Hey Pandas, Draw Me In Your Own Style

If you’ve ever doodled in the margin of a notebook, redesigned your favorite cartoon character,
or thought, “I could totally draw that… but make it weird,” then the
“Hey Pandas, Draw Me In Your Own Style” idea is basically your natural habitat.
It’s part art challenge, part community hangout, and part confidence boost, all wrapped in that
wonderfully chaotic Bored Panda energy.

In this guide, we’ll break down what a “draw me in your own style” challenge is, how it fits
into Bored Panda’s beloved Hey Pandas format, why these art prompts are so
addictive, and how you can join ineven if you’re convinced your stick figures need therapy.
We’ll also dig into practical tips to develop your own art style, plus some story-style
experiences from this kind of challenge to keep you inspired.

What Is “Hey Pandas, Draw Me In Your Own Style”?

On Bored Panda, Hey Pandas is the community corner where users can post prompts
like “Show us your childhood art,” “Draw someone as best you can,” or “Post art you made from a
funny prompt.” People upload their own images, vote, comment, and generally make the internet a
little kinder and more creative than usual.

A “Draw Me In Your Own Style” thread is a spin on a popular online trend often
known as DTIYSDraw This In Your Style. One person shares an original character,
portrait, or scene and invites others to recreate it using their own unique art style. No two
pieces look the same, and that’s the entire point.

On Bored Panda, these threads usually come with simple, friendly ground rules, such as:

• Use your own original drawing or painting (no AI-generated art).
• Digital, traditional, pencil-on-a-receiptit all counts.
• Be kind in the comments; no bullying or harsh critiques.
• Credit any inspirations if you’re referencing someone else’s work.

The result is a gallery-style post full of wildly different versions of the same subjectsoft
watercolor portraits next to bold digital illustrations, graphic-novel vibes next to pastel
anime, and a few submissions that are gloriously chaotic in the best way.

Why “Draw This In Your Style” Challenges Are So Popular

“Draw this in your style” challenges have exploded across platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and
art communities because they hit a sweet spot: they’re structured enough to give you a starting
point but open-ended enough to let your imagination run wild. Artists don’t have to wonder what
to drawthey just have to decide how to draw it.

A Low-Pressure Way to Practice Art

Blank pages can feel intimidating. Having a ready-made character or pose to reinterpret removes
that “I don’t know what to draw” barrier. You can focus on experimenting with color, line,
shading, or facial expressions instead of inventing every detail from scratch.

It’s also naturally scalable: beginners can keep things simplemaybe a sketch with flat colorswhile
advanced artists can lean into complex lighting, textures, or stylized anatomy. Everyone is
working with the same base idea, but the challenge meets you where you are.

Discovering and Showing Off Your Art Style

One of the biggest perks of these challenges is how clearly they highlight your personal art
style. You can scroll through a long list of entries and immediately see the differences:

• Some artists exaggerate eyes and expressions in a cartoony, expressive way.
• Others lean into realism with careful shading and subtle color shifts.
• Some simplify everything into bold shapes like a graphic poster.
• Others create dreamy, highly textured pieces that feel almost painterly.

When you post your own version in a Hey Pandas thread, you get to see your style next to
dozens of others. That contrast makes your unique quirks more visibleand often more
lovablethan when you’re just drawing in isolation.

Connecting with Other Artists and Fans

These challenges are also a gateway into online art communities. On Bored Panda and similar
sites, users often:

• Leave positive comments like “I love how you simplified the hair!” or “Those colors are stunning.”
• Ask, “What brushes did you use?” or “Is this done in Procreate, Photoshop, or traditional?”
• Start following each other’s work beyond the original thread.

For many people, that sense of connection and encouragement matters as much as the drawing
itself. Social support makes it easier to keep practicing and less scary to share your work.

How to Join a “Draw Me In Your Own Style” Thread on Bored Panda

Ready to become one of the Pandas? Here’s how you’d typically participate in a community art
prompt like this on a site such as Bored Panda.

1. Find the Right Hey Pandas Post

Look for a post with a title similar to “Hey Pandas, Draw Me In Your Own Style”
or other art-focused prompts like “Draw something or someone as best you can,” “Post art you
made from a funny prompt,” or “Show us art you created as a kid.” These posts are usually
clearly labeled as Closed or Finished once submissions end, but you can still
read and draw inspiration from them.

2. Read the Rules Before You Draw

Each thread may have slightly different guidelines. Common rules include:

• No AI artyour own hand-drawn or painted work only.
• Stick to the theme (e.g., redraw the original character, show your childhood art, etc.).
• No hate speech, rude comments, or shaming anyone’s skill level.
• Upload high-resolution images without watermarks when possible.

Think of the rules as guardrails that keep the space fun, safe, and fair for everyone.

