Mood Generator

Press the button for one mood to draw: how strong it is, where it shows and a prop.

Mood Generator: 30 moods

Jumpy: wearing off, with one last flare. Show it in the wrists. Prop: a balloon on a short string.

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

Moodjumpy
How strongwearing off, with one last flare
Where it showsin the wrists
Prop that gives it awaya balloon on a short string

History (0)

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

Mood of the day

Jumpy: wearing off, with one last flare. Show it in the wrists. Prop: a balloon on a short string.
Grumpy: strong enough to stop a conversation. Show it in the nostrils. Prop: a balloon on a short string.
Scornful: warming up. Show it in the shoulders, seen from behind. Prop: a balloon on a short string.
Sheepish: at the back of the mind. Show it in the angle of the collarbones. Prop: a mirror they will not look into.
Nostalgic: held in, and leaking at the edges. Show it in the way they sit down. Prop: a mug held in both hands.
Spooked: coming on slowly. Show it in the heels, lifted or planted. Prop: a candle burned down to a stub.
Awestruck: hidden as well as they can manage. Show it in a crease between the brows. Prop: a glass of water filled to the very brim.
Jealous: kept to themselves, mostly. Show it in the neck, long or pulled short. Prop: a chessboard one move from the end.
Impatient: warming up. Show it in the set of the jaw. Prop: a clock turned to face the wall.
Grumpy: coming and going in waves. Show it in the angle of the collarbones. Prop: a candle burned down to a stub.
Jealous: one notch above none at all. Show it in the lower eyelids. Prop: a window with the curtain held aside.
Wary: mild, like weather that might turn. Show it in the mouth, while the eyes stay blank. Prop: a chessboard one move from the end.
Eager: at full strength. Show it in how fast the figure is moving. Prop: a window with the curtain held aside.
Calm: more of a hint than a mood. Show it in the feet, under the table. Prop: a door left ajar.
Jumpy: mild, like weather that might turn. Show it in the neck, long or pulled short. Prop: a ball bounced against a wall.
Gloomy: present, but polite about it. Show it in the angle of the collarbones. Prop: a candle burned down to a stub.
Sheepish: held in, and leaking at the edges. Show it in a fist that is nearly closed. Prop: a hat held, not worn.
Proud: more of a hint than a mood. Show it in the silhouette alone. Prop: a chair pushed back from the table.
Stubborn: saved for later. Show it in one shoulder higher than the other. Prop: a calendar with one day circled.
Cheerful: the most they have ever felt it. Show it in the feet, under the table. Prop: sunglasses on a grey day.
Nervous: at the back of the mind. Show it in one hand gripping the other. Prop: sleeves pulled down over the hands.
Puzzled: plain to anyone across the street. Show it in the knees. Prop: a list with everything crossed off.
Resigned: the strongest it has been all year. Show it in the chest, lifted or caved. Prop: a half-finished jigsaw.
Tender: plain to anyone across the street. Show it in the curve of the spine. Prop: a spoon stirring long after the sugar has gone.
Wistful: coming on slowly. Show it in hands that cannot find a pocket. Prop: a glass of water filled to the very brim.
Playful: saved for later. Show it in how far the head leans forward. Prop: a dog watching closely from the rug.
Bristling: held in, and leaking at the edges. Show it in the shoulders, seen from behind. Prop: a book open at the same page as an hour ago.
Jealous: faked, and not well. Show it in the eyebrows and nowhere else. Prop: an umbrella, still closed in the rain.
Homesick: held in, and leaking at the edges. Show it in a hand at the back of the neck. Prop: an empty seat beside them.
Playful: just beginning to show. Show it in the grip on whatever is being held. Prop: a chair pushed back from the table.

Next step Fill a grid of expressions Deal a person to wear this mood

Mood: all 60 moods

Bright 12

cheerful Lift the cheeks so they push the lower lids up. A smile with flat cheeks reads as polite.
content Nothing is tense. Soft lids, a loose mouth, hands at rest.
eager Lean the whole figure forward from the ankles.
giddy Shoulders up near the ears, both feet barely on the ground.

