A box grater's shadow as an apartment tower at nightLamp behind the grater. Draw a door at the bottom first, then a person in three of the lit windows.
A colander's shadow as a hill under the starsLamp straight above. Trace the rim as a hill, then join the dots of light into pretend constellations.
A fork's shadow as a monster's spiky hairdoLamp low behind the fork. Draw a round face under the prong shadows first, then two eyes peeking up.
A mug's shadow as a teddy with a handle for an earLamp opposite the handle, which becomes the ear. Draw eyes and a snout first, then a second ear to match.
A potato masher's shadow as a robot's grinLamp behind. The zigzag is the mouth. Draw a square head around it first, then bolts, eyes and antennae.
A sauce bottle's shadow as a rocket on its padLamp low at the base. Draw fins and a window first, then a tower beside it and smoke along the ground.
Show all 60 doodles (54 more)
Kitchen things, continued
A sieve's shadow as a racket hitting a ballLamp to one side. Draw the hand gripping the handle first, then the arm, the ball and its speed lines.
A slotted turner's shadow as piano keys being playedLamp low so the slots stretch long. Draw two hands above the keys first, then notes floating off.
A spoon's shadow as a tadpole in a pondLamp low at the bowl end. Add one eye to the round part first, then ripple rings around the long tail.
A star cutter's shadow as a starfish on the sandLamp above, a little to one side. Dot the arms with suckers first, then add shells and a wavy tide line.
A whisk's shadow as a balloon carrying passengersLamp to one side. Draw a basket at the handle end first, then two tiny riders waving over its edge.
Two chopsticks' shadows as a wading bird's legsLamp high. Draw the body where the two sticks meet first, then a long neck, a beak and a fish below.
Leaves and flowers 12
A daisy's shadow as a lion's maneLamp above the flower. Draw the face inside the round middle first, then ears between two petals.
A dandelion puff's shadow as a fireworkLamp to one side. Extend a few of the seed lines first, then add a rocket trail and rooftops below.
A fern's shadow as a feathered hatWindow sun. Draw the hat's brim under the frond first, then the face of whoever is wearing it.
A forked twig's shadow as a stag in a woodWindow sun. Draw the head between the two biggest forks first, then the neck, the back and the legs.
A grass seed head's shadow as a fox's bushy tailLamp low so it stretches. Draw the fox's back end where the stalk starts first, then the whole fox.
A holly leaf's shadow as a bat's wingLamp low. Draw the furry body along the stalk first, then a second wing to match the leaf.
A jar of flowers' shadow as a balloon sellerLamp low. The jar is the body. Draw a face and arms on it first, then strings from each flower head.
A leaf's shadow as a fish with a stalk tailWindow sun. Add an eye and a mouth at the tip first, then fins, and scales along the vein shadows.
A maple leaf's shadow as a crown for a small kingLamp above. Draw the king's face under the leaf first, then jewels on each point.
A rosemary sprig's shadow as pines on a ridgeLamp low so the needles stretch. Draw the ridge line under them first, then a cabin and a path.
A trail of ivy's shadow as the tail of a kiteLamp to one side. Draw the diamond kite at the top end first, then the string and a child holding it.
A tulip's shadow as a street lampLamp low at the foot of the stem. Draw rays around the flower head first, then a bench and a cat beneath.
Toys, keys and tools 12
A brick tower's shadow as a castle keepLamp behind a tower of toy bricks. Draw battlements along the top first, then a flag, a gate and a moat.
A clothespin's shadow as a crocodile's jawsLamp to one side. Draw teeth along both arms first, then an eye, nostrils and a long scaly back.
A comb's shadow as railings with a prowling catLamp low behind the comb. Draw the cat on the spine first, then grass at the foot of the teeth.
A key's shadow as a tin robot on wheelsLamp above. The ring is the head. Draw two eyes in it first, then arms off the teeth and wheels below.
A padlock's shadow as a ghost with a handleLamp above. Draw two eyes and a wobbly mouth first, then a second ghost reaching for the loop.
A paper clip's shadow as a running trackLamp above. Draw the lane lines inside the loops first, then three runners and a finish tape.
A ruler's shadow as a railroad across the pageLamp low at one end. Draw the cross ties first, then a train coming, a signal and distant hills.
A screwdriver's shadow as a lighthouseLamp at the tip end. The handle is the lamp room. Draw beams from it first, then rocks and waves.
A tape roll's shadow as a duck pondLamp straight above. Draw two ducks on the bright middle first, then reeds around the dark ring.
A toy car's shadow as a submarineLamp low at the back of the car. Draw a periscope and portholes first, then bubbles and passing fish.
A toy dinosaur's shadow as a mountain rangeLamp low so the shadow stretches. Draw snow on the highest spikes first, then climbers on a rope.
Open scissors' shadow as a heron's beakLamp above. Draw the eye where the blades join first, then the head and feathers around the handles.
Glasses and things with holes 12
A bangle's shadow as a portholeLamp above. Draw a fish looking in through the ring first, then rivets around the dark rim.
A cardboard tube's shadow as a tunnel with a trainLamp shining through the tube. Draw rails into the bright circle first, then the engine coming out.
