Random Potion Generator

Press the button for one potion: bottle, liquid, smell, effect and side effect.

Random Potion Generator: 30 potions

A honey pot with a wooden dipper. Inside: grey liquid as still as a pond at dawn. It smells of an old book opened in the middle. One sip makes you glow faintly, like a lamp turned low. Side effect: a voice one note higher for a day.

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

Bottlehoney pot with a wooden dipper
Colour and movementgrey liquid as still as a pond at dawn
Smell or tastesmells of an old book opened in the middle
Effectmakes you glow faintly, like a lamp turned low
Side effecta voice one note higher for a day

History (0)

Every potion you make is kept here, newest first, up to the last 20. The list stays in this browser.

Potion of the day

A honey pot with a wooden dipper. Inside: grey liquid as still as a pond at dawn. It smells of an old book opened in the middle. One sip makes you glow faintly, like a lamp turned low. Side effect: a voice one note higher for a day.
A milk bottle with a paper cap. Inside: bubbles rising in neat rows of three. It smells of ink and pencil shavings. One sip gives you a tail, for balance, until midnight. Side effect: cats stare at you and will not say why.
A jam jar with the old label scraped off. Inside: liquid that leans toward the nearest window. It smells of a cellar in summer. One sip stretches your arms far enough to reach the top shelf. Side effect: a strong wish to stand on one leg.
A silver thimble with a cork in it. Inside: liquid that glows the green of a glow-worm. It smells of an old book opened in the middle. One sip makes your whisper carry across a lake. Side effect: your name slips your mind twice before bed.
A honey pot with a wooden dipper. Inside: blue liquid that swirls the same way for ever. It tastes of river water, cleaner than it should be. One sip makes your whisper carry across a lake. Side effect: freckles that move about when nobody is looking.
A bamboo tube capped with clay. Inside: steam that has somehow been kept as a liquid. It smells of an old book opened in the middle. One sip lets you hold your breath for the length of a long song. Side effect: dreams entirely in one colour.
A bottle no bigger than a thumb. Inside: brown liquid with waves, though the bottle is still. It tastes of the last pear in the bowl. One sip gives you a tail, for balance, until midnight. Side effect: you laugh a full minute after every joke.
A fat jar with a cloth tied over the top. Inside: orange liquid that fizzes when anyone speaks. It tastes exactly the colour it looks. One sip lets you smell tomorrow's weather. Side effect: every door you close opens again, once.
A horn cup with a waxed cloth lid. Inside: bubbles rising in neat rows of three. It smells different to each nostril. One sip makes you glow faintly, like a lamp turned low. Side effect: every sock you own is odd by morning.
A blue bottle with a ribbed side. Inside: purple liquid with a paler purple floating on it. It smells of oranges peeled in another room. One sip lets you run across water for seven steps. Side effect: every door you close opens again, once.
A glass boot, laced up the front. Inside: purple liquid with a paler purple floating on it. It smells of hay and warm dog. One sip lets you swap shadows with the nearest person. Side effect: a shadow that lags two steps behind.
A watering can with a cork in the spout. Inside: liquid that can only be seen by moonlight. It tastes of somebody else's birthday cake. One sip warms your hands enough to dry a wet coat. Side effect: hair that stands on end near iron.
A copper pot with a lid that screws down. Inside: liquid so dark the bottle looks solid. It smells of struck matches. One sip lets you run across water for seven steps. Side effect: a craving for pickles that lasts a week.
A clay pot sealed with a leaf. Inside: moss-green liquid as thick as paint. It tastes like a word on the tip of the tongue. One sip gives you the voice of whoever spoke last. Side effect: a craving for pickles that lasts a week.
