November Drawing Ideas

Two sets of 30 prompts, one for each day of November: bare and grey, or back indoors.

November Drawing Ideas

  1. A bare tree with a nest now in plain viewDay 1. All summer the leaves hid it. Fine twigs, one dark bundle in a fork.
  2. A car windscreen with one scraped portholeDay 2. Frost over the whole glass, one clear circle, an eye looking through it.
  3. A chrysanthemum in a pot on a cold doorstepDay 3. The chrysanthemum is November's birth flower. A tight dome of petals, frost on the rim.
  4. A crow shouting at nothing from a chimney potDay 4. Beak wide, wings half out, the roofs behind it fading into fog.
  5. A dried seed head edged with frostDay 5. A stiff stalk and its empty pods, each rim set with tiny white spikes.
  6. A field ploughed into brown corduroyDay 6. Furrows running to one point on the horizon, gulls as white ticks above.
  7. A flock of geese crossing the sky in a ragged VDay 7. One arm of the V longer than the other, one goose out of line at the back.
  8. A garden chair tipped against the table for winterDay 8. Legs in the air, a puddle on the seat of the one that was forgotten.
  9. A gutter full of wet leavesDay 9. Draw along the kerb: a dark stream, a leaf dam, a bottle top caught in it.
  10. A hat somebody has put on a statueDay 10. Someone found it and left it where it would be seen. Bobble hat, stone face.
  11. A leaf skeleton, all veins and no leafDay 11. Start with the midrib, then the side veins, then the fine net between them.
  12. A low sun straight in the eyes of everyone walking westDay 12. Figures with hands up as visors, shadows stretched out behind them.
  13. A meteor over a bare woodDay 13. The Leonid shower falls in the middle of November. One streak above a lace of twigs.
  14. A park bench waiting for springDay 14. Wet slats, a drift of leaves under it, one pigeon who has not given up.
  15. A puddle holding a whole tree upside downDay 15. Draw only the puddle and what is in it. The real tree stays off the page.
  16. A roundabout in an empty playground, still turningDay 16. Show the spin with curved lines and one leaf flung off the edge.
  17. A scarf caught in a bare hedgeDay 17. One long stripe of colour in a page of grey twigs.
  18. A small bird puffed up to twice its sizeDay 18. A ball with a beak and a tail, feet hidden, on a twig with one leaf left.
  19. A squirrel burying something it will never findDay 19. Front paws patting the soil down, tail up, a quick look over the shoulder.
  20. A stack of logs drawn end onDay 20. Circles, half circles and wedges, every one with its rings and a crack.
  21. A street lamp lit before the school day endsDay 21. A cone of light in the afternoon gloom, children passing through it.
  22. A tree that kept its last five leavesDay 22. Count them. Draw every twig bare except the five that are holding on.
  23. A weathervane in a galeDay 23. The arrow bent hard round, clouds torn into streaks behind it.
  24. A wood with every leaf on the groundDay 24. Straight dark trunks, no green, a thick floor of overlapping leaf shapes.
  25. An allotment shed with its door bangingDay 25. Draw the door half open and a second faint door to show the swing.
  26. An umbrella left in a bin, spokes upDay 26. The wind won. Bent ribs and torn cloth, like a dead spider.
  27. Breath drawn as a small cloudDay 27. A face in profile, scarf up to the nose, one puff of white in front.
  28. Thin ice on a bird bathDay 28. A sparrow standing on the water, looking puzzled.
  29. The town through a rain-streaked bus windowDay 29. Lights pulled into vertical smears; one clear patch where a hand wiped.
  30. Your own front door in the dark at five o'clockDay 30. Draw only what is lit: the step, the number, the glow through the glass.

