60 additions

Things to Add to a Drawing

One finishing touch for the drawing in front of you, and where it goes.

Show all 60

A torn ticket or leaf taped to the pageDraw a piece of tape across a small drawn object so it looks stuck on.

Next step Letter a title for it

All 60 additions

Light and shadow 12

A cast shadow where the subject meets the ground The darkest tone sits right under the contact point, then fades. It stops things floating.
A darker background behind the lightest part Tone the paper around your brightest shape so it jumps forward.
A glow round anything that shines Shade the paper around a candle or lamp a little darker so the light seems to spread.
A light source you can see in the picture A lamp, a window or the sun in the corner explains every shadow you drew.
A pool of shade under a tree or awning One flat darker shape on the ground, with speckles of light through the leaves.
A reflection in a puddle below Flip the subject upside down under it and break the copy with two ripple lines.
A shaft of light through dust or mist Two faint straight lines from the window, with the tone between them rubbed lighter.
One highlight on every shiny surface Leave a small patch of bare paper on the same side of each thing, facing the light.
Rim light along one edge Leave a thin pale line where the light catches the back of the shape.
Shadows that all point the same way Pick where the light is and send every shadow away from it at one angle.
Soft shade where two things touch A thin dark line in the crease between a cup and its saucer grounds them both.
Window light falling across the floor A slanted, pale rectangle with the frame's bars in shadow across it.

Show all 60 additions (48 more)

Background 12

A blurred crowd behind a figure Rough shapes of heads and shoulders, no faces, a tone lighter than the figure.
A doorway opening onto another room A lighter rectangle behind the subject gives the picture depth.
A far hill or skyline, pale and simple Draw it lighter and with less detail than anything in front.
A horizon line behind the subject One line across the page puts your subject somewhere. Keep it off the centre.
A patterned wallpaper, kept faint Repeat one small motif lightly so it never fights the subject.
A shelf of small things behind the subject Books, a jar, a plant: small shapes in a row that set the scene.
A single tree to one side A tree at the edge frames the picture and stops the eye leaving it.
A table edge under the object One line and its thickness tells the viewer where the thing is standing.
A wall with one picture frame on it An empty wall looks unfinished; a frame and its shadow make it a room.
A window frame with the outside beyond Draw the frame crisp and the view outside faint and simple.
Clouds that lead toward the subject Point the long side of each cloud toward the part you want looked at.
Grass or floorboards running into the distance Lines that get closer together as they go back make the floor recede.

A little life 12

A cat watching from a corner Two eyes and ears peeking in make the viewer look where the cat looks.
A dog asleep in the foreground A curled shape low in the picture draws the eye into it.
A kite in the sky A diamond and a long line bring wind and movement to a still scene.
A person far off for scale A tiny figure next to a mountain or a building shows how big it is.
A snail on a leaf nearby A tiny detail rewards anyone who looks closely.
A spider's web in a top corner Spokes from one point, then a spiral across them. It says the place is quiet.
Birds flying in a V Five or six small ticks getting smaller make the sky move.
Footprints leading into the scene A line of prints tells a story of someone just gone.
Smoke from a chimney One curl of grey tells you someone is home.
Two sparrows on a telephone wire overhead Small shapes high up add scale and something to find.
Washing on a line between two buildings A few shapes pinned along a curve fill an empty gap between walls.
Wisps of heat over a hot drink Three wavy lines make a drink hot and a room cosy.

Texture and detail 12

A crack running through the path Two or three branching lines make a path look real and old.
Brick lines on part of a wall Draw a few bricks near one corner only; the eye fills in the rest.
Condensation beads on a cold glass A small dark shape with a bright dot inside, some running down.
Dashed stitch lines on bags and clothes A dashed line along each seam makes things look made.
Fraying at the edge of cloth Loose threads at a hem or a torn edge make fabric look soft.
Fur along an animal's outline Replace a smooth outline with short strokes in the direction the fur grows.
Moss in the gaps between stones Soft dark dots packed into the cracks only.
Rust streaks below a bolt A short trail of darker tone running down from each bolt.
Scratches and dents on metal A few short pale lines break up a smooth tin or car door.
Uneven freckles on a portrait A few dots over the nose and cheeks, never evenly spaced.
Weathering on a fence post A darker band at the bottom, where rain splashes and soil sits.
Wood grain on a table or door Long wavy lines with one or two knots. Keep them faint.

Frame and finish 12

A border round the whole drawing A ruled line an inch in from the edge makes a sketch look finished.
A colour accent on one thing only Colour one small object in an otherwise pencil drawing and it becomes the point.
A frame drawn round the frame Draw a wooden or gold picture frame round your picture, with its shadow on the wall.
A line of dialogue from the subject A few words in a bubble turn a picture into a comic panel.
A second small view in a circle An inset of one close-up detail, like a map's magnified corner.
A title written in your best letters Hand-lettered words at the top or bottom turn a drawing into a poster.
A torn ticket or leaf taped to the page Draw a piece of tape across a small drawn object so it looks stuck on.
A torn-paper edge on one side Draw a ragged edge and a shadow under it, as if the page is peeling.
A vignette that fades the corners Shade the corners a little so the eye stays in the middle.
A washi-tape strip across one corner A thin patterned rectangle at an angle, as if holding the drawing up.
Labels with thin arrows Name parts with neat lines, like a nature notebook page.
Your signature and the date Small, in a bottom corner. It marks the drawing as done.

How this list was compiled: Original list written for Draw This Next on 2026-09-24: 60 things to add to a drawing you have nearly finished, in five groups (light and shadow, background, a little life, texture and detail, frame and finish), each hint saying where it goes and what it does for the picture. No facts are stated. No item repeats a title from any other list on the site. Licence: own work

How it works

Your subject is drawn but the page feels empty or flat. Here are 60 things to add to a drawing, in five groups, each saying where it goes and what it changes. Pick the group that matches what is missing.

Read the full guide

Flat, floating or empty?

If the subject looks flat, try Light and shadow. If it floats, give it a cast shadow and a ground line. If the page looks empty, Background and A little life fill it without crowding the subject.

Things to add to drawings you think are finished

Frame and finish holds 12 last steps: a ruled border, a title in your best letters, your signature and the date. One colour accent in a pencil drawing makes that one thing the point.

Add one thing, then step back. Two additions often do more than six.
Keep additions lighter and simpler than the subject, so they sit behind it.

Questions and answers

What should I add to my drawing?

Start with a cast shadow where the subject meets the ground, then one light source the viewer can see. Those two make most drawings look solid before any background goes in.

How do I make a drawing look less empty?

Add a horizon line or a table edge so the subject stands somewhere, then one small living thing, such as a cat watching from a corner or two sparrows on a telephone wire overhead.

How do I make a drawing look finished?

A border, a signature and a darker tone behind the lightest part. Many drawings look unfinished only because the edges stop at nothing.