shape that lives inside a borrowed bathtub Soft body, hard borrowed home. Choose the home first: a bell, a boat, a letterbox.
jellyfish-shaped drifter as tall as a lighthouse Radial bodies repeat round a central axis. They suit animals that float, sit still or move slowly.
lopsided flatfish shape as wide as a bed Real flatfish are lopsided too: both eyes sit on one side of the head.
melon-sized sphere that rolls everywhere it goes Put the face on one side and show motion with a trail in the dust.
oak-sized stander that only moves when nobody looks A trunk-like body with limbs held like branches. Draw it slightly nearer in each panel.
octopus-shaped crawler the size of a car An octopus has eight arms. Let each one do something different.
puddle-shaped creature that flows under doors Flat when it moves and heaped up when it stops. Let it reflect what is above it.
shapeless blob the size of a beanbag Give it a clear top, a sagging bottom and a highlight, or it reads as a stain.
shed-sized mound with no front, back or sides Real sponges have no symmetry at all. This is a sponge that gets about.
squid-shaped jetter with eight arms and two long tentacles That count is real: squid and cuttlefish have eight arms plus two longer tentacles.
swarm of thumb-sized parts that act as one body Draw the outline of the whole shape first, then fill it with small creatures.
three-legged walker as tall as a pylon About 99% of animals are bilateral, or two-sided, so a body built in threes looks alien at once.

Covering: all 64 coverings

Fur, hair and feathers 15

downy chick fluff A broken, fuzzy outline and almost nothing inside it.
glossy black feathers with a blue sheen Leave thin strips of paper white, or add a cool blue, where the light catches.
long shaggy fur matted with burrs Work in clumps, not strands. Each clump is a tapering S with a dark root.

Show all 64 coverings (61 more)

Fur, hair and feathers, continued

long silky hair that trails on the ground Long parallel lines that pool and fold where they meet the floor.
needle-sharp quills Draw the front ones as dots with short lines and the ones at the edge at full length.
patchy fur with bald grey elbows Alternate furred areas with smooth ones. The joints wear bare first.
peacock-bright display feathers Simplify each feather to a stalk with an eye shape at the end. Repeat, overlap and fan.
short velvet fur Draw no hairs at all. A soft edge and a slow change of tone say velvet.
sleek fur that sheds water like an otter's Wet fur gathers into points. Add a few bright highlights along the back.
soft, ragged feathers that make no sound Fray the edge of every feather and keep the contrast low.
stiff bristles like a yard broom Short straight marks, all at one angle, thinning out towards the belly.
striped fur like a tabby cat's Wrap the stripes round the form. They are contour lines that show the body's volume.
thick white winter fur Shade only the underside and let the outline disappear on the lit side.
whiskery hair the colour of dry moss Sparse, springy single hairs. Each one needs its own curve.
woolly curls that hide its legs Scribble loops along the outline only and leave the middle nearly empty.

Scales, shell and armour 15

a hard jointed shell like a lobster's Arthropod shells cannot grow, so the animal has to moult. Try drawing it halfway out of the old one.
bony plates set into the skin Real ones are called osteoderms. Crocodiles, armadillos and ankylosaurs all have them.
chalky white armour that flakes at the edges A matte surface with no highlights. Chip the rims and add dust where it walks.
fish scales the size of dinner plates One highlight on each scale, all on the same side.
glassy scales you can almost see through Hint at what is behind them and keep the highlights sharp and small.
knobbly armour like the back of a toad Lumps of three or four sizes, each with its own small shadow.
overlapping slate-grey scales Draw a few rows properly where the form turns, then fade them to hints.
pebbly lizard skin Small irregular circles, packed tightly in shadow and barely there in the light.
pinecone scales that lift when it is alarmed Large pointed scales that overlap like roof tiles from head to tail.
rows of ridged, crocodile-like back plates Line the ridges up so they run the length of the body like rows of small keels.
rust-coloured iron plates that scrape as it moves Hard straight edges, bolt heads and streaks running down from every seam.
shell plates patterned like an old map Each plate has growth rings. Draw the plate edges dark and the rings faint.
smooth snake scales in a diamond pattern The pattern has to bend with the body. Sketch the coils first and lay the diamonds over them.
thick grey hide that hangs in folded slabs Deep creases at the joints, with smooth plates between them.
tiny iridescent scales like a butterfly wing's Too small to draw one by one. Show them as a shimmer of two colours that swap as the form turns.

