A beach umbrella throwing an oval shadowA shallow dome split into wedges, one pole, and a dark oval on the sand set off to one side.
A bucket and spade half buried in sandA cylinder that flares at the rim, a wire handle flopped to one side, and a spade stuck in at an angle.
A cactus in a pot wearing a sunhatA tall rounded column with two arms, short dashes for spines, and a floppy hat tipped over one side.
A campfire inside a ring of stonesA circle of lumpy stones, three logs leaning to a point, and flames as overlapping teardrops.
A cat asleep in a patch of sun on the floorA bright slanted window shape on the floor, and a cat curled into a circle exactly inside it.
A citrus wheel: lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit slicesFour circles, each with a thin rind and a wheel of segments. Only the colour and the size change.
A double rainbow after a summer showerRed sits on the outside of the main bow. The fainter second bow is outside that, with its colours reversed.
A doughnut pool float with a bite out of itA ring seen as an oval, pink icing with a wavy edge, sprinkles as short dashes, one scalloped bite.
A flamingo pool float with a ring of ripplesA ring seen as an oval, an S-shaped neck rising from one side, a bent bill and one ripple circle.
A garden hose making a rainbow in its sprayA rainbow shows in the sky opposite the sun, so put the sun behind whoever holds the hose.
A hammock slung between two treesTwo trunks, a sagging crescent between them, and one foot hanging over the edge.
A ladybird climbing a blade of grassOne long curved blade bending under the weight. The ladybird is a half circle, a line down the back, spots.
A message in a bottle washed up on the tidelineA bottle on its side with a rolled paper inside and a cork. A line of seaweed and shells marks the tide.
A palm tree in silhouette against an orange skyPaint it: yellow, orange, red and black on 8 x 10 in. Sky first and fully dry, then the palm in flat black.
A paper fan with a wave patternA half circle pleated into narrow wedges that meet at a pin. Run the waves across the folds, not along them.
A Perseid meteor streaking past a tentThe Perseids peak in mid-August and seem to come from Perseus. One long stroke, bright head, fading tail.
A picnic basket with a baguette sticking outA woven box with two lid flaps and a hoop handle. Weave is short dashes in alternating rows.
A pineapple wearing sunglassesAn oval with criss-cross lines, a spiky tuft on top, and sunglasses a third of the way down.
A postcard from a place you have made upA rectangle split in two: picture on the left, address lines and a stamp box on the right.
A rocket-shaped ice lolly melting down its stickThree stacked colour bands with a pointed top, a flat stick below, and drips pooling at the bottom.
A sand dollar with its five-petal patternA flat disc with five petal shapes meeting in the middle. Each petal is a pair of rows of tiny pores.
A sandcastle with a moat and a lolly-stick flagUpturned bucket shapes: a wide one, then a smaller one on top. The moat is a ring round the base.
A scallop shell with its two little earsA fan with ribs running out to the rim, and a pair of flat ears either side of the hinge.
A single hibiscus bloom filling the squarePaint it: hot pink, deep red, yellow and leaf green on 6 x 6 in. Trumpet-shaped. Drop red into the wet throat.
A slice of honeycomb with one bee on itHoneycomb is six-sided wax cells packed edge to edge. Draw one hexagon, then build a neighbour off each side.
A snorkel mask and a pair of finsAn oval window on a strap, a J-shaped tube beside it, and two long paddles with a foot pocket each.
A snow cone in a paper cupA pointed paper cup, a dome of ice on top, and three syrup colours soaking downward in stripes.
A starfish drying on a rockMost starfish have five arms from a central disc. Dot the top with granules and let one arm tip curl up.
A strawberry cut in half beside a whole oneEach 'seed' on the outside is really a tiny fruit called an achene. Set them in dimples, in loose rows.
A striped beach ball mid-bounceA circle, a small round end panel near the top, then curved stripes fanning from it. White between the colours.
A surfboard stuck upright in the sandA long leaf shape with a pointed nose, one stripe down the middle and a fin near the tail.
