• 90 ideas

Valentine's Day Drawing Ideas

Ninety Valentine subjects that are safe for school, among them 20 ways to build a heart and 15 pun cards, each with a way to start.

Valentine's Day Drawing Ideas

Show all 90
  1. A desk mid-letter with three crumpled draftsSheet with two lines written, pen resting, balls of paper at the edge, a mug gone cold. Seen from above.
  2. A heart filled with buttons of different sizesLight heart outline, then pack it with circles, two or four holes in each. Rub the outline out at the end. Reds, pinks.
  3. A sheet of six small classroom valentinesRule the page into six boxes with a dashed cut line. One simple drawing and a To and From line in each.

Next step Scenes for two, worked up in paintRound, soft subjects for any day of the year

All 90 ideas

Easy 27

  • A bee holding a heart saying bee mine Oval body, three stripes, two teardrop wings, a dotted loop behind for the flight path. Yellow, black, red.
  • A cat with a heart-shaped patch on its side Cat lying in a loaf shape, side on, one dark heart patch in the middle of a pale coat. Black on white or ginger.
  • A couple on a bench seen from behind, heads together Bench slats as horizontals, two rounded backs, heads tilted to touch. A low sun in front of them. Silhouette works.
  • A cupcake with a heart pick and a small face Pleated case, a swirl of icing in three tiers, a paper heart on a stick at the top. Pink, white, red.
  • A heart built from two circles and a square on its corner Stand a square on one corner, sit a circle on each upper side, then ink round the outside only. Any red.
  • A heart drawn in one line without lifting the pen Start at the bottom point, loop up and over the left lobe, dip, loop the right lobe and come home. Keep it slow.
  • A heart pierced by an arrow The old wounded heart, a sign of lovesickness. Arrow on a diagonal, flights at the top left, point at the lower right.
  • A heart-shaped sticky note left on a mirror Note curling at one lobe, a short message, a slice of reflection behind it. Pink paper, grey mirror, one highlight.
  • A light bulb saying you light up my life Bulb shape, screw cap, a heart-shaped filament, short rays all round. Yellow glow fading to white paper.
  • A pinky promise Two hands in from either side, little fingers hooked, the other fingers folded. It shows a promise was made.
  • A secret-admirer card signed with a question mark A big ornate question mark in the middle, a heart for its dot. Victorians posted their valentines anonymously too.
  • A sheet of six small classroom valentines Rule the page into six boxes with a dashed cut line. One simple drawing and a To and From line in each.
  • A sloth hugging a heart like a branch Long arms wrapped right round the heart, sleepy eye patches, a small smile. Tan, dark brown, red.
  • A stitched felt heart with thread showing at the edge Plump outline, short stitches all the way round at even spacing, one loose end of thread. Red felt, cream thread.
  • A teacup saying you are my cup of tea Cup and saucer from the side, steam rising in a heart, the tag of the tea bag carrying the words. Blue and white.
  • A teddy bear with a stitched heart on its chest Sitting bear from the front, seams down the tummy, a red patch heart with four stitches. Honey brown.
  • An envelope with hearts escaping from the flap Envelope low on the card, flap open, a stream of hearts rising and growing toward the top corner. Red on kraft brown.
  • An olive on a stick saying olive you One green olive with a red centre and a small face, cocktail stick through it, a heart on the end of the stick.
  • Feet slow dancing, one pair standing on the other Crop at the ankles. Two large shoes pointing forward with two smaller ones on top of them. A patterned floor.
  • The I love you hand sign From American Sign Language, the letters I, L and Y in one hand: thumb, index and little finger out, two folded.
  • One ribbon looped and crossed into a heart One line of even width that loops twice at the top and crosses at the bottom, tails hanging. Shade the underside.
  • One rose in a milk bottle with a petal on the table Bottle first, with a water line and a bent stem inside. The fallen petal sits at the base. Red, green, grey glass.
  • Two bunnies touching noses Two rounded bodies in profile, ears up, noses meeting at the centre line with a tiny heart above. Grey, white.
  • Two goldfish blowing one heart-shaped bubble Fish nose to nose, tails fanned outward, the bubble rising between them. Orange, pale blue, white highlight.
  • Two pears saying we make a great pear Two pear shapes leaning together, one leaf each, stalks crossed. Yellow-green with a pink blush on one side.
  • Two toothbrushes leaning together in one glass Glass as a tapered cylinder, brushes crossing inside it with heads touching. Two colours and a pale blue shadow.
  • XOXO in big block letters XOXO stands for hugs and kisses at the end of a letter. Four fat capitals, hearts in the O counters. Red and pink.