Skin, slime and see-through 16

bare pink skin with a few long hairs Every hair counts. Plant each one on its own and give it a curve.
clear jelly with the insides faintly showing Draw the outline lightly, then the darker shapes inside, then one or two hard highlights.
countershaded skin, dark above and pale below It cancels the animal's own shadow, so sharks, deer and penguins look flatter than they are.
glistening slime that leaves a trail Long drips with a highlight on each. The trail behind it is flat and shiny.
leathery skin like a bat's wing Thin and slightly see-through where it is stretched, with fine wrinkles where it is slack.
mottled camouflage that matches whatever is behind it Carry the background pattern across the body and break the outline in two or three places.
pale skin dotted with spots that glow in the dark Draw the night scene first, then leave each spot as a clean circle with a soft halo.
papery skin that rustles Dry, angular creases like a crumpled bag. Use thin broken lines.
rubbery skin like a wet balloon Stretched tight with broad, soft highlights and no texture at all.
skin that changes colour with its mood Real cephalopods change colour in milliseconds. Draw the change as a wave crossing the body.
smooth, damp frog skin A few bright wet highlights on a plain surface do the job.
velvety black skin that swallows the light A flat black shape with no highlights. Only the eyes and the edges give it away.
warning stripes of red and black Red, yellow, black and white are the usual warning colours. They tell predators to stay away.
warty skin the colour of pond mud Cluster the warts and leave some areas smooth so the eye can rest.
wrinkled grey skin three sizes too big Let folds gather at the ankles, the elbows and under the chin.
yellow and black bands it has no right to wear Some harmless animals copy the warning colours of dangerous ones. It is called Batesian mimicry.

Plant, stone and stranger 18

a rough crust of coral Branching lumps pitted with tiny holes. The shadows sit inside the holes.
autumn leaves that fall and regrow Draw a few leaves in detail, suggest the rest, and leave a trail of them behind it.
barnacles and seaweed Little volcano shapes in clusters with limp ribbons hanging between them.
bracket mushrooms in overlapping rows Half-circle shelves stacked up its sides, each with a pale rim.
cracked dry mud A net of dark cracks. The plates between them curl up slightly at the edges.
crystal shards that chime Straight edges and flat planes, each plane a single tone from white to dark.
dandelion fluff that blows off in the wind A soft halo round the body, thinner on the windward side, with seeds drifting off.
dripping candle wax Rounded runs that thicken at the bottom. It is smooth and slightly see-through at the edges.
frost and small icicles Pale blue shadows, white edges and icicles that all point the same way.
lichen-crusted stone Flat frilly patches on a rough grey surface. Keep the patches pale.
mossy bark Long rough vertical marks for the bark and soft rounded clumps for the moss.
rusted scrap metal and rivets Flat plates that do not quite fit each other, with orange streaks under every rivet.
sand that constantly pours off it Soft streams falling from every ledge and a growing pile round the feet.
smooth sea glass Frosted, soft-edged pieces in greens and browns that glow when light comes from behind.
soot and glowing embers Matte black with bright cracks. Make the glow strongest in the deepest cracks.
stitched patches of mismatched cloth Vary the patterns from patch to patch and show every stitch along the seams.
thick ivy with a bird nesting in it Overlapping heart-shaped leaves that all point downward. Find a gap for the nest.
wet river pebbles Smooth ovals of many sizes, each with one highlight. Darken the gaps between them.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry is what the creature is covered in, with a note on how to draw the texture. The notes on real animals (bony plates, moulting shells, warning colours, mimicry, countershading and colour change) were checked on 2026-09-18 against https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteoderm, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthropod, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aposematism, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countershading and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cephalopod. The texture notes are drawing advice. Licence: own work

