Drawing
Drawing Game
One player draws the shown word directly on the phone screen with their finger while everyone else guesses out loud. No letters, no numbers, no symbols in the drawing.
Pictionary, without the notepad and the pen that is always missing. A phone screen is small enough to keep the drawing rough, which is precisely the point.
How to play, step by step
- The artist reads their word privately, then turns the phone toward the group.
- They draw with a finger while the timer runs. No letters, no numbers, no arrows pointing at real objects.
- The group guesses out loud, as many times as they like.
- Correct answer: the artist taps Found and a new card arrives. Stuck? Skip.
- The artist does not speak and does not nod. Total silence on their side.
- When the timer runs out, sixty seconds by default, the recap lists the words found and skipped. Wipe the canvas and pass the phone on.
Variants
- Four hands. Two players draw on the same screen at once, without conferring.
- One stroke. The artist cannot lift their finger for the whole round.
- Eyes closed. Exactly what it says. Late-night territory.
Playing tips
- Sixty seconds is plenty. Beyond that the artist adds detail nobody needs.
- Start with the overall shape, not a detail. A group recognises a silhouette long before a texture.
- A phone lying flat in the middle of the table is easier to see than one held in a hand.
Frequently asked questions
Never, letters or numbers. It is the one genuinely strict pictionary rule.
No, and bad artists often win. Recognition depends on what you choose to depict, not on line quality.
No, a finger is fine. The drawing is meant to be rough.
Other games
13 party games. One app.
Forbidden Words, Guess in X Words, Charades, Puppet Charades, Directed Charades, Headbands, Hum the Song, Sing the Song, Spicy Questions, Debates, Drawing Game, Imposter and Whose Photo Is This?