Ask Jackson: What should I draw?

ASK JACKSON is a new art advice column run by my best friend's dog (that's him, peering at you at the top of the page). Besides being good at eating pine cones, Jackson is also great at answering kids' questions about art. I (Betsy) might also kind of help him sometimes since he has a hard time with the keyboard. You can send your own Ask Jackson questions to: mail@betsystreeter.com.

QUESTION: I am bored and I can't think of anything to draw. How can I come up with a good idea?

JACKSON: You, my friend, need to jump-start your pencil! Here's what you do: first, write down every kind of creature that you can think of. You can make a list, or put each word on an index card. Octopus, fireman, worm, moth, etc. etc. Get a nice long list going.
Now, close your eyes and pick two of the words. Like, alligator-panda. Or, Bug-policeman. Now draw what you got. Before long, you'll be creating characters and stories. Maybe add some scenery. Do a couple of combinations and have your characters talk to each other about how weird-looking they are. Figure out where they live, what they eat, where they go on vacation. Maybe make them into a monster movie.
This is a great way to get things going. To use your words again later, keep the list or index cards. You can make a game out of this with your friends too. Enjoy!