Next step More autumn subjects to draw

All 60 prompts

Set 1: bare and grey 30

  • A bare tree with a nest now in plain view Day 1. All summer the leaves hid it. Fine twigs, one dark bundle in a fork.
  • A car windscreen with one scraped porthole Day 2. Frost over the whole glass, one clear circle, an eye looking through it.
  • A chrysanthemum in a pot on a cold doorstep Day 3. The chrysanthemum is November's birth flower. A tight dome of petals, frost on the rim.
  • A crow shouting at nothing from a chimney pot Day 4. Beak wide, wings half out, the roofs behind it fading into fog.
  • A dried seed head edged with frost Day 5. A stiff stalk and its empty pods, each rim set with tiny white spikes.
  • A field ploughed into brown corduroy Day 6. Furrows running to one point on the horizon, gulls as white ticks above.
  • A flock of geese crossing the sky in a ragged V Day 7. One arm of the V longer than the other, one goose out of line at the back.
  • A garden chair tipped against the table for winter Day 8. Legs in the air, a puddle on the seat of the one that was forgotten.
  • A gutter full of wet leaves Day 9. Draw along the kerb: a dark stream, a leaf dam, a bottle top caught in it.
  • A hat somebody has put on a statue Day 10. Someone found it and left it where it would be seen. Bobble hat, stone face.
  • A leaf skeleton, all veins and no leaf Day 11. Start with the midrib, then the side veins, then the fine net between them.
  • A low sun straight in the eyes of everyone walking west Day 12. Figures with hands up as visors, shadows stretched out behind them.
  • A meteor over a bare wood Day 13. The Leonid shower falls in the middle of November. One streak above a lace of twigs.
  • A park bench waiting for spring Day 14. Wet slats, a drift of leaves under it, one pigeon who has not given up.
  • A puddle holding a whole tree upside down Day 15. Draw only the puddle and what is in it. The real tree stays off the page.
  • A roundabout in an empty playground, still turning Day 16. Show the spin with curved lines and one leaf flung off the edge.
  • A scarf caught in a bare hedge Day 17. One long stripe of colour in a page of grey twigs.
  • A small bird puffed up to twice its size Day 18. A ball with a beak and a tail, feet hidden, on a twig with one leaf left.
  • A squirrel burying something it will never find Day 19. Front paws patting the soil down, tail up, a quick look over the shoulder.
  • A stack of logs drawn end on Day 20. Circles, half circles and wedges, every one with its rings and a crack.
  • A street lamp lit before the school day ends Day 21. A cone of light in the afternoon gloom, children passing through it.
  • A tree that kept its last five leaves Day 22. Count them. Draw every twig bare except the five that are holding on.
  • A weathervane in a gale Day 23. The arrow bent hard round, clouds torn into streaks behind it.
  • A wood with every leaf on the ground Day 24. Straight dark trunks, no green, a thick floor of overlapping leaf shapes.
  • An allotment shed with its door banging Day 25. Draw the door half open and a second faint door to show the swing.
  • An umbrella left in a bin, spokes up Day 26. The wind won. Bent ribs and torn cloth, like a dead spider.
  • Breath drawn as a small cloud Day 27. A face in profile, scarf up to the nose, one puff of white in front.
  • Thin ice on a bird bath Day 28. A sparrow standing on the water, looking puzzled.
  • The town through a rain-streaked bus window Day 29. Lights pulled into vertical smears; one clear patch where a hand wiped.
  • Your own front door in the dark at five o'clock Day 30. Draw only what is lit: the step, the number, the glow through the glass.