Head feature: all 55 head features

Eyes 17

a ring of eyes all the way round its head
a single wide eye
compound eyes like a fly's Insects have compound eyes. Draw a dome covered in a fine net, with one highlight shared across many cells.
eyes hidden under a heavy brow of fur
eyes like polished buttons
eyes on long stalks

Show all 55 head features (49 more)

Eyes, continued

eyes that swivel in two directions at once
huge round eyes that never blink
no eyes at all
one big eye and one small eye
pale eyes with no pupils
rectangular, goat-like pupils
six eyes stacked in three pairs
slit-pupilled eyes that glow like lamps
spiral eyes that are hard to look away from
tightly shut eyes and a very good nose
tiny eyes lost in a huge face

Mouths, beaks and teeth 18

a beak like a pair of garden shears
a drooping, tapir-like nose
a duck-like bill full of tiny teeth
a grin wider than its head should allow
a hooked beak like a parrot's Beaks are not only for birds. Octopuses and squid have a hard two-part beak as well.
a jutting lower jaw with two blunt fangs
a long probing snout like an anteater's
a mouth that opens sideways
a pelican-like pouch under its jaw
a tiny puckered mouth that whistles
a tongue longer than its body
a trumpet-shaped snout
catfish whiskers round a wide flat mouth
flat grinding teeth that never stop chewing
mandibles that click when it thinks
needle teeth that do not fit inside its mouth
no visible mouth
tusks that curve up past its eyes

Horns, crests and crowns 20

a bone-white face plate like a mask
a bony frill like a shield behind its head
a crown of small horns all round the skull
a glowing lure on a stalk Anglerfish have one. The lure is a modified fin ray, and in deep-sea species it glows with bacteria.
a head shaped like a hammer
a head that turns right round like an owl's
a hood that flares when it is angry
a lantern-shaped head with a light inside
a mane of soft feelers that taste the air
a rooster's comb and wattles
a tall crest like a sail
a thick domed skull built for head-butting
a thick lion-like mane
antlers hung with moss
feathery moth antennae
long ears that swivel separately
one horn, broken off halfway
ragged ears bigger than its head
spiralling ram horns
two heads that disagree

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. One feature for the head end of the creature: eyes, a mouth, or something growing out of the skull. The notes on compound eyes, the anglerfish lure and the cephalopod beak were checked on 2026-09-18 against https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglerfish and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cephalopod. Licence: own work

Body feature: all 51 body features

Tails 15

a bushy tail bigger than its body
a club tail
a curled tail with a stinger it never uses
a curling tail that grips like a hand
a fan of tail feathers
a flat paddle tail
a fluked tail like a whale's
a long whip tail

Show all 51 body features (43 more)

Tails, continued

a stubby tail that wags its whole body
a tail it can drop and regrow
a tail shaped like a second head
a tail so long it has to be carried
a tail that ends in a lantern
a tail tipped with a rattle
two tails that twine together

Limbs, hands and wings 17

a second pair of small arms held close to the chest
arms long enough to drag on the ground
feet like a bird of prey's
feet that point backwards
folded bat wings
four clear dragonfly wings
gliding flaps of skin between its legs
hands like garden rakes
hooves that strike sparks on stone
huge feathered wings it struggles to fold
long digging claws like a mole's
one giant claw and one small one Lopsided is natural too. Hermit crabs are a real example of claws that do not match.
sticky toe pads like a gecko's
suction-cup fingers
tiny useless wings
too many elbows
webbed feet like paddles