For cards 14

  • A card front with a heart-shaped window cut in it Draw what shows through the hole first, such as a face or a flower, then the card round it. Keep art off the fold.
  • A Friend's Day card for your best mate In Finland 14 February is called Friend's Day. Draw the two of you doing the thing you always do together.
  • A heart-shaped maze between two stick people One figure at each side of the heart, one true path between them. Draw the path first and build the dead ends round it.
  • A jar of jam saying you are my jam Jar with a gingham lid and a label for the words. Give it small arms and a spoon. Strawberry red, white, green.
  • A key with a heart-shaped bow and a luggage tag In Italy Saint Valentine's keys are given as an invitation to unlock the giver's heart. Write the message on the tag.
  • A paw print inside a heart, for the dog or cat One large pad and four toes, centred in a heart outline. Press a real inked paw if the animal will put up with it.
  • A pop-up card with a heart that stands when opened Draw the card open at a right angle, the heart on two folded tabs across the crease, a shadow on the base.
  • A postage stamp of a dove carrying a letter Doves are a standing Valentine symbol. Perforated edge, the bird in profile, a value in one corner. Two colours only.
  • A teapot pouring a stream of hearts, for a grandparent Pot at the top left, tilted, hearts falling into a cup at the bottom right. Leave the middle clear for the message.
  • An apple with a heart-shaped bite, for a teacher Round apple, short stalk, one leaf, and a heart-shaped bite on the right. Teachers receive a great many valentines.
  • Cupid aiming from a cloud The winged Cupid with his bow is a symbol of the day. Chubby figure kneeling on a cloud, bow drawn, arrow heart-tipped.
  • I love you lettered inside a heart, the words bent to fit Draw the heart first. Three lines of capitals, the middle word biggest, letters stretched to touch the outline.
  • Roses are red, lettered with your own last line A version of the rhyme was in print by 1784. Letter lines one and two in red and blue, then write your own ending.
  • Two pins on a map joined by a dotted line A long-distance card. Simplify the coastline, mark both towns, and loop the dotted route into a heart on the way.