A flask that hangs an inch above the shelf. Inside: violet liquid with a small whirlpool in the middle. It tastes of river water, cleaner than it should be. One sip lets you hear what is said two rooms away. Side effect: a yawn at noon exactly, wherever you are.
A snow globe with a tap fitted. Inside: dull liquid with one bright spark circling in it. It smells of cinnamon and candle wax. One sip lets you fold flat enough to slide under a door. Side effect: every sock you own is odd by morning.
A tiny vial on a neck cord. Inside: liquid that is a different colour to each person. It tastes of somebody else's birthday cake. One sip lets you taste colours for an afternoon. Side effect: dogs sit when you sneeze.
A mustard jar with a spoon-sized notch in the lid. Inside: liquid with a tiny rain cloud over it, inside the glass. It tastes of somebody else's birthday cake. One sip keeps you dry in the rain for one walk. Side effect: the nearest clock runs five minutes fast.
A gravy boat covered with a plate. Inside: red liquid that ticks gently, like a clock. It smells of burnt toast. One sip lets you find north by the itch in your elbow. Side effect: your pockets fill slowly with sand.
A bottle labelled with a drawing of a question mark. Inside: silver liquid that stays level however the bottle tips. It smells of ink and pencil shavings. One sip makes your footsteps silent on any stairs. Side effect: a yawn at noon exactly, wherever you are.
A fat jar with a cloth tied over the top. Inside: clear liquid with one black thread in it. It tastes of the spoon more than anything. One sip lets you walk up one wall, not two. Side effect: hair that stands on end near iron.
A tall green bottle, shoulder-high to a cat. Inside: pale pink liquid with a skin on top. It smells of cinnamon and candle wax. One sip lets you understand cats until sunset. Side effect: one ear a different colour until morning.
A pewter flask with a cap like a dragon's claw. Inside: blue liquid that swirls the same way for ever. It tastes of river water, cleaner than it should be. One sip makes your reflection wave back a moment early. Side effect: spoons bend slightly as you walk past.
A bottle no bigger than a thumb. Inside: liquid that leans toward the nearest window. It smells of rain on hot stone. One sip makes birds bring you small shiny things all day. Side effect: a sneeze that sounds like a small bell.
A stone bottle, cold in any weather. Inside: liquid with a small fish of light swimming in it. It tastes exactly the colour it looks. One sip lets you jump as far as you can throw a stone. Side effect: small coins roll toward you across the floor.
A salt-glazed crock the size of a fist. Inside: orange liquid that fizzes when anyone speaks. It tastes of fog, if fog had a taste. One sip makes you glow faintly, like a lamp turned low. Side effect: your name slips your mind twice before bed.
A flask that hangs an inch above the shelf. Inside: violet liquid with a small whirlpool in the middle. It smells of a bonfire three fields away. One sip makes you float one inch off the ground, no more. Side effect: dogs sit when you sneeze.
A bottle labelled with a drawing of a question mark. Inside: thick gold syrup that folds like ribbon. It smells different to each nostril. One sip lets you hold your breath for the length of a long song. Side effect: hiccups that come out as bubbles.
A snow globe with a tap fitted. Inside: purple liquid with a paler purple floating on it. It tastes exactly the colour it looks. One sip lets you find north by the itch in your elbow. Side effect: a sneeze that sounds like a small bell.
A fat jar with a cloth tied over the top. Inside: pale liquid that lights the hand that holds it. It smells of thunder about to happen. One sip lets you fold flat enough to slide under a door. Side effect: a shadow that lags two steps behind.

