60 Things to Draw on Your Hand, Arm and Wrist

Your hand is the sketchbook you always have with you. This list has 60 things to draw on your hand, wrist, arm and leg, all simple enough to do with your other hand. Each idea is planned for a spot, because a drawing that uses the shape of your knuckles or the bend of your wrist looks far better than one placed anywhere.

Read the short safety notes first.

Before you draw on skin

• Best choice: products made for skin, such as body art pens, face paint or an eyeliner pencil.
• If you use a regular pen: keep it small and pick a washable, non-toxic marker or an ordinary ballpoint. Skip permanent and industrial markers. They aren't made for skin.
• Never draw on broken, sunburned or irritated skin. If a spot gets itchy or red, wash it off.
• To remove: soap and warm water, then a little baby oil or makeup remover for anything stubborn. Don't scrub hard.

Easy things to draw on your hand

These go on the back of the hand.

1. A small sun rising from the gap between thumb and index finger
2. A crescent moon with three stars trailing toward the wrist
3. A paper plane flying from knuckle to knuckle on a dotted path
4. A tiny wave curling just below the knuckles
5. A daisy centered on the back of the hand, one petal toward each finger
6. A compass rose with north pointing at the middle finger
7. A spider web spreading from the base of the thumb
8. A little mountain range running along the knuckle line
9. A constellation that joins up your freckles
10. A butterfly on the thumb web whose wings fold when you make a fist
11. A smiley face beside the thumb that talks when you pinch
12. A tiny heart just below the ring finger

Finger doodles

13. A drawn ring on each finger, every one with a different gem
14. A face on each fingertip showing five different moods
15. A vine winding up the index finger with small leaves
16. A ladder of short dashes climbing the side of the pinky
17. A bee on one knuckle with a dotted path to the next
18. One letter per finger spelling a four-letter word
19. A snake coiled around the thumb with its tail at the base
20. A tiny planet on each segment of one finger
21. A ruler along the index finger marked in made-up units
22. A row of tiny arrows all pointing at one fingernail

What to draw on your palm

23. A three-word note that only you can see
24. A sleepy eye in the center that shuts when you close your fist
25. A tiny treasure map with an X at the base of the thumb
26. A fortune line labeled with silly predictions
27. A fish that seems to swim when you flex your hand
28. A tic-tac-toe grid for a quick game

Things to draw on your wrist

29. A watch showing the exact time school or work ends
30. A bracelet of linked daisies
31. A friendship bracelet with a zigzag pattern
32. A charm bracelet with a star, a key, a moon and a shell
33. A band of waves circling the whole wrist
34. A tiny anchor on the inside of the wrist
35. A line of small paw prints walking around it
36. A barcode with your birthday as the numbers
37. A cuff of leaves like a laurel wreath
38. A chain of paper clips linked end to end

Things to draw on your arm

39. A flowering vine from wrist to elbow
40. A rocket launching up the inside of the forearm
41. A cat stretching along the whole forearm
42. A long dragon curling twice around the arm
43. Music notes on five wavy lines
44. A feather as long as the forearm
45. A skyline wrapped around like a sleeve cuff
46. An arrow from elbow to wrist with feathers at the elbow
47. A koi fish circling a water lily
48. A trail of footprints leading to a tiny treasure chest
49. A swarm of small stars thinning out toward the elbow
50. A jellyfish near the elbow with tentacles trailing down

Things to draw on your leg

51. A sock pattern drawn straight onto the ankle
52. A face on the knee that changes when you bend it
53. A cartoon bandage with a star pattern on one knee
54. An ankle bracelet of tiny shells
55. A lizard climbing up the shin
56. A lightning bolt on the outside of the calf
57. A row of rag-doll stitches across one knee
58. A line of ants marching down toward your shoe
59. A sneaker logo of your own invention on the side of the foot
60. A sunflower with the kneecap as its center

Tips for drawing on your own hand

• Brace the hand you're drawing on flat on a table. A hand held in the air shakes.
• Draw with the skin relaxed. If you stretch it, the lines bunch up when you let go.
• Start with dots. Mark the main points lightly, then connect them. Skin doesn't erase.
• Use the creases. Knuckles, wrist lines and the thumb web make natural borders and moving parts.
• Drawing with your weaker hand? Stick to the simple shapes: rings, bracelets, stars and dots.

Take the doodle off your hand

If you keep drawing the same little dragon or cat on your arm, it might be time to give it a page of its own. Describe it in the Character Creator to see it as full character art, or roll something new with the Random Character Generator.

More quick ideas: cute doodles, small things to draw and things to draw when bored.

FAQ

Is it safe to draw on your hand with pen?

A small ballpoint doodle on healthy skin is generally considered low risk, but pens aren't made for skin and can irritate some people. Products made for skin are the safer choice. Avoid permanent markers and never draw on broken skin.

What are cute things to draw on your hand?

A daisy on the back of the hand, a tiny heart below one finger, a crescent moon with stars, or a smiley face by the thumb that moves when you pinch.

What can I draw on my arm when I'm bored?

Long shapes suit the forearm: a vine, a feather, an arrow, a stretching cat or a trail of footprints. Work from the wrist toward the elbow.

How do I get pen off my skin?

Wash with soap and warm water first. For what's left, rub in a little baby oil or makeup remover, wait a minute and wipe. It may take two washes.