Cute 21

  • A breakfast tray with heart-shaped toast and a flower in an egg cup Tray from above: plate, toast, a mug, a folded napkin and one flower in an egg cup. Warm browns, white, one red.
  • A broken heart mended with a sticking plaster Zigzag crack down the middle, one plaster across it at an angle. A small relieved face is optional. Red, tan.
  • A cat saying you are purr-fect Cat sitting upright, eyes closed, tail curled into a heart shape, a few purr lines by the chest. Any coat.
  • A frog prince waiting with a tiny crown Frog sitting upright on a lily pad, crown tipped over one eye, lips hopefully puckered. Greens, gold.
  • A heart filled with buttons of different sizes Light heart outline, then pack it with circles, two or four holes in each. Rub the outline out at the end. Reds, pinks.
  • A loaf of bread saying I loaf you A round-topped loaf with three slashes, short arms holding a heart, crumbs at its feet. Warm browns, cream.
  • A note pegged to a washing line between two windows Two facing windows, a line on pulleys between them, one folded note halfway across. Brick reds, white note.
  • A panda holding out a bamboo bouquet Seated panda, bamboo stalks tied with a red bow held forward in both paws. Black, white, green, one red.
  • A pizza slice saying you have a pizza my heart One slice taken out of a whole pizza and the pepperoni cut into hearts. Stretch two strings of cheese between them.
  • A puppy carrying a rose in its mouth Sitting puppy, head tilted, rose stem crosswise in its mouth, one ear flopped. Tan, white, red, green.
  • An owl saying owl always love you Round owl front on, heart-shaped face disc, wings wrapped round a small heart. Brown, cream, red.
  • One milkshake with two straws Tall glass centred, straws leaning opposite ways, two cherries on the cream. Two elbows just in frame. Pink, white.
  • Toast and butter saying you are my butter half A slice of toast and a pat of butter side by side, holding hands. The butter is melting slightly. Gold, cream.
  • Two bears sharing one long scarf Bears shoulder to shoulder with a single striped scarf wound round both necks, ends trailing. Brown, red, white.
  • Two butterflies whose wings meet in a heart One upper wing from each butterfly forms each lobe. Draw the heart lightly first, then fit the wings into it.
  • Two ducks under one umbrella Small duck and smaller duck on a puddle line, one red umbrella held in a wing, slanted rain. Yellow, red, grey.
  • Two mice sharing a heart-shaped piece of cheese Mice side by side, each nibbling from its own end, tails crossing behind. Grey, pink ears, yellow cheese.
  • Two peas in a pod saying we are two peas Open pod on a diagonal, two round peas with faces leaning together, a third space left empty. Two greens.
  • Two penguins leaning together, one offering a pebble Two upright ovals with white fronts, heads tilted inward, a small grey pebble held out on one flipper.
  • Two robots with glowing heart lights Boxy bodies, antennae bent toward each other, a lit heart panel on each chest, a spark between. Grey, teal, red.
  • Two swans facing each other, necks making a heart Mirror one S-curve neck against the other. White plumage, orange beaks edged with black, a flat line of water.

Romantic 20

  • A bicycle made for two Long frame, two saddles, two sets of pedals and handlebars, wheels as equal circles. Add a basket with flowers.
  • A bundle of old letters tied with ribbon Stack of envelopes slightly fanned, corners soft, a postmark showing, ribbon crossed and bowed on top. Cream, faded red.
  • A candlelit table for two seen from above Round table, two plates, two glasses of water, one candle in the middle casting a circle of light. Warm on dark.
  • A couple dancing in the kitchen in their socks One hand at the waist, one pair of hands raised, a pan still on the hob behind them. Warm evening light.
  • A couple sharing one umbrella, seen from behind Two backs close together under one canopy, outer shoulders getting wet. Slanted rain, reflections at their feet.
  • A desk mid-letter with three crumpled drafts Sheet with two lines written, pen resting, balls of paper at the edge, a mug gone cold. Seen from above.
  • A heart carved into tree bark with two initials Rough vertical bark lines first, then the heart as a pale groove with a dark edge on one side. Browns, cream.
  • A heart drawn in wet sand with a wave reaching it Heart as a furrow with a raised rim. A foam line crosses one lobe and blurs it. Ochre, white, pale turquoise.
  • A heart traced in a steamed-up window Grey wash over the whole pane, then lift the heart out with an eraser. Two drips run down from the lowest point.
  • A heart-shaped locket open on two tiny portraits A locket, a pendant, opens to hold a photograph. Two hinged hearts, a chain trailing off the page. Gold.
  • A heart-shaped padlock with two initials Couples fix a love lock to a bridge or fence and throw the key away. Shackle on top, keyhole below the letters.
  • A kiss on the forehead, in profile Two heads in side view, one slightly higher, eyes closed on both. Simplify the hair to two flat shapes.
  • A proposal in silhouette against a sunset One figure on one knee, one standing with hands to face. Solid black on bands of orange, pink and violet.
  • A sailor's valentine: an octagon packed with shell patterns A keepsake made of small seashells in a glass-fronted octagonal box. Build rings of pattern out from a centre heart.
  • A Welsh lovespoon with a heart carved in the handle A carved wooden spoon given as a romantic gift in Wales since the 17th century. Handle wide, bowl small.
  • An old couple's hands, one resting over the other Knuckles larger, skin in soft folds, a ring on one finger. Work in pencil and keep the background empty.
  • Two hands holding a crowned heart, from the Claddagh ring On the Irish Claddagh ring the heart stands for love, the crown for loyalty and the clasped hands for friendship.
  • Two hands holding, fingers interlaced Draw the two palms as one block first, then weave the fingers alternately over the top. Crop at both wrists.
  • Two long shadows on a pavement, holding hands Draw only the shadows, stretched by a low sun, joined at the hands. Paving lines give the ground. Greys, gold.
  • Two silhouettes in a lit window at night Dark house front, one warm rectangle, two figures facing each other inside it. Navy, black, yellow-orange.