A funnel's shadow as a wizard's hatLamp low at the wide end. Draw the face under the brim first, then stars on the hat and a long beard.
A pair of glasses' shadow as an owl's stareLamp above. Draw a pupil in each lens shadow first, then a beak on the bridge and feather tufts.
A paper doily's shadow as a giant snowflakeWindow sun. Draw a mitten reaching up to catch it first, then smaller flakes all around.
A racket's shadow as a net full of fishSun outdoors, racket held flat. Draw fish in the squares first, then a boat and a rope pulling the net.
A slatted chair's shadow as a ladder to a treehouseWindow sun. Draw the treehouse at the top of the slat shadows first, then a child climbing.
A slotted spoon's shadow as a ladybug's backLamp above. Draw a line down the middle first, then a head, feelers and six short legs.
A stemmed glass's shadow as a jellyfishLamp low, then turn the paper around. Draw wavy arms where the stem falls first, then small fish.
A two-hole button's shadow as a pig's snoutLamp straight above. Draw the pig's face around it first, then ears and a curly tail peeking out.
A water glass's bright ripples as a fish pondWindow sun through a full glass. Draw fish among the wavy lines of light first, then lily pads.
A woven basket's shadow as a honeycombLamp close to the weave. Outline six gaps as cells first, then bees, and fill a few cells with honey.
Trace it big 12
A bicycle's shadow chalked as a flying machineLow sun on pavement. Chalk the two wheels first, then turn the frame into wings and a propeller.
A houseplant's shadow traced as wallpaperSun on a wall with paper taped up. Trace every leaf first, then color the gaps, not the leaves.
A row of toy animals' shadows as a paradeLow sun and a long strip of paper. Trace them in a line first, then add flags, drums and a crowd.
A stuffed animal's shadow traced small and then hugeLamp near the toy for a giant, far for a small one. Trace both first, then draw them meeting.
A swing seat's shadow drawn out as a spider on its threadLow sun. Chalk the seat as the body first, then eight legs, and turn the chain shadows into its thread.
A toy animal's shadow traced as a giant beastLow sun, toy at the paper's edge. Trace the outline first, then fill it with patterns of your own.
A tree's shadow traced as a map of riversSun through bare branches onto a big sheet. Trace the trunk as the main river first, then name the forks.
A two-hand shadow puppet traced and given feathersLamp behind your hands. A friend traces the bird first, then you add an eye, a beak and feathers.
A watering can's shadow traced as an elephant sprayingLow sun. Trace the spout as the trunk first, then add an ear, an eye and a fan of water drops.
A wooden chair's shadow traced as a giraffeLow sun or a low lamp. Trace the long back legs first, then add a neck, a head and brown patches.
Three friends' joined shadows as one creatureLow sun. Stand close so the shadows merge. Chalk the outer edge first, then give it one face.
Your jumping shadow chalked as a caped figure over a citySun outdoors. Hold a jumping pose while a friend chalks your shadow first, then draw a cape and a city far below.
How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next on 2026-10-02: 60 ideas for the game of standing an object by a lamp or in the sun and doodling its shadow into something else, in five kinds of 12 (kitchen things, leaves and flowers, toys, keys and tools, glasses and things with holes, trace it big), each marked Easy, Medium or Hard (20 of each). Each title pairs the object with what its shadow becomes; each hint says where to put the light and what to draw first. Levels are our own judgment. Two facts were read on Wikipedia, Shadow, on 2026-10-02 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow, CC BY-SA 4.0): the sun's shadows change through the day and are longest near sunrise and sunset, and a shadow grows larger the farther the object stands from the surface it falls on. Licence: own work
How it works
A shadow doodle starts from a real shadow. Stand an object by a lamp or a sunny window, let its shadow fall on paper, and draw it into something else. Here are 60 doodles from a shadow, sorted by object.
Read the full guide
How the game works
Put paper on a table and the object at its edge. Move the lamp until the shadow looks like something. Then draw: each hint says where the light goes and what to draw first. A low lamp stretches a shadow, and so does the sun early and late in the day.
Shadow art ideas for a class
Trace it big holds the ones that take a yard, a wall or a roll of paper: a toy animal's shadow traced as a giant beast, three friends' joined shadows as one creature. By a lamp, a shadow grows as the object moves away from the paper.
Turn the paper, not the object. Upside down, a shadow is often a different animal.
Sun shadows creep. Trace the outline first and doodle afterward.
Questions and answers
What is a shadow doodle?
A drawing made on top of a real shadow. An object stands in lamplight or sun, its shadow falls on the paper, and a few added lines turn it into something else: open scissors' shadow becomes a heron's beak.
What are easy shadow art ideas?
The 20 marked Easy, under More filters. A fork, a spoon, a key, a leaf or a pair of glasses is enough: a leaf's shadow becomes a fish with a stalk tail once it has an eye and fins.
What objects make good shadows?
Ones with a clear outline, or with holes. This list uses kitchen things, leaves and flowers, toys, keys and tools, and glasses and things with holes, where light passes through and draws part of the picture.
What light do you need for shadow drawing?
One lamp, a flashlight or direct sun. Each hint says where the light goes: low for a long stretched shadow, straight above for a short one.