A tall iced drink with a paper umbrella and a striped strawA tall glass, ice as tilted squares, a straw bent at the top, and a little cocktail umbrella on the rim.
A three-scoop ice cream cone starting to leanA narrow V with a criss-cross grid, then three overlapping circles. Tilt the top one and add a drip.
A washing line of swimsuits and towelsOne sagging line between two poles, pegs as small rectangles, and everything dripping from its lowest corner.
A watermelon wedge with one neat bite missingA half circle: thin green rind, a pale line, red flesh. Scallop the bite and scatter teardrop seeds.
Flip-flops left at the edge of the waterTwo rounded soles with a Y strap on each. Stop a wavy foam line just short of the toes.
Footprints leading into the seaPairs of bean shapes with five dots for toes, shrinking as they go. The last pair is half washed out.
The view out of an aeroplane windowA rounded rectangle frame, a wing tip cutting in from one corner, and cloud tops below.
Cute 17
A child's fishing net and a jar with one shrimpA cane with a small hooped net, propped on a rock. The jar has a string handle and a very surprised shrimp.
A crab scuttling sideways with both claws upA wide, low body with legs out to each side. Many crabs run sideways, so put the speed lines at one end.
A dog with its head out of a car windowA window frame, a head in profile, ears and tongue streaming backward. Squint the eyes against the wind.
A dropped ice cream cone and a very pleased dogCone upside down on the pavement, scoop flattened. The dog is mid-lick, tail a blur of short lines.
A firefly reading by its own lightFireflies are beetles, and the lamp is low on the abdomen. Curl the tail forward over a very small book.
A gull eyeing a bag of chips on a sea wallGull in profile, head tilted, one eye on the bag. Keep the wall a plain band so the stare reads.
A hermit crab house-hunting among three shellsAs they grow they need bigger shells. Line up small, medium and large, and park the crab by the middle one.
A hermit crab peering out of a whelk shellIt borrows an empty sea-snail shell to guard a soft abdomen. Spiral first, then eyes and two claws.
A lemonade stand with a hand-lettered signA table with a cloth, a jug, a stack of cups and a sign with one letter written backwards.
A marshmallow on a stick, one side on fireA rounded cylinder on a twig, brown on one side, with a small flame and a worried face.
A real flamingo asleep on one legA flamingo mostly stands on one leg, the other folded under its body. The pink comes from their diet.
A seahorse holding a blade of seagrass with its tailIt swims upright and grips with a curled tail. Horse-like head, bent neck, and a small crown spike on top.
A sunflower field with one flower facing the wrong wayRows of heads all turned the same way, shrinking into the distance. One near the front looks at you.
An ice cream sundae in a tall glassA fluted glass on a stem, scoops stacked inside, a swirl of cream, one wafer fan and a cherry.
Ice lollies in a rainbow rowSeven rounded rectangles on sticks, red through violet. Take one bite out of the green one.
Sea turtle hatchlings crossing the sand at nightMost hatch at night and crawl toward the brightest horizon. Small ovals, four flippers, tracks trailing behind.
Walking boots with wildflowers growing out of themTwo ankle boots side on, laces loose. Stems rise from the openings: daisies, grasses, one poppy.
Beach 13
A beach bag with everything spilling outA soft trapezium with rope handles. Tip out a towel corner, a bottle, a paperback and one runaway orange.
A beach reflected in a pair of sunglassesDraw the frames large. Fit a tiny horizon, a palm and a sun into each lens, bending the horizon slightly.
A beach towel laid out with a book, a hat and sun creamA rectangle in perspective with stripes running the long way, then three objects casting short shadows.
A deckchair with a sagging striped seatSide on, the frame is an X with a back rail. Hang the canvas between the top bars in a slack curve.
A jar of sea glass on a windowsillPaint it: soft green, brown, white and pale blue on 5 x 7 in. Sea glass is frosted, so leave out hard highlights.
