What is Drawcember? Rules and Tips for Drawcember 2024

If you've been scrolling through art communities on social media, you've probably seen Drawcember popping up here and there.

Whether you’re an art student looking to bring variety into your drawing schedule or a novice artist trying to enter the community, our Drawcember guide provides a chance to dive into daily drawing. Connect with other artists and keep your creative energy flowing through the holiday season!

the text what is drawcember written in an artistic style with doodles of snowflakes, ornaments, a snowman, a Christmas tree, and a gingerbread man around the text

What is Drawcember art challenge?

Drawcember is a fun, low-pressure art challenge that invites artists to create a new piece every day throughout December. The title speaks for itself - Draw and December! It’s catchy and has stayed the same since the creation of the challenge. Officially, Drawcember was launched in 2012 by Disney Create, but it has been a self-managed community challenge for a while now.

Like other popular December art challenges, Drawcember is structured around daily prompts to get you drawing and spark creativity, even on days when inspiration feels out of reach.

How does Drawcember work?

The main idea behind Drawcember is pretty straightforward, making it easy for anyone to jump in. Here’s a quick breakdown of how you can join in:

  • Daily prompts: Drawcember usually has a list of prompts—words or themes posted by different artists and groups—that give you a starting point for each day’s artwork. For example, “frost,” “gift,” or “winter wonderland” might be prompts to interpret as you like. You can draw whatever you want, so feel free to use a random drawing idea generator for limitless inspiration.
  • Flexible media: There’s no strict rule about what tools or styles you use. Draw with pencils, paint digitally, or even try mixed media if that’s what you enjoy. This flexibility makes Drawcember ideal for experimenting with different techniques.
  • Posting and sharing: To join the Drawcember community, share your artwork on social media using hashtags like #Drawcember and #Drawcember2024 or forum threads. This helps you connect with others taking part and gets your work out there for others to see.

Drawcember prompt ideas for 2024

Here is our unique prompt list for Drawcember to spark your creativity:

  1. Frost - Create a scene featuring delicate frost patterns
  2. Candlelight - Draw something illuminated by warm candlelight
  3. Winter Wildlife - Capture an animal in its winter habitat
  4. Hot Cocoa - Illustrate the perfect winter drink
  5. Night Sky - Draw a starry winter night
  6. Mittens - Design a cozy pair of winter mittens
  7. Ice Palace - Create a fantastical structure made of ice
  8. Holiday Market - Sketch a bustling winter marketplace
  9. Snow Globe - Draw what's inside a magical snow globe
  10. Evergreen - Illustrate a majestic winter pine
  11. Hibernate - Show an animal in its winter slumber
  12. Winter Fashion - Design a stylish cold-weather outfit
  13. Northern Lights - Capture the aurora in the night sky
  14. Warm Hearts - Draw what keeps you warm inside
  15. Winter Sports - Illustrate your favorite winter activity
  16. Fireplace - Sketch a cozy hearth scene
  17. Storm - Capture the drama of a winter storm
  18. Traditions - Draw a cherished holiday tradition
  19. Sweets - Illustrate seasonal treats and desserts
  20. Letters - Design a winter-themed letter or card
  21. Solstice - Create art celebrating the shortest day
  22. Gift - Draw something precious wrapped in surprise
  23. Feast - Illustrate a grand holiday meal
  24. Tales - Bring a winter story to life
  25. Joy - Capture a moment of pure happiness
  26. Peace - Draw your interpretation of tranquility
  27. Gathering - Sketch people coming together
  28. Reflection - Show the year's memories
  29. Light - Illustrate hope in the darkness
  30. Magic - Create something enchanting
  31. New Beginnings - Draw what lies ahead

Why try Drawcember?

Drawcember is all about developing the habit of drawing daily and having fun with it. Here are some reasons artists love joining:

  • Beat creative block: Daily prompts help push you past the “blank page” stage and keep ideas flowing. Even if you feel uninspired, the prompt can give you a direction to start with.
  • Build artistic confidence: Drawing every day, even if just a little, is great practice. It’s a chance to get more comfortable with your tools and test new techniques without overthinking.
  • Meet fellow artists: Since so many people join in Drawcember, it’s easy to find and follow other artists working through the same challenge. Commenting on others’ work and connecting online can be really motivating!
  • Observe your artistic growth. Drawing something with a shared theme daily for an extended period of time is a great way to notice your own improvement or what challenges you face repeatedly.

Tips to make the most of Drawcember

Here’s how you can get the most out of the challenge:

  • Set a realistic goal: If committing to 31 drawings sounds intense, it’s okay to aim for fewer days or a “mini-Drawcember” that fits your schedule. Even a few pieces can make a difference.
  • Experiment: Use Drawcember as a playground to try things you wouldn’t usually attempt. Play around with new styles, colors, or techniques you’ve been curious about.
  • Stay consistent but flexible: Consistency is key to building habits, but don’t stress if you miss a day. Remember, Drawcember is all about having fun and improving your skills.
  • Use random art generators. If you ever start running dry on inspirations and don’t fancy the prompts from fellow artists, use a holiday art prompt generator and give the results a Drawcember twist.

Sharing your Drawcember work on social media

Drawcember is largely online, so sharing your work helps you feel connected. Here are a few of our tips for showcasing your art:

  • Use hashtags: Always include #Drawcember, #Drawcember2024, and any other popular hashtags specific to the year or challenge. This can help others discover your work and lets you see what others are creating, too.
  • Engage with others: Don’t just post and go! Take a few minutes to like, comment, or even repost pieces from artists you admire. This can lead to mutual support, feedback, and new friendships in the art community.
  • Don’t forget Reddit: there is an entire dedicated subreddit for /drawcember , but other subreddits and threads in the Reddit artist community also are flooded during the month of December.

Conclusion: ready to join Drawcember?

Drawcember is an ideal monthly art challenge to warm up your creativity in December. The daily prompts, relaxed guidelines, and supportive community make it easy to jump in and get inspired, no matter your skill level. So if you’re ready to get drawing, grab your sketchbook, check out the prompts, and let your creativity flow!

By sticking to this simple approach, Drawcember can help you build habits, connect with others, and most importantly, enjoy the process of creating art.