Hearts 5

  • A foil heart balloon with creases and highlights Puffy heart with a seam round the edge, star-shaped creases near the seam, two white highlights. Red, pink, white.
  • A heart folded from a strip of paper Show the folds: flat facets, a centre crease and two tucked corners at the top. Shade each facet a different pink.
  • A heart of fairy lights pinned to a bedroom wall Dot the heart outline with small bulbs on a looping wire and give each bulb a soft halo. Warm yellow on grey-blue.
  • A knitted heart on a chart of V stitches Grid the page and fill squares to build a pixel heart, then turn every filled square into a knitted V. Red on cream.
  • A knotwork heart drawn as one over-under ribbon Pencil two interlocking heart outlines, give the line a width, then rub out every second crossing. Red and gold.

Pun cards 3

  • A fridge magnet saying I find you very attractive Horseshoe magnet with red legs and silver tips, small lightning marks between it and a paperclip with a blush.
  • A grater and a cheese saying I think you are grate Box grater standing, wedge of cheese beside it looking nervous but keen. Steel grey, yellow, a few curls below.
  • A match and a matchbox saying we are a perfect match Matchbox half open with one match leaning out, both with faces. Letter the box label like an old brand. Red, blue.

How it works

A heart made of two circles and a square sits at one end of these Valentine's Day drawing ideas and a Welsh lovespoon at the other. All 90 come with a way to start, and the customs in the hints are checked. Deal three, then pick a group to set the mood.

Read the full guide

What to draw for Valentine's Day when the card is due tonight

Choose the Hearts group, which holds 20 constructions. A heart built from two circles and a square on its corner comes out even every time: stand the square on one corner, sit a circle on each upper side, and ink only the outside. Once that works, move to A heart pierced by an arrow, the old sign of lovesickness.

Valentine's Day card drawing ideas, from classroom to sweetheart

The For cards group has 19 fronts, and they are not all romantic. A sheet of six small classroom valentines covers a school exchange. A Friend's Day card for your best mate borrows from Finland, where 14 February is called Friend's Day. I love you drawing ideas come two ways: the words lettered inside a heart, or the hand sign. Puns get their own group, with 15 cards.

  • Cute Valentine's Day drawing ideas work best in pairs. Two bunnies touching noses is two rounded shapes and one tiny heart, and the symmetry does the rest.
  • Keep to red, pink and one neutral. A card in three colours looks designed. A card in ten looks like the pencil tin fell over.
  • Easy holds 27 love drawing ideas that take about ten minutes. A pinky promise is two hands and two hooked little fingers.

Questions and answers

What are some love things to draw that are not hearts?

Choose Romantic, which holds 32 quiet scenes. Two toothbrushes leaning together in one glass says plenty without a single heart, and so does Feet slow dancing, one pair standing on the other. The Irish Claddagh ring shows two hands holding a crowned heart, for friendship, love and loyalty.

Are these Valentine art ideas suitable for school?

Yes. Romance stops at a kiss, and nothing needs explaining to a class. Cute, Pun cards and For cards suit younger children best. An apple with a heart-shaped bite, for a teacher is a safe first pick. By the US Greeting Card Association's estimate, American teachers receive more valentines than anyone once school exchange cards are counted.

Which symbols belong to Valentine's Day?

The heart outline, doves and the winged Cupid with his bow are the standing three. Sending cards known as valentines grew up in eighteenth-century England, alongside flowers and sweets. Cupid aiming from a cloud puts the third symbol on a card front.

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