Set 2: back indoors 30

  • A blanket fort with a lamp inside Day 1. A glowing lump of bedding between two chairs, one foot sticking out.
  • A board game abandoned mid-move Day 2. Pieces where they stood, a dice on the carpet, one chair pushed back.
  • A box of winter clothes coming down from the loft Day 3. A cardboard box, a jumper sleeve hanging out, last year's scarf on top.
  • A cake seen from inside the oven Day 4. The glass door in front of you, a nose and two hands against it, the cake rising.
  • A cat that has claimed the radiator Day 5. Draped along the top like a rug, four legs hanging, eyes shut.
  • A clothes horse in front of the only warm radiator Day 6. Towels, shirts and one odd sock on the rails, the window behind gone grey.
  • A coat rack with too many coats Day 7. One hook, nine coats, a scarf trailing to the floor, the rack leaning.
  • A dog that will not leave the rug by the fire Day 8. Flat on its side, legs straight out, one eye opening when you move.
  • A drawer of odd gloves Day 9. No two the same. Lay them out in rows like a collection of leaves.
  • A hot drink with a window reflected in it Day 10. Draw the mug from above: a dark circle holding a small bright square.
  • A jar of buttons tipped out to find one that matches Day 11. A spill of circles with two holes or four, and a coat with a gap waiting.
  • A jigsaw with only the sky left to do Day 12. The picture done, a hole of plain blue, forty near-identical pieces beside it.
  • A kettle and two mugs waiting for someone to come in Day 13. One mug already has its spoon. Steam at the spout, a wet coat over the chair.
  • A knitting project three rows long Day 14. Two needles, a huge ball of wool, and a very small strip of scarf.
  • A lamp making one warm circle in a dark room Day 15. Shade the whole page, then lift out the pool of light and what it lands on.
  • A noughts-and-crosses game on a steamed-up window Day 16. A grid of finger lines, three Os in a row, a drip running from every mark.
  • A pair of shoes stuffed with newspaper to dry Day 17. Laces out, tongues pulled forward, balls of newsprint sticking up.
  • A pan of soup big enough for a week Day 18. A ladle hooked over the side, steam, five bowls stacked and waiting.
  • A pile of books by the bed, the top one face down Day 19. Spines at odd angles, a mug balanced on the stack, glasses folded on top.
  • A slipper a dog has been at Day 20. The heel gone, stuffing out, the other slipper untouched beside it.
  • A sofa with a person-shaped dent Day 21. Cushions squashed, a blanket thrown back, the remote left in the hollow.
  • A spoon standing up in very thick porridge Day 22. The bowl in side view, the spoon dead upright, no hand holding it.
  • A toasted sandwich with the cheese escaping Day 23. Cut corner to corner and pulled apart, strings of cheese between the halves.
  • A windowsill of plants brought in from the cold Day 24. Pots crowded edge to edge against the glass, leaves pressed flat.
  • A yellow topaz in a ring box Day 25. Topaz, particularly yellow, is November's birthstone. One stone, one glint, dark velvet.
  • An armchair pulled as close to the fire as it will go Day 26. The chair from behind, two feet on the fender, a glow round the edges.
  • Mittens on a string through a coat's sleeves Day 27. The coat on a hook, a mitten dangling from each cuff.
  • Toast on a fork held up to a fire Day 28. A long fork, a square of bread, one side already striped brown.
  • The word NOVEM cut into a stone Day 29. November keeps its name from novem, Latin for nine: it was the ninth month of the oldest Roman year.
  • Your own warmest corner, drawn from inside it Day 30. Knees, blanket, whatever is within reach. Draw what you can see without getting up.

How it works

November has 30 days, and each set here holds 30 November things to draw, one per date. Set 1 is bare and grey: fog, frost and empty branches. Set 2 is back indoors: soup, radiators and lamplight.

Read the full guide

One drawing a day, either set

Pick a set in the menu and find today's date on the sheet. Each hint opens with its day number, and the list runs day 1 to day 30 in A to Z order that carries no meaning. Day 30 always starts with Your. Swap sets when the weather does: Set 1 on a dry day, Set 2 when it rains.

Drawing a grey month

November is short on colour, so let tone do the work. Set 1 suits soft pencil or charcoal: fog is drawn by leaving things out, and a bare tree is a lesson in line. Set 2 is lit by lamps, so shade the page first and lift the light out with an eraser.

  • Draw Set 1 from a window if it is too cold to stand outside. A window frame makes a ready-made border.
  • South of the equator November is late spring, so Set 2 fits better than Set 1.

Questions and answers

Can I use the prompts without doing the whole month?

Yes. Draw any row on its own, in any order; the menu changes set. The fall list holds plain autumn subjects with no twist.

Why is November called November?

The name comes from novem, Latin for nine. November was the ninth month of the oldest Roman calendar, which began in March, and it kept the name when January and February were added. One prompt in Set 2 carves the word in stone.

Are there Thanksgiving prompts here?

No. Both sets keep to weather and home. Turkeys, tables and cards are on the Thanksgiving list, and posters and thank-you cards for 11 November are on the Veterans Day list.

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