Show all 60 moods (56 more)

Bright, continued

hopeful Eyebrows raised in the middle and eyes on something far off.
mischievous Eyes slide to the side while the head stays facing front.
playful Head tilted, weight on the back foot, about to move.
proud Chest forward, chin level. Tipping the chin up turns proud into haughty.
relieved Draw the breath going out: shoulders dropping, eyes closed.
smug One eyebrow up, mouth shut, a smile on one side only.
tender The head leans toward what it is looking at, and the eyes soften.
triumphant Arms up or one fist raised. Open the mouth wide.

Low 12

bored Eyes half shut and aimed at nothing. Slide the figure down in the chair.
deflated Collapse the chest and round the spine, like a cushion sat on.
disappointed The moment the smile falls. Keep the brows up and drop the mouth.
gloomy Every line droops: brows, mouth corners, shoulders, even the hair.
glum Chin on a fist, cheek pushed out of shape.
heavy-hearted A hand flat on the chest and a slow, low gaze.
homesick Looking out of a window, or at something small held in the hand.
lonely Leave a lot of empty paper round a small figure.
sheepish Head ducked, eyes up, one hand at the back of the neck.
sulky Lower lip out, arms folded, body turned a quarter away.
weary Heavy lids and a head propped on a hand.
wistful A half smile under sad eyebrows. The two halves disagree.

Hot and prickly 12

bristling Everything is raised: shoulders, brows, even the collar.
cross Brows down and together, mouth a short straight line.
defiant Chin out, feet planted wide, eyes straight ahead.
exasperated Eyes rolled up, and a breath puffed out through loose lips.
fed up A hand dragged down the face, pulling one eye out of shape.
furious Square the mouth open so the teeth show, and tighten the neck.
grumpy A frown that has settled in. Hunch the shoulders and bury the chin.
impatient A foot tapping, and eyes on a clock or a door.
indignant Pull the head back and up, with a hand spread on the chest.
jealous A sideways look at somebody else, with the mouth held tight.
scornful One side of the top lip lifts, and the eyes look down the nose.
stubborn Arms locked across the chest, heels dug in, head a little down.

Uneasy 12

dreading something Eyes fixed on a point, with the body angled to leave.
embarrassed A hand half covers the face and the eyes look anywhere else.
flustered Hair out of place, and hands doing two things at once.
guilty Eyes down and to one side, lips pressed in.
jumpy Catch the figure mid-flinch, looking over one shoulder.
nervous Small tight shoulders and hands that have found each other.
overwhelmed Hands at the temples and too many things in the frame.
shy Chin to the collar, a glance up through the lashes or the fringe.
spooked Eyes wide, mouth small, elbows pinned to the sides.
startled Whites show above the iris, and the whole body jerks back.
suspicious Narrow one eye more than the other and turn the head a little away.
wary Weight on the back foot, with one hand a little raised.

In between 12

awestruck Head tipped back and mouth open. The hands have forgotten what they were doing.
bittersweet A real smile and wet eyes. Draw both honestly.
calm Level brows, level mouth, level shoulders. Calm is all horizontals.
curious Head forward and tilted, eyebrows uneven.
daydreaming Eyes unfocused and aimed just over the viewer's shoulder.
determined Brows low, jaw set, eyes locked on one point.
nostalgic A soft look at an old object held in the hands.
puzzled One brow up, one down, mouth pulled to one side.
quietly amused A mouth held straight while the eyes crease at the corners.
resigned One slow shrug, caught at the top, with the mouth flat.
thoughtful A knuckle at the lips and the eyes turned down and inward.
torn The body faces one way and the head looks the other.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next, October 2026. Made up for this page: the moods are everyday English words, and the strengths, places and props were written to read beside any of them. The notes are our own drawing advice and not a statement about how any real person feels. Licence: own work

How strong: all 36 strengths

Faint 12

a flicker, gone if you blink Give it to one side of the face only.
at the back of the mind Busy hands, absent eyes.
barely there Change one feature only and leave the rest of the face at rest.
coming on slowly Two small drawings, a minute apart, read better than one.

