Mixed Media

Art Warm Up Routine: Draw a Recycled Container to Loosen Up

A simple art warm up routine using a container from your recycle bin. Draw it three loose ways, get your hands moving, and build a daily art habit.

Robert Joyner

Robert Joyner

— 2 min read
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Three loose drawings of a milk jug in pencil, yellow oil pastel, blue and charcoal, shown as a warm up progression from light sketch to bold marks.

Most mornings, before the real session starts, I need something to get my hands moving. Here’s my favorite art warm up routine: grab something from the recycle bin and draw it loose.

Grab something from the recycle bin

This time it was a buttermilk container. Honestly, it doesn’t matter what the object is. A jug, a can, a box, whatever’s nearby works. I’m not trying to make a masterpiece, I just want something simple to look at while the coffee kicks in.

Draw it three loose ways

I do a quick construction, then I tear it apart and push it further. Each one gets looser:

  1. Light sketch. Pencil, just finding the shape.
  2. Add color. Bold yellow and some blue, no worrying about staying inside the lines.
  3. Go darker and bolder. Charcoal, heavy lines, a pop of red.

That’s the construct and deconstruct idea in action. If you want the full breakdown, see how to draw loose: construct and deconstruct and the loose painting progression exercise.

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Sometimes the warm up becomes the session

Some days the warm up is just a warm up. Other days a whole session turns into this. Both are fine. It’s all the same thing: showing up, playing, and exploring. For more on getting your hand loose, check out loosen up your drawing: range of motion.

It’s about the habit, not the finished piece

What matters is building a relationship with your materials. That’s the real longevity, not the finished piece. Showing up and playing is what keeps me hungry and keeps my head in the game.

More in 10 tips for painting loose.

Learn Structure. Paint Loose.

Construct. Deconstruct. Explore. Repeat.

Art warm up FAQ

What’s a good art warm up?
Draw a simple everyday object three times, getting looser and bolder each time.

How long should an art warm up take?
10 to 20 minutes is plenty. The goal is to get your hands moving, not to finish anything.

What should I draw?
Anything nearby. Recycling, kitchen stuff, a coffee mug. Simple shapes are best.

Do I need to keep my warm ups?
No. Some are keepers, most aren’t. The point is the habit.

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