A lighthouse with black and white bandsBold patterns are daymarks, so towers can be told apart by day. Glass lantern room on top, gallery rail round it.
A moon jellyfish seen from aboveA near-clear disc with four horseshoe shapes showing through the top of the bell. Keep the outline faint.
A spiral-striped lighthouse at dusk, lamp litPaint it: peach, violet, white, black and yellow on 8 x 10 in. Blend the sky wet, then the tower and one beam.
A tide pool with anemones, limpets and one small fishDraw the uneven rock rim first. The pool is seawater trapped when the tide goes out, so keep it shallow.
A wave about to break, seen side onPaint it: turquoise, deep teal, white and sand on 10 x 8 in. Drag the foam on with a nearly dry brush.
Five beach huts in five ice cream coloursPaint it: mint, coral, lemon, sky blue and white on 12 x 6 in. Five tall boxes with pitched roofs, white trim.
Small sailing boats rounding a buoyPaint it: white, red, navy and sea green on 10 x 8 in. Each sail is one leaning triangle. Buoy in plain red.
The sun half set over the seaPaint it: yellow, orange, magenta and violet on 10 x 8 in. Blend the sky wet. The reflection is broken dashes.
Food 10
A barbecue loaded with vegetable skewersA half sphere on three legs with a grid across the top. Each skewer is beads on a line: square, round, square.
A bowl of cherries with their stalks tangledPaint it: crimson, deep blue, green and white on 6 x 6 in. One white dot of highlight per cherry, no more.
A jug of lemonade with ice and lemon slicesPaint it: lemon yellow, grey-green and white on 6 x 8 in. Leave bare paper for the ice and the glass edge.
A peach with one leaf and a slice cut awayPaint it: yellow, red, olive and brown on 6 x 6 in. Drop red into wet yellow and the blush spreads itself.
A picnic blanket seen from directly aboveA checked square first, then plates, a bottle, fruit and sandwiches as flat shapes. No perspective needed.
A pineapple with its diamond skin mapped outThe pattern runs in two sets of spirals, often 8 one way and 13 the other. Rule both sets, then add the tuft.
A s'more being squashed togetherA toasted marshmallow and chocolate between two crackers. Let the marshmallow bulge and the chocolate sag.
An ice cream van menu boardA grid of small lollies and cones with made-up names and prices. Keep each one to four or five lines.
Corn on the cob with a pat of melting butterA long oval packed with rows of small rounded squares. A holder at each end, butter sliding off one side.
Watermelon wedges fanned on a platePaint it: red, pink, viridian and black on 8 x 8 in. Let red bleed into pink while wet. Rind next, seeds last.
Trips and outdoors 20
A barn swallow with long tail streamersSteel blue above, rusty red forehead and throat, and a deeply forked tail. An early sign of summer coming.
A camper van with a roof box and bikes on the backA long box with rounded corners, two wheels, a big windscreen. Invent the van: no badge needed.
A campsite seen from above, like a mapTents as rectangles, a fire ring, a path, the water tap, the car. Label everything in small capitals.
A day-hike rucksack with its contents laid outA flat lay: bag in the middle, then bottle, map, hat, snack and plasters in a tidy grid round it.
A dragonfly resting on a reedFour wings held flat out to the sides, hindwings broader than forewings, and huge eyes that meet on top.
A Ferris wheel at a summer fair, lights onA big circle, spokes from the hub, a gondola hanging level at every spoke end. The A-frame comes last.
A hot air balloon over patchwork fieldsPaint it: red, yellow, blue and greens on 8 x 10 in. An upside-down teardrop in vertical panels, wicker basket.
A kayak on a flat lake, paddle mid-strokeA kayak paddle has a blade at each end. Long pointed hull, the paddler sitting low with legs straight out.
A midsummer bonfire beside a lakePaint it: orange, yellow, pale blue and black on 8 x 10 in. In Finland midsummer fires burn at lakesides.
A road map with a dotted route and three stopsA wandering dotted line, a star at each stop, and tiny drawings of what you ate there.