Show all 36 strengths (32 more)

Faint, continued

just beginning to show Draw the neutral face first, then move the brows a pencil-line's width.
mild, like weather that might turn Keep the eyes calm and put the hint in the mouth.
more of a hint than a mood Use fewer lines than you think the face needs.
noticed only by a close friend Put a second figure in the frame, watching closely.
one notch above none at all Thumbnail the blank version beside it so the difference shows.
present, but polite about it The posture stays upright and the feeling shows in the eyes alone.
small enough to deny The face says nothing. Let a hand or a foot give it away.
warming up The shoulders start to move before the face does.

Full 12

all there is room for No part of the body is neutral, down to the feet.
at full strength Push each feature a little past comfortable, then check it still looks like the same person.
at its very peak Pick the single most stretched frame of the movement.
filling the whole room Other people in the frame lean away or lean in.
the most they have ever felt it Start from their everyday look. Whatever moves a little on a normal day now moves a lot.
past the point of hiding Hands that were covering the face have dropped away.
plain to anyone across the street Test it as a silhouette. It should read filled in black.
spilling over It reaches the things nearby: a cup pushed aside, a chair moved, a paper dropped.
strong enough to stop a conversation Turn every other head in the picture toward it.
the strongest it has been all year Exaggerate the line of the spine: a deep C or a hard, straight I.
taking up all their attention Nothing else in the frame gets a glance. Aim eyes, shoulders and feet one way.
worn openly, for anyone to see Keep the hands away from the face and turn the figure square to the viewer.

Hidden or fading 12

coming and going in waves Draw three heads in a row: up, down, up.
denied out loud A speech balloon that says the opposite of the face.
faked, and almost perfectly Everything is right but the eyes, which arrive late.
faked, and not well Make the two sides of the face match too exactly.
held in, and leaking at the edges A calm face over white knuckles or a bouncing knee.
hidden as well as they can manage Draw the cover first, a level face and squared shoulders, then break it in one place.
kept to themselves, mostly Turn the figure a quarter away from the viewer and let one detail escape.
left over from this morning The mood shows only when nobody is talking to them.
saved for later A deep breath in and a door about to close.
swallowed for the sake of company Lips pressed in, eyes cast down at a plate.
ten minutes past its peak Hair and clothes are still disturbed. The face has started to settle.
wearing off, with one last flare A relaxed body and one sharp look back.

Where it shows: all 48 places it shows

Face 12

in a crease between the brows One short upright line, or two. Nothing else on the forehead.
in how wide the eyes are open Measure by how much of the iris the lids cover.
in one corner of the mouth A single tuck or drop at one side. Leave the other side level.

Show all 48 places it shows (45 more)

Face, continued

in the cheeks Lifted, hollowed or puffed. Light them from the side.
in the chin, pushed forward or tucked in A side view again. Compare the chin with the line of the throat.
in the eyebrows and nowhere else Cover the lower face with a scarf or a hand and let the brows carry it.
in the eyes, above a mouth that says otherwise The lids and the brows tell the truth. The mouth is the mask.
in the lips, pressed thin or let loose Thin lips are a line. Loose lips have a shadow under the lower one.
in the lower eyelids Raised lids narrow the eye from underneath. Dropped lids show white.
in the mouth, while the eyes stay blank Draw the eyes first and flat, then put all the change in the lips.
in the nostrils Flared or pinched. A three-quarter view from below shows them.
in the set of the jaw Draw in profile, where the angle of the jaw shows best.

