Drawing timer with your own images
Add images from your device, choose how long each one shows, and draw. You can add a whole folder at once, and nothing is uploaded.
1. Add your images
Drop images or whole folders here, or paste them.
Your images stay on your device. Nothing is uploaded.
2. Choose your times
Add images to start.
Keys: Space pauses, arrows move, F flips, G turns gray, Esc ends. On a phone, tap the picture to show the controls.
How to run a gesture session
Gesture drawing means quick drawings of a pose. You draw the movement first and leave the details for later. Here is a simple plan for about 30 minutes. Class mode runs it for you.
- Pick 20 to 40 images. Choose people or animals in clear, strong poses. Variety helps more than quality.
- Warm up with 30 second poses. Draw one line for the main movement of the body. Do not stop to fix mistakes.
- Move to 1 or 2 minute poses. Add the big shapes: head, rib cage, and hips. Keep the lines loose.
- Finish with a few 5 or 10 minute poses. Now add weight, overlaps, and a little light and shadow.
- Look back at your page. Find one thing to try next time. Flip an image or turn it gray when you want a fresh look at its shapes and values.
Common questions
Can I use my own images in this drawing timer?
Yes. Add single images, a whole folder, or drag files and folders onto the page. You can also paste an image you copied. JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF, and AVIF all work. HEIC photos work in Safari. Other browsers skip them and tell you.
Are my images uploaded anywhere?
No. The timer runs in your browser, and your images stay on your device. They are gone when you close the tab. Once the page has loaded, the timer keeps working even if you lose your internet connection.
How long should gesture drawing poses be?
Most artists start with 30 second poses to warm up. Then they move to 1 or 2 minute poses, and end with a few poses of 5 or 10 minutes. Short poses make you draw the big movement instead of the details.
Does the timer work on an iPad or a phone?
Yes. Tap the picture to show the controls. On an iPhone, the session fills the browser window, because Safari on iPhone does not let web pages go full screen. iPhones and iPads cannot pick a whole folder, so choose your photos from Photos or Files instead.
Can I use a Pinterest board?
Not directly. This timer only uses images on your device. Save the pins you want into a folder first, then add that folder. Some other timers, like drawingtimer.com and DrawGestures, can load a board from a link.
How do I keep my screen from turning off?
You do not need to do anything in most browsers. During a session, the timer asks your browser to keep the screen awake. If your screen still turns off, set a longer auto-lock time in your device settings. If you switch to another tab or app, the timer pauses so you do not lose a pose.
What is class mode?
Class mode runs a set plan, like a life drawing class: 10 poses of 30 seconds, 5 of 1 minute, 2 of 5 minutes, and 1 of 10 minutes. That is 18 poses in 30 minutes. If you add fewer than 18 images, some of them come back.