What should I draw? Start with a small story.

Nine concrete story starters

1. A tiny gardener discovers a flower taller than their house.
2. A library book grows a pair of feet.
3. A lost robot asks a bird for directions.
4. A cloud tries to fit inside a teacup.
5. A lighthouse appears in the middle of a forest.
6. A bicycle carries a garden on its handlebars.
7. A sleepy moon misses its alarm.
8. A paper boat finds an enormous puddle.
9. A key opens a door drawn on a wall.

Six problem-and-solution pairs

1. Tangled cable → cable wrapped on a spool.
2. Dry plant → plant beside a watering can.
3. Lost traveler → traveler reading a map.
4. Cluttered desk → labeled storage boxes.
5. Dark room → an open curtain.
6. Heavy bag → items shared between two friends.

Turn a mug into five scenes

1. A mug becomes a planter with a winding vine.
2. A mug becomes a tiny house with a door in its side.
3. A mug grows legs and walks to the sink.
4. A mug becomes a boat with a teaspoon mast.
5. A mug holds a miniature moonlit landscape.

A five-minute exercise

Spend one minute drawing the ordinary object, two minutes changing its purpose and two minutes showing a consequence. Keep the first version. It gives you a useful reference for deciding whether the new version communicates more clearly. Animation is an optional later step; the drawing exercise is complete on paper.

Considering a whiteboard video tool?

If your next step is an illustrated video, our InstaDoodle buying guide explains the vendor’s published approach, what to verify and where this style may fit.

We may earn a commission if you purchase through affiliate links on our site. Our exercises are original planning examples, not evidence of product performance.