Head, neck and shoulders 12

in how far the head leans forward Check where the ear sits against the shoulder in a side view.
in how much room the elbows take Elbows out claim space. Elbows in give it up.
in one shoulder higher than the other Tilt the line of the collar and let the head lean the other way to balance.
in the angle of the collarbones Two shallow lines that make a wide V or a flat bar.
in the back of the neck Hair up or collar down, seen from behind and above.
in the chest, lifted or caved A side view. Compare the chest line with the belly line.
in the curve of the spine Start with one line from skull to hip and build the figure on it.
in the lean of the whole upper body Toward something or away from it. Put the something in the picture.
in the neck, long or pulled short Leave more collar showing, or less.
in the shoulder blades Pinched together or spread, under a thin shirt.
in the shoulders, seen from behind A back view with no face at all. The line across the shoulders is the expression.
in the tilt of the head Draw a line through both eyes first and tip it.

Hands and arms 12

in a fist that is nearly closed Leave the thumb outside and the fingers not quite touching the palm.
in a hand at the back of the neck The raised elbow hides half the face, which helps.
in arms crossed, or not quite crossed One hand holding the other elbow is halfway there.
in hands that cannot find a pocket Catch them mid-air near the hips, a little lost.
in one hand gripping the other Show the squeeze where the fingers press into the back of the hand.
in the elbows, tucked or flung wide A front view. The silhouette changes most there.
in the fingers, spread or curled Draw the gaps between the fingers as carefully as the fingers.
in the fingertips, tapping or still Small arcs above a tabletop show the tapping.
in the grip on whatever is being held Tight grip, pale knuckles. A loose grip lets the thing hang.
in the hands only, with the face out of frame Crop at the chest. Two hands can say all of it.
in the wrists Bent back, limp or held stiff. Show a watch strap or a cuff to mark the joint.
in what the thumbs are doing Tucked in, hooked in a pocket, or rubbing a knuckle.

Feet and whole figure 12

in how fast the figure is moving Trailing hair and coat for speed. A dragged heel for slow.
in how the weight sits on one leg Drop the hip on the resting side and tip the shoulders the other way.
in the distance kept from everyone else Draw the group first, then place the figure.
in the feet, under the table Crop at the tabletop and draw only what is beneath.
in the gap between the feet Wide for sure of itself, narrow for not.
in the heels, lifted or planted A side view at floor level.
in the knees Locked straight, bent to spring, or knocked together.
in the length of the stride Long steps or short ones. Mark the footprints behind.
in the shadow they cast Put the light low and behind, and draw the shadow before the figure.
in the silhouette alone Fill the figure in solid black. If it still reads, it works.
in the way they sit down Perched on the edge, dropped like a sack, or folded up small.
in which way the toes point Toes turn toward what the figure wants and away from what it does not.

Prop that gives it away: all 48 props

Held in the hand 12

a balloon on a short string Its height above the hand is yours to choose: floating high or sagging.
a book open at the same page as an hour ago A thumb marks the place. The eyes are not on it.
a bunch of flowers held upside down Heads toward the ground, a few petals already on it.

Show all 48 props (45 more)

Held in the hand, continued

a letter folded and unfolded many times Soft creases in a grid, with one corner worn round.
a mug held in both hands Steam, or none, says how long they have been holding it.
a paper cup crushed on one side Finger-shaped dents and a lid popped half off.
a pencil chewed at one end Dents in the paint near the eraser.
a phone held face down The thumb rests on the back of it, not quite still.
a spoon stirring long after the sugar has gone A whirlpool in the cup and eyes somewhere else.
a ticket stub Small, between finger and thumb, held at chest height.
an umbrella, still closed in the rain Wet hair makes the point. Draw the drips off the chin.
keys turned over and over Catch them mid-turn with a small blur line.