Back, belly and body 19

a belly that drags on the ground
a camel-like hump
a cloud of tiny birds that follows it
a collar of loose skin it can spread like a cape
a garden of small plants growing along its back
a long neck that folds into an S
a pouch with something moving in it
a ribcage that glows faintly from inside
a row of glowing spots along each flank
a saddle-shaped dip in its back
a sail along its spine
a shell it can pull everything into
a throat sac that inflates like a balloon
big false eyes marked on its back
gills that flutter along its neck
smoke that leaks out between its plates
spines down its back that rattle like cutlery
stripes that only show in moonlight
vents along its sides that whistle when it runs

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. One feature for the rest of the creature: a tail, a set of limbs or wings, or something on its back or belly. It is kept apart from the head features so that the two never clash. The note on unequal claws was checked against https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symmetry_in_biology on 2026-09-18. Licence: own work

Habitat: all 62 habitats

Forest, field and mountain 16

among standing stones
at the edge of a glacier
high on a mountain ledge
in a bamboo thicket
in a bog that never quite freezes
in a canyon that echoes
in a cave behind a bramble patch
in a desert of red dunes

Show all 62 habitats (54 more)

Forest, field and mountain, continued

in a field of giant mushrooms
in a hedgerow between two farms
in a meadow of chest-high grass
in the roots of a very old forest
inside a hollow tree
on a windy moor
on the rim of a sleeping volcano
under a waterfall

Sea, river and shore 15

among tide pools
at the bottom of a well
beside a hot spring
in a deep ocean trench
in a flooded quarry
in a kelp forest
in a mangrove swamp
in a storm drain that leads to the sea
in a village duck pond
in the reeds of a slow river
inside a shipwreck
on a rock in the middle of the sea
on a sandbank that appears at low tide
under a frozen lake
under a harbour pier

Town and indoors 16

at the back of a wardrobe
behind the boiler in a cellar
in a church bell tower
in a greenhouse gone wild
in a library after closing time
in a lighthouse nobody visits
in a museum storeroom
in a scrapyard
in an allotment shed
in the rafters of an abandoned railway station
in the tunnels of an underground railway
inside the walls of an old cinema
on the roof of a block of flats
on the top floor of a multi-storey car park
under a motorway bridge
under the floorboards of a school

Strange places 15

at the bottom of a dried-up sea
in a city built on the back of something bigger
in a forest of crystal pillars
in a hedge maze that rearranges itself
in a jungle where every plant glows
in a library of books nobody has written
in a painting, when no one is looking
in the gap between two mirrors
in the ruins of a space station
inside a giant abandoned shell
inside a thundercloud
inside an enormous clock
on a floating island
on a staircase with no top or bottom
on the dark side of a small moon

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry is a place to set the drawing, written to finish the words "It lives". No real named places and no settings from existing games, films or books. Licence: own work

Behaviour: all 70 behaviours

Harmless 20

builds neat towers of pebbles
carries its young on its back
collects shiny buttons and sorts them by size
eats fruit and spits the stones a long way A fruit eater is a frugivore.
eats only fallen leaves A leaf eater is a folivore.
filters tiny creatures from the water as it swims The real term is filter feeding.

Show all 70 behaviours (64 more)

Harmless, continued

follows travellers at a polite distance
grazes on moss and lichen
grooms anything that holds still long enough
guides lost animals back to their herd
hides whenever it rains
hums to itself while it eats
is frightened of its own reflection
lives in a colony with one queen and many workers Eusocial animals share the care of young and divide into breeders and workers. All ants and termites do it.
only wants to sit near a warm chimney
plants every seed it finds
pretends to be a rock when anyone looks at it
sings at dawn, badly
sips nectar from flowers bigger than itself A nectar feeder is a nectarivore.
sleeps twenty hours a day in a patch of sun

Mischievous 16

blows out candles
chews through anything with a cable
copies the sound of a doorbell
hides keys in places that make no sense
knocks washing off the line
leads travellers in circles, then shows them the way home
leaves muddy footprints on ceilings
mimics voices it has heard once
moves things slightly to the left overnight
rings bells and runs away
steals food from bigger creatures and buries it Stealing another animal's food is kleptoparasitism. Storing food for later is called caching.
steals left shoes and nothing else
tickles sleeping animals
trades rubbish for treasure and thinks it fair
unscrews things
unties knots, laces and mooring ropes