Next step Draw the wizard who brewed it Invent a magic item to go with it

Bottle: all 48 bottles

Glass 12

blue bottle with a ribbed side Curve the ribs with the body and let the highlight skip from rib to rib.
bottle blown with a twist in the neck One spiral line up the neck does it. Do not draw both sides of the twist.
bottle no bigger than a thumb Hold it between finger and thumb. The hand is the ruler.

Show all 48 bottles (45 more)

Glass, continued

cracked flask mended with gold wire The crack is a thin dark line and the wire a bright one that crosses it.
cut-glass bottle with a stopper shaped like a pear Draw the cuts as small diamonds, each half light and half dark.
fat jar with a cloth tied over the top Gather the cloth in folds under the string and leave a little frill.
glass bulb with no opening at all A sealed sphere. The puzzle is how it was filled, so show no seam.
round flask with a long thin neck A circle and a tube. Draw the liquid line as a flat oval inside the circle.
square bottle with a wax seal Give the wax three drips of different lengths down one corner.
tall green bottle, shoulder-high to a cat Put the cat beside it. Through the glass the cat's edge turns green.
tiny vial on a neck cord Hang it against a collarbone or a coat button for scale.
tube of glass corked at both ends Lay it flat and let a single bubble sit at the high end.

Clay, stone and metal 12

bamboo tube capped with clay Mark the ring joints, and thumbprints in the clay cap.
clay pot sealed with a leaf Tie the leaf down with grass and let its tip curl up.
copper pot with a lid that screws down Draw the thread as three slanted lines under the lid's rim.
dented tin flask Each dent gets a dark crescent and a bright edge.
hollowed gourd with a wooden plug A pear shape with a stalk, and a carrying cord round the waist.
horn cup with a waxed cloth lid Curve the cup like the horn it came from, wider at the mouth.
little iron kettle with the spout plugged A rag twisted into the spout, and soot on the base.
pewter flask with a cap like a dragon's claw Three curved talons gripping the neck. Keep the body plain.
salt-glazed crock the size of a fist The glaze has the texture of orange peel. Stipple it.
silver thimble with a cork in it The smallest dose there is. Stand it on a coin.
stone bottle, cold in any weather Bead it with drops and let one run down to the shelf.
stoneware jug with a thumb-sized handle Speckle the glaze and leave the foot bare and rough.

Borrowed from the kitchen 12

eggcup under an upturned glass A cup in a dome. The glass fogs on the inside.
gravy boat covered with a plate A long lip and a looped handle, the plate balanced on top.
honey pot with a wooden dipper Let one thread of the potion stretch from dipper to pot.
ink bottle that still says Ink Cross the word out by hand and write nothing in its place.
jam jar with the old label scraped off Leave torn white scraps of paper and a sticky sheen.
milk bottle with a paper cap Tall, with sloped shoulders. Crimp the cap in tiny pleats.
mustard jar with a spoon-sized notch in the lid Small and squat. The notch tells what it used to be.
old lantern base with the wick hole corked A wide foot, a filler cap and a cork where the flame was.
pepper pot with the holes waxed shut Dot the top with wax blobs in a ring.
scent bottle with a squeeze bulb A tasselled bulb on a short tube. Catch one puff of mist in the air.
teacup with a saucer on top as a lid A wisp of coloured steam escapes at one side of the saucer.
watering can with a cork in the spout Long spout, big handle, a cork far too small jammed in the end.

Odd ones 12

bottle labelled with a drawing of a question mark Make the label hand-drawn, with the dot of the question mark a little off centre.
bottle of ice that drips but never shrinks Drops fall from it into a saucer that never fills.
bottle shaped like a sleeping cat The stopper is the tip of the tail.
bottle that is corked on the inside Draw the cork below the neck, floating, with no way to reach it.
bottle within a bottle within a bottle Three outlines, three highlights, and liquid only in the smallest.
eggshell sealed with a paper star Stand it in a ring of twisted wire.
flask that hangs an inch above the shelf Put its shadow on the shelf, clearly apart from it.
glass boot, laced up the front Real laces through glass eyelets. The liquid fills the toe first.
hollow handle of a walking stick Unscrew the knob and show the dark tube inside.
hollowed acorn the size of a fist The cap is the lid. Draw the cap's scales in overlapping rows.
seashell stopped with sealing wax A spiral shell with a red plug in its mouth.
snow globe with a tap fitted A brass tap low on the dome, and a drip forming.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Made up for this page: every bottle, liquid, smell, effect and side effect is invented for stories and drawings. None is a real drink, medicine or recipe, and none is taken from a book, a film, a show or a game. The notes are our own drawing advice. Licence: own work

Colour and movement: all 48 liquids

Still and thick 12

brown liquid the colour of strong tea Lighter and warmer at the edges where the glass is thin.
clear liquid with one black thread in it Leave the liquid as bare paper. The thread is the whole drawing.
cloudy yellow liquid with sand settled at the bottom Fade from clear at the top to grainy at the base.