Worn 12

a badge pinned slightly crooked Small, on the chest. Tilt it against a straight lapel.
a bag strap gripped at the shoulder Knuckles up near the collarbone, elbow tight to the ribs.
a coat still zipped indoors Collar up to the chin, in a warm room.
a hat held, not worn Both hands on the brim, turning it.
a hood pulled up Shadow the eyes. The mouth and chin are all we get.
a party hat at an angle The elastic digs in under the chin.
a scarf wound a turn too many It covers the mouth, so the eyes have to do the work.
a tie loosened an inch Top button undone, knot pulled off centre.
one glove on, one off The bare hand holds the empty glove by its fingers.
shoelaces left untied Trailing on the floor, one of them trodden on.
sleeves pulled down over the hands Only the fingertips show, gripping the cuffs.
sunglasses on a grey day Reflect a flat sky in both lenses.

On the table 12

a cake with one slice missing The knife is still on the plate, with crumbs on the blade.
a candle burned down to a stub A wide pool of wax says how long they have sat there.
a chessboard one move from the end Few pieces left, and a hand hovering over one.
a clock turned to face the wall We see its back, the key and the stand.
a doodle pressed hard into the page Lines dark enough to dent the paper, going round and round.
a glass of water filled to the very brim The surface bulges a little above the rim.
a half-finished jigsaw Edges done, the middle empty, one piece in the hand.
a list with everything crossed off Or everything but one line. You choose which.
a pile of torn-up paper Ragged pieces, a few with half a word on them.
a plate of food gone cold No steam, and a fork laid across it untouched.
a tower of stacked coins Neat and tall, with one coin held above it.
an unopened envelope Propped against something, square to the viewer.

Nearby 12

a ball bounced against a wall Draw the scuff marks on the wall in one tight cluster.
a calendar with one day circled The ring is heavy and has been gone over more than once.
a chair pushed back from the table Angled as if somebody left it in a hurry.
a dog watching closely from the rug Head on its paws, eyes up, brows moving.
a door left ajar A strip of light from the next room falls across the floor.
a kettle boiling, ignored A column of steam and nobody turning toward it.
a mirror they will not look into Place it behind them and let it show the back of the head.
a suitcase by the door Packed and upright, coat laid over it.
a trophy on the shelf behind Small and out of focus, above one shoulder.
a wilting plant on the sill Leaves hang over the pot rim. One has dropped.
a window with the curtain held aside Two fingers hold the edge. The face is close to the glass.
an empty seat beside them Give the empty seat as much room in the frame as the figure.

How it works

This mood generator deals one mood to draw on a face or a figure: the mood, how strong it is, the one place to show it and a prop that gives it away. All four lists are printed below with a drawing note.

Read the full guide

One place at a time

A mood drawn everywhere at once turns into a mask. So each result names one place to carry it: in the eyebrows and nowhere else, in the hands only, with the face out of frame, in the feet, under the table. Leave the rest of the figure at rest.

Strength changes the drawing

Sulky at full strength and sulky that is small enough to deny are two pictures. The strengths run from faint through full to hidden or fading, and the hidden ones are the best practice: a calm face over a bouncing knee.

Do five in a row on one page with the same character. That is an expression sheet nobody else has.
Stuck on a place? Fill the figure in solid black. If the mood still reads, the details will only help.

Questions and answers

What is a random mood generator for?

Drawing practice and stories. A random mood generator takes the choice away, so you draw wary or bittersweet instead of the three faces you always fall back on. Writers and roleplayers use the same result as a character's state in a scene.

What moods can it give?

Sixty, in five groups: bright, low, hot and prickly, uneasy and in between. Each has a note on what moves. For smug: one eyebrow up, mouth shut, a smile on one side only.

How is it different from an expressions challenge?

An expressions challenge is a grid of faces to fill in. This deals one mood at a time and sends it to the shoulders, hands or feet as often as the face, with a strength and a prop, so it suits full figures.

Does it tell me my own mood?

No. It is a prompt for art and writing: not a test, a tracker or advice about how anyone feels. It picks words from fixed lists and knows nothing about you.