3. Create Your Artwork in Your Own Style

Now the fun part. Take the original image or character and reinterpret it using:

• Your favorite medium (digital, markers, colored pencils, watercolor, etc.).
• Your preferred proportions and features (ultra-realistic, chibi, stylized, graphic).
• Your signature choices in color paletteneon brights, earthy tones, pastel clouds, you name it.

Don’t feel pressured to copy every detail perfectly. The whole idea is to translate the subject
into your visual language. Maybe you simplify complicated patterns, push expressions further,
or change the pose to suit your style.

4. Upload, Share, and Be a Good Panda

When you’re happy with your drawing:

1. Take a clear photo or export a high-quality image.
2. Upload it under the original Hey Pandas prompt.
3. Add a short caption if you likemention your tools, your inspiration, or a fun detail we should notice.
4. Like and comment on other people’s entries (kindness is basically the unofficial dress code).

The more you engage, the more you’ll feel like part of the art family, not just a random internet passerby.

How to Find and Develop Your Own Art Style

Drawing in your own style sounds simple until you sit down and stare at the page thinking,
“Wait… what is my style?” Good news: your style isn’t something you invent onceit’s
something that slowly emerges as you draw, experiment, and make about 1,000 little mistakes.

Start with What You Love

Take inventory of what you naturally gravitate toward:

• Do you love manga and anime? Your style might lean toward big eyes and dramatic expressions.
• Obsessed with comics and graphic novels? You may favor strong line art and dynamic poses.
• Drawn to soft picture books? Expect gentle textures and pastel palettes to sneak in.

Use these influences as a starting point instead of something to hide. Your style often begins
where your fandoms and visual crushes live.

“Steal” Like an Artist (Ethically)

Study artists you admire and ask yourself:

• How do they simplify faces or anatomy?
• What kind of shapes do they reuse for hair, eyes, or clothing folds?
• How do they use colorhigh contrast, muted, monochrome?

Try mimicking small aspects for practice, then mix them together with your own choices. Over time,
the blend becomes uniquely yours. You’re not copying one personyou’re creating your own recipe.

Experiment with Mediums and Tools

Your art style isn’t just what you drawit’s also how you draw it:

• Digital artists might lean into textured brushes that mimic pencil or watercolor.
• Traditional artists may develop a sketchy, energetic look with ballpoint pen or charcoal.
• Watercolor fans might embrace soft edges and color bleeds as part of their signature vibe.

Challenges like “Draw Me In Your Own Style” are perfect labs for these experiments. Every attempt
is another data point in figuring out what feels like “you.”

Create Mini Challenges for Yourself

You don’t have to wait for an official Hey Pandas post to play along. Make your own micro
challenges at home, such as:

• Redraw the same character in three different moods (happy, annoyed, dramatic).
• Draw the same portrait using three different color palettes.
• Time yourselfwhat does your style look like in 10 minutes vs. 2 hours?

The more you see your choices repeatcertain noses, favorite eye shapes, preferred shadingthe
more clearly your style emerges.

Fun Prompt Ideas for Your Own “Draw Me In Your Own Style” Challenge

If you want to host your own challenge, you’ll need a starting image or concept people will be
excited to reinterpret. Here are some prompt ideas inspired by online art communities and
challenge lists:

• Whimsical self-portrait: Draw yourself with magical accessoriesglowing plants, floating books, tiny dragons.
• Favorite food character: Turn your favorite meal into a character (pizza knight, ramen mage, etc.).
• Scene from a book: Illustrate a dramatic or cozy moment from your favorite story.
• “Before and after” persona: Draw how you see yourself now and how you want to look or feel in the future.
• Childhood doodle glow-up: Take a drawing you made as a kid and reinvent it with your current skills.

Any of these can become a “draw this in your style” prompt. Post your original, set simple rules,
and invite people to tag you or submit their versions in a community thread.

Common Mistakes New Pandas Make (And How to Avoid Them)

Nobody starts perfectly. Here are a few common hiccups you can dodge:

• Overthinking the rules: As long as you respect the original creator and the
  basic guidelines, you’re allowed to have fun and interpret loosely.
• Comparing yourself too harshly: Yes, some people seem to have been born with
  a stylus in hand. That doesn’t mean your simpler or messier style has less value.
• Forgetting to credit: If you base your piece on a specific challenge, mention
  the original poster and where the idea came from.
• Not posting at all: The biggest mistake is leaving your art stuck in your
  camera roll. The community can’t appreciate what they never see.

How “Draw Me In Your Own Style” Builds Confidence and Joy

Beyond likes and upvotes, these challenges quietly do something important: they help people feel
more comfortable with their creativity. When you see a full page of submissions in different
styles, you realize there’s no single “right” way to draw. There are just different voices.

For shy or anxious artists, a structured prompt like this can feel safer than posting random
standalone drawings. You’re part of a shared project, not shouting into the void. The prompt
gives context and helps viewers understand what you were trying to do.