Show all 48 liquids (45 more)

Still and thick, continued

grey liquid as still as a pond at dawn A ruled surface line and one clean reflection of the stopper.
layers of red, amber and green that will not mix Three flat bands with hard lines between them.
liquid so dark the bottle looks solid Fill it flat black and leave only the highlight on the glass.
milk-white liquid that leaves no ring on the glass Tilt the bottle and keep the glass above the liquid spotless.
moss-green liquid as thick as paint It coats the inside of the glass where it was last tipped.
pale pink liquid with a skin on top Wrinkle the surface where it meets the glass.
purple liquid with a paler purple floating on it Two tones of one colour and a soft edge between.
thick gold syrup that folds like ribbon Draw the folds as a stack of loops where it lands.
what looks like water, but heavier The shelf bows under it. Nothing else gives it away.

Moving 12

blue liquid that swirls the same way for ever One spiral line from the wall of the bottle to the middle.
brown liquid with waves, though the bottle is still Tiny whitecaps. Stand a matchstick in it for a mast.
bubbles rising in neat rows of three Space them like buttons. The order is the strange part.
foam that never quite settles A head of uneven bubbles, large at the top and fine below.
liquid that leans toward the nearest window Slope the surface on a bottle that stands straight.
liquid that sloshes a second after the bottle moves The bottle is upright again and the wave is still mid-swing.
orange liquid that fizzes when anyone speaks Bubbles crowd the side nearest an open mouth.
red liquid that ticks gently, like a clock Small ripple rings spread from the centre at even gaps.
silver liquid that stays level however the bottle tips Tilt the bottle hard and rule the surface dead flat.
slow green liquid that climbs the glass Thin fingers of green reach up the inside, above the surface line.
teal liquid that shivers when it is cold A zigzag surface line and frost creeping up the outside.
violet liquid with a small whirlpool in the middle A funnel dipping below the surface, drawn with curved hatching.

Glowing and shining 12

amber liquid with gold flecks that float upward Dots that grow smaller toward the top, and none at the bottom.
black liquid full of slow white stars Flick or dot the white. Group the dots and leave gaps.
dull liquid with one bright spark circling in it One white dot with a short curved tail.
liquid that can only be seen by moonlight Half the bottle in a moonbeam and full, half in shadow and empty.
liquid that flashes when shaken, like a far-off storm One jagged pale shape inside a dark bottle.
liquid that glows the green of a glow-worm Light the fingers that hold it from below.
liquid the colour of the sky an hour ago Sunset in the bottle, dusk in the window behind.
liquid with a rainbow skin, like oil on a puddle Loose bands of colour on the surface only, over a dark body.
mirror-bright liquid that reflects a different room Put a window in the reflection that is not in the picture.
pale liquid that lights the hand that holds it Leave the palm side bright and darken the back of the hand.
rose liquid that glows brighter near laughter Two bottles, one by a sad face and one by a grin.
smoke-blue liquid lit from somewhere inside Brightest at the centre, fading to dark at the glass.

Strange 12

clear liquid that casts a coloured shadow Bare paper in the bottle and a wash of red on the table.
half liquid, half fog, with a clean line between Hard edge below, soft edge above, one colour for both.
liquid striped like a boiled sweet Slant the stripes so they wrap round the bottle.
liquid that changes colour with the time of day Draw four small bottles for morning, noon, dusk and night.
liquid that is a different colour to each person Draw it twice, in two colours, with one caption.
liquid that parts round a spoon and will not be stirred A dry gap round the spoon all the way to the bottom.
liquid that pours upward when uncorked Cork in the hand, liquid rising in a rope toward the ceiling.
liquid the exact colour of whatever is behind it Carry the wallpaper pattern straight through the bottle.
liquid with a small fish of light swimming in it A bright dash with a forked tail, and a faint trail behind.
liquid with a tiny rain cloud over it, inside the glass Leave a gap between cloud and surface and fill it with fine strokes of rain.
something that might be liquid and might be light No outline at all. Shape it by the shadow it leaves out.
steam that has somehow been kept as a liquid Soft-edged, pale, and curling just below the cork.