A suitcase covered in made-up travel stickersA rounded rectangle with a handle. Invent the places, and make each sticker a circle, an oval or a pennant.
A sundial showing four o'clockThe upright part is the gnomon, and its shadow falls across the hour lines. Shade one thin wedge.
A tent lit from inside under a pinePaint it: deep blue, black, orange and yellow on 8 x 10 in. Night first, tree shapes next, the glowing tent last.
A thunderhead with an anvil top over flat fieldsPaint it: white, grey, slate blue and straw on 10 x 8 in. The storm cloud towers, then spreads flat on top.
A wooden jetty running out into a lakePaint it: grey-brown, sky blue, white and dark green on 10 x 8 in. Planks narrow to one point. Mirror the sky.
Fireflies over long grass at twilightPaint it: indigo, teal, black and yellow-green on 8 x 10 in. They light up mainly at twilight. Halo each dot.
Fireworks over a lake with their reflectionsPaint it: black, pink, gold and white on 8 x 10 in. Flick lines out from a centre, then echo them, broken, below.
The longest day drawn as the sun's arc from dawn to duskThe June solstice, on 20 or 21 June, has the most daylight of the year in the north. Draw the arc high.
The seed spirals in the middle of a sunflowerThe centre is many tiny flowers set in two sets of spirals, typically 34 one way and 55 the other.
The Summer Triangle over a campsiteThree bright stars, Vega, Deneb and Altair, make a wide triangle high in the summer night. Dot, then join.
To paint 2
A sunflower facing east at sunrisePaint it: yellow ochre, burnt umber, green and pale pink on 8 x 10 in. Grown heads stay facing east all day.
A swimming pool from above with one swimmerPaint it: turquoise, white, navy and skin tone on 8 x 8 in. Flat blue, then a net of pale wobbly light lines.
How it works
The beach, the picnic, the campsite and the long evenings after are where these summer drawing ideas come from. Each of the 100 subjects has a hint for the first lines, and any fact in a hint about a crab, a cloud or a star was checked. Deal three, then pick a group such as Beach or To paint.
Read the full guide
Summer things to draw, sorted by where you are
Beach holds 32 subjects, Food 25 and Trips and outdoors 31, so the group can match the day. On the sand, A sand dollar with its five-petal pattern is a disc and five petals. After dark, The Summer Triangle over a campsite is three dots, Vega, Deneb and Altair, joined with a ruler. July drawing ideas need not stop at the shoreline.
Summer painting ideas, each with its colours and a size
The To paint group holds 21 subjects whose hints swap drawing advice for a short palette and a size in inches. Easy summer painting ideas start with A palm tree in silhouette against an orange sky: sky first, fully dry, then the palm in flat black. Five beach huts in five ice cream colours is one of the cute summer painting ideas.
Cute summer drawing ideas sit under Cute, 25 in all, from A pineapple wearing sunglasses to A hermit crab house-hunting among three shells.
Draw ice cream from life and draw it fast. The subject starts to slump the moment it is served, which makes it honest gesture practice.
At the beach, take a pencil and a small sketchbook held shut with a bulldog clip. Wind turns pages, and sand gets into wet paint.
Questions and answers
What are the quickest summer subjects?
Easy holds 38 things to draw for summer, each a few strokes. A three-scoop ice cream cone starting to lean is a narrow V and three circles. Flip-flops left at the edge of the water are two rounded soles with a Y strap each. A Perseid meteor streaking past a tent is one long stroke with a bright head.
Do sunflowers really turn to follow the sun?
Only young ones. Buds track the sun from east to west through the day and swing back overnight. Once the head flowers it stops moving and stays facing east, which warms it quickly in the morning. So A sunflower facing east at sunrise is the accurate painting.
When is the longest day of summer?
North of the equator it is the June solstice, which falls on 20 or 21 June. South of the equator it is the December solstice, on 21 or 22 December. One subject in the list draws that day as the sun's arc from dawn to dusk.