Territorial 16

builds walls of mud across paths it dislikes
chases away anything larger than a fox
defends a single tree it has chosen
fights its rivals by shoving, never biting
flashes bright colours before it charges
guards one bridge and charges anything that crosses at night
lets no one drink from its pool without a gift
marks its border with stacked stones
patrols the same loop at the same time every day
puffs up to three times its size when approached
rattles its whole body as a first warning
roars at thunder as if it started it
screams like a kettle when something enters its cave
spits foul-smelling water at strangers
stamps the ground until intruders leave
stands very still in doorways and will not move

Predatory 18

ambushes fish from overhanging branches A fish eater is a piscivore.
cracks shells against rocks to reach the soft parts Eating hard-shelled prey has a name: durophagy.
digs pit traps and waits at the bottom
drops from ceilings onto its prey
eats almost nothing but meat An animal whose diet is more than 70% meat is a hypercarnivore.
eats ants by the thousand with a sticky tongue An ant and termite eater is a myrmecophage.
eats only metal and is always hungry
follows its prey at a walk until it tires
herds its prey into corners like a sheepdog
hunts by smell alone, nose to the ground
hunts by standing still until something lands on it
hunts in silent packs of five
lures its prey with a light and a patient wait
picks old bones clean and leaves them in tidy piles A bone eater is an osteophage, and an animal that eats what others leave is a scavenger.
spins webs across doorways
stalks its prey for days without hurrying
swallows its meals whole and sleeps for a month
swoops on anything that moves at dusk

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, September 2026. Each entry says what the creature does, and the four groups run from harmless to predatory, so the group tells you how dangerous it is. Several entries cover diet and social life, for visitors building a whole species. The real terms in the notes (filter feeding, caching, kleptoparasitism, durophagy, eating ants, eusocial colonies and others) were checked on 2026-09-18 against https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_feeding_behaviours and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eusociality. Licence: own work

How it works

This random monster generator writes a creature to draw: a body plan with a size, a covering, a head feature, a body feature, a habitat and a behaviour. Every word comes from six fixed lists, printed in full below.

Read the full guide

What this monster idea generator gives you

The body plan sets the skeleton and the scale. The head feature and the body feature come from separate lists, so they never clash. Where a page of monster drawing ideas gives you a name, this monster prompt generator gives you anatomy.

Use it as a fantasy species generator

Lock the body plan and the covering, then press for a new habitat: a glacier, a kelp forest or a car park each suggests a new variety.

No repeats, a timer and a list to print

Every list is dealt right through before a word returns. The timer runs from 30 seconds to ten minutes and can bring up the next creature by itself. Print 30 monsters makes a numbered list.

Want a beast generator? Read only the body plan and the two features. To join five real animals, use the hybrid creature generator.
For monster oc ideas, keep one creature for a week: lock everything except the behaviour and draw what it does each day.
Add an outfit and a prop from the character design generator and you have a monster character generator.

Questions and answers

Is this a random mythical creature generator?

Not by name: nothing is called a dragon or taken from a game, film or book. It builds creatures as many myths did, by joining animal parts: a winged serpent, spiralling ram horns. For a named griffin or kraken, see Creatures on fantasy drawing ideas.

Does this monster description generator draw the monster?

No. It writes the description and leaves the drawing to you. No picture is rendered.

Can it work as an oc species generator?

Yes. Several behaviours cover diet and family life, from eating only fallen leaves to living in a colony with one queen and many workers. Draw an adult, a juvenile and a nest, and you have a species sheet.

How do I know how dangerous the monster is?

Find its behaviour in the full list below, which is sorted into four groups: harmless, mischievous, territorial and predatory. The sentence itself carries no rating. Lock the body plan and press again to move the same body up or down the scale.