Smell or taste: all 36 smells and tastes

Kitchen and garden 12

smells of burnt toast Draw the sniffer leaning back, nose wrinkled on one side.
smells of cinnamon and candle wax Eyes closed, shoulders dropping. A warm smell loosens a pose.
smells of cut grass and vinegar The head pulls back while the nose stays curious.

Show all 36 smells and tastes (33 more)

Kitchen and garden, continued

smells of mint and wet wool One eyebrow up. The two halves of the smell do not belong together.
smells of oranges peeled in another room Head turned toward a door, not toward the bottle.
smells of pepper, enough to make you sneeze Catch the wind-up to the sneeze with the bottle held at arm's length.
tastes of a soup you cannot name A frown aimed at the spoon, not the bottle.
tastes of bread crust Jaw working, eyes to one side, trying to place it.
tastes of cold tea with too much honey A slow blink and a tongue pressed to the roof of the mouth.
tastes of salt, then nothing, then plum Three small faces in a row, one for each stage.
tastes of the last pear in the bowl A small pleased nod, eyes half shut.
tastes of the spoon more than anything Tongue out, spoon held up and inspected.

Weather and outdoors 12

smells of a bonfire three fields away A glance at the window to check for smoke.
smells of a cellar in summer A cool smell on a hot day. Let the face relax into it.
smells of hay and warm dog A soft smile and a glance at the floor, as if for the dog.
smells of low tide The stopper goes straight back in. Draw the hurry.
smells of pine needles underfoot A deep breath in, with the chest lifted.
smells of rain on hot stone Chin lifted, eyes shut, as if the sky had just changed.
smells of struck matches A sharp sniff: nostrils wide, brows together.
smells of thunder about to happen Hair lifting slightly. Eyes go to the ceiling.
tastes of fog, if fog had a taste A blank stare. Nothing on the face has decided yet.
tastes of river water, cleaner than it should be A cautious sip, then a second, bigger one.
tastes of snow Lips pursed and a small shiver in the shoulders.
tastes of the air on top of a hill Head back, mouth open, arms a little away from the sides.

Hard to place 12

smells different to each nostril One eyebrow up and one down, head turning from side to side.
smells of a closed umbrella Damp, with dust in it. A slow, doubtful sniff with the mouth turned down.
smells of a shop that sells only string Pure puzzlement: head tilted, mouth a little open.
smells of an old book opened in the middle Nose nearly in the bottle, as a reader's is in a book.
smells of ink and pencil shavings An artist would sniff twice. Draw the second sniff.
smells of new shoes A look down at the feet, then back at the bottle.
smells of your own house, from outside A homesick look. The bottle is held closer, not further.
tastes exactly the colour it looks Tint the tongue to match the bottle.
tastes like a word on the tip of the tongue Fingers snapping, eyes up and to one side.
tastes of nothing until an hour later Draw the later moment: a sudden stop in the street.
tastes of somebody else's birthday cake Delight with a guilty glance over the shoulder.
tastes of the colour purple, drinkers agree Two people nodding at each other over one bottle.

Effect: all 48 effects

Senses and speech 12

gives you the voice of whoever spoke last A small child with a huge, square, deep-voiced balloon.
lets you find north by the itch in your elbow One elbow raised and turned like a weather vane.
lets you hear what is said two rooms away A hand cupped to an ear, pointed at a blank wall.