Plus, art challenges can support mental health by:

• Offering a calming, screen-quieting ritual (even if you’re using a tablet).
• Giving your brain a creative break from school, work, or doomscrolling.
• Providing micro-goals“Finish this one drawing”instead of vague perfectionism.

When someone comments, “This made me smile,” or “I love your colors,” it’s a small reminder that
your creativity has value, even if you don’t consider yourself a “real artist” yet.

Experiences and Stories from “Draw Me In Your Own Style” Challenges

To really capture the spirit of “Hey Pandas, Draw Me In Your Own Style | Bored Panda”,
it helps to look at the kinds of experiences people often have with these challengeswhat they
learn, how they grow, and why they keep coming back.

From “I Can’t Draw” to “Wait, This Is Kind of Good”

Picture a teenager who’s always scribbled in notebooks but never dared to show anyone. One day,
they stumble onto a Hey Pandas drawing prompt. The rules are kind, the tone is casual, and
people of all skill levels are posting. They think, “Okay, worst case, no one notices my art.
Best case, someone likes it.”

They spend an evening redrawing the original character in their own styleslightly awkward hands,
but expressive eyes and a surprisingly nice color palette. They upload it, heart racing, and then
walk away from the screen. When they come back the next day, there are a few likes and a comment
that says, “I love how expressive this is. The colors are so cozy!” Suddenly, drawing doesn’t
feel like a private embarrassmentit feels like a real way to communicate.

Rediscovering Art After a Long Break

Another common experience: someone who used to draw all the time as a kid but stopped due to work,
family, or general adulthood chaos. They see a “draw this in your style” thread, remember the
joy of sketching after school, and decide to dust off an old sketchbook or open a drawing app
they haven’t touched in years.

The first piece back might feel rusty, but the challenge gives them something concrete to tackle.
They don’t have to invent a conceptthey just have to reinterpret what’s already there. Little by
little, that one drawing becomes a series. They rediscover the feeling of losing track of time in
a drawing and realize art can still fit into their life, even in small pockets.

Learning from the “Gallery Wall” Effect

One of the most powerful parts of a Hey Pandas challenge-style post is the “gallery wall” effect:
scrolling through a long list of different interpretations of the same subject. You can literally
watch how different brains solve the same visual problem.

A beginner might see how one artist reduces hair into a few clear, flowing shapes and think,
“I can try that.” They might notice another artist’s clever use of limited colormaybe only two
or three shadesto create a strong mood. Over time, these little observations become part of their
own toolbox. They’re not copying; they’re absorbing and adapting.

The Joy of Hosting Your Own Prompt

Some participants eventually flip rolesfrom joining challenges to hosting them. They might design
an original character, a themed self-portrait, or a quirky fantasy creature and invite others to
“draw this in your style.” Watching other artists reinterpret their creation can be surprisingly
emotional. It’s like seeing your idea translated into multiple visual languages.

Many hosts say the best part isn’t prestige or popularityit’s the thrill of recognizing their
character inside someone else’s aesthetic. It reinforces the idea that art is a conversation, not
a competition.

Small Steps, Big Impact

Put all these experiences together, and you get the real heart of
“Hey Pandas, Draw Me In Your Own Style”: it’s not about perfection or
professional portfolios. It’s about:

• Making something, even when you’re scared it’s not “good enough.”
• Sharing it in a space that values creativity over perfection.
• Seeing that your way of drawingthe way only you can drawactually matters.

Over time, those small drawings and quiet moments of courage can add up to something huge: a
stronger sense of identity as an artist and a deeper connection with a community of people who
love making things, too.

Conclusion: Why You Should Join the Next “Hey Pandas, Draw Me In Your Own Style” Thread

Whether you’re brand new to drawing or you’ve been sketching for years, “Draw Me In Your Own
Style” challenges are a gentle, joyful way to push your skills, explore your style, and meet
like-minded creatives. Bored Panda’s Hey Pandas format gives you a supportive stage to share your
work, learn from others, and realize that different doesn’t mean wrongit means original.

So the next time you see a prompt inviting you to reinterpret a character, portrait, or scene,
consider this your official nudge: grab your pencil, tablet, or favorite brush and join in. Your
version might be someone else’s favoriteand the next step in your own artistic journey.

challenges on Bored Panda, boost your skills, and develop a unique art style.

sapo: “Hey Pandas, Draw Me In Your Own Style” brings together beginners and
seasoned artists to reimagine the same character, portrait, or scene in their own unique visual
language. In this in-depth guide, you’ll learn what these Bored Panda challenges are, how to
participate, how they help you discover your personal art style, and why they’re such a powerful
confidence booster. From practical tips and fun prompt ideas to real-world experiences from
challenge-style communities, here’s everything you need to know before you pick up your pencil
(or stylus) and join the fun.