Show all 48 effects (45 more)

Senses and speech, continued

lets you read a closed book by touching the cover A flat palm on the cover, eyes moving along lines that are not there.
lets you see in the dark, in shades of green Draw a night room in three greens and nothing else.
lets you smell tomorrow's weather Nose up, an umbrella under one arm, under a cloudless sky.
lets you speak to one tree, which will not hurry A figure seated against a trunk, waiting. Add a flask and a blanket.
lets you taste colours for an afternoon A tongue out toward a rainbow, with a thoughtful look.
lets you understand cats until sunset The cat is mid-sentence. The drinker looks appalled at what it is saying.
makes every lie you hear sound like a duck A speech balloon with a small duck in it where the words should be.
makes you remember every face from today Fill the space over the head with small portraits in rows.
makes your whisper carry across a lake Tiny lettering in a long thin balloon that crosses the whole picture.

Shape and movement 12

gives you a tail, for balance, until midnight Walk the figure along a fence rail with the tail out to one side.
lets you fold flat enough to slide under a door A paper-thin figure halfway through, hat first.
lets you hold your breath for the length of a long song Cheeks full and a finger counting bars in the air.
lets you jump as far as you can throw a stone A stone and a jumper in the air together, on the same arc.
lets you run across water for seven steps Six rings on the water and a seventh foot coming down.
lets you walk up one wall, not two Stop the figure at the corner where wall meets ceiling.
makes you as hard to notice as a coat on a peg Hang real coats on either side and match their values.
makes you too light to leave footprints Fresh snow, a walker, and no trail behind.
makes your footsteps silent on any stairs An old staircase, a heavy boot and a sleeping dog that does not stir.
shrinks you to the height of a teapot for an hour Draw from the small one's eye level. The teapot towers.
stretches your arms far enough to reach the top shelf Long arms and sleeves that stop at the elbow.
turns your shadow into a second pair of hands The shadow holds the lantern while the owner turns the key.

Luck and small powers 12

gives you one perfect throw An apple core in the air on its way to a far-off bin.
keeps you dry in the rain for one walk Rain bends round the figure like water round a stone.
lets you call a breeze by whistling Pursed lips, one note, and the washing lifts on the line.
lets you find the last thing you lost A hand going straight down the back of a chair.
lets you light a candle by looking at it A stare, a wick and a first curl of smoke.
lets you mend a broken cup by pressing the pieces Fingers hold the pieces together and the crack fades at one end.
makes birds bring you small shiny things all day A hat brim loaded with foil, buttons and a spoon.
makes doors hold themselves open for you A corridor of doors, each one stopped at the same angle.
makes locks feel sorry for you and open A padlock sagging open like a sigh.
makes plants lean toward you as you pass A row of pot plants all bent the same way, toward the walker.
makes the next coin you flip land on its edge A coin upright on a table and three people staring at it.
warms your hands enough to dry a wet coat Steam rising off the shoulders where the hands rest.

Weird 12

gives you the hiccups of a much larger animal A small person and a jolt that rattles the cups on the shelf.
grows you a fine moustache of frost White, curled and dripping a little at the tips.
lets you remember a day that has not happened yet A diary open at tomorrow, already written in.
lets you swap shadows with the nearest person A tall figure with a short shadow, next to a short one with a tall shadow.
makes everything you say rhyme until supper Two balloons whose last words match, and a face that hates it.
makes geese follow you in a line A walker who does not look back, and seven geese who do not look away.
makes you float one inch off the ground, no more A thin gap and a shadow under the shoes. Keep the pose ordinary.
makes you glow faintly, like a lamp turned low Rim the figure with pale light and darken the room.
makes you speak only in questions Every balloon ends in a question mark, even the greeting.
makes your coat buttons do themselves up in the cold A coat closing from the bottom up, and two hands held clear in surprise.
makes your pockets one size deeper on the inside An arm in a coat pocket up to the shoulder.
makes your reflection wave back a moment early The mirror hand is up and the real one has not moved.

Side effect: all 36 side effects

On the drinker 12

a blush that comes out green Green on the cheeks only. Keep the rest of the face warm.
a shadow that lags two steps behind Leave clear floor between the heel and where the shadow begins.
a sneeze that sounds like a small bell Letter the sound in thin, ringing capitals.

Show all 36 side effects (33 more)

On the drinker, continued

a strong wish to stand on one leg A heron pose in a queue of ordinary people.
a voice one note higher for a day Lift the lettering above the line it should sit on.
feet that tap by themselves near music The top half is embarrassed. The feet are not.
fingernails that glow in the dark Ten small lights and the edge of a blanket.
freckles that move about when nobody is looking Two portraits side by side with the dots in different places.
hair that stands on end near iron A calm face under a wild head, beside a garden gate.
hiccups that come out as bubbles Three bubbles of rising size leave an open mouth.
one ear a different colour until morning Tint a single ear. Draw nothing else in colour.
steam from the ears at every surprise Two short puffs, level with the eyebrows.

On things nearby 12

bees take you for a flower Three bees circle a hat and its wearer stands very still.
candles lean away from you Flames bent like grass in a wind, with nothing else stirring.
cats stare at you and will not say why Four cats on a wall, heads turning together.
dogs sit when you sneeze A street of dogs all sitting, and owners looking at their leads.
every door you close opens again, once A hand still on the handle as the gap reappears.
mirrors fog over when you get close A breath-shaped cloud on the glass where the face should be.
the nearest clock runs five minutes fast Two clocks disagree. The drinker stands by the wrong one.
small coins roll toward you across the floor Thin tracks in the dust converge on a pair of shoes.
spoons bend slightly as you walk past A drawer of spoons all leaning the same way.
your handwriting comes out backwards A note held up to a mirror to be read.
your pockets fill slowly with sand A small pile at each heel and a trail back down the road.
your tea goes cold the moment you look away A cup with frost on the handle.

Later on 12

a craving for pickles that lasts a week An empty jar, a fork, and a hopeful look at the shelf.
a tune in your head that nobody else knows Notes circle the head. Draw them in a made-up notation.
a yawn at noon exactly, wherever you are Mid-yawn on a bench, a sandwich still in one hand.
dreams entirely in one colour A thought cloud painted all in yellow, with outlines only.
the effect comes back for one minute a year later A calendar with a date ringed and a nervous glance at it.
every sock you own is odd by morning A washing line of singles in a dozen patterns.
everything tastes of toast until tomorrow A suspicious look at an apple.
left and right swap places for an hour Shoes on the wrong feet, worn with confidence.
you laugh a full minute after every joke Everyone else has moved on. One person is just starting.
you say goodbye when you mean hello A wave at an open door, and a puzzled guest just arriving.
you whistle the same three notes until tomorrow Pursed lips, three wobbly notes and a neighbour closing a window.
your name slips your mind twice before bed A hand stopped over a form, pen on the dotted line.

How it works

This random potion generator describes one invented potion in five parts: the bottle, the colour and movement of the liquid, its smell or taste, what one sip does and the side effect. Every effect is make-believe, written for drawings and stories.

Read the full guide

Draw the bottle before the magic

Glass is drawn by what it leaves out: one bright streak down the side, the liquid's surface as a flat oval. The bottles run from a round flask with a long thin neck to a teacup with a saucer on top as a lid, and a borrowed kitchen jar says more about the brewer than crystal does.

Let the side effect tell the story

The effects are small on purpose: one sip lets you understand cats until sunset. Each side effect is a picture too, such as hiccups that come out as bubbles. Draw the drinker a minute later, when both have arrived.

Colour the liquid first and the glass last. The highlight goes on top of everything.
A label can carry the joke. Letter the effect on it in the brewer's handwriting, or only the warning.

Questions and answers

Are the potions real recipes?

No. Nothing here can be brewed, and nothing is a drink, a medicine or advice of any kind. The effects are fairy-tale ones, such as a sip that gives you a tail, for balance, until midnight.

Are there poisons or love potions?

No. Every effect is harmless, and the side effects are comic: spoons bend slightly as you walk past, or dogs sit when you sneeze. The page is fit for a classroom or a family game.

Can I use the potions in a tabletop game?

Yes, as flavour. The page gives no dice, prices or rules from any published game, so the game master decides how long an effect lasts. The side effect is a ready complication for the next scene.