The Dare to Draw With Your Eyes Closed: A Hilariously Fun Truth or Dare Challenge

There are dares that get a few chuckles, and then there are dares that absolutely stop the room. The "draw with your eyes closed" dare is firmly in the second category. Whether someone ends up sketching a lopsided horse that looks like a melting couch or a portrait that could generously be described as abstract art, the results are guaranteed comedy gold.

If you want to add a dare to your Truth or Dare rotation that requires zero supplies beyond a pen and paper — and delivers maximum laughs — this one belongs at the top of your list. Here's everything you need to know to run it well, make it even funnier, and keep the energy high all night.

Why This Dare Works So Well at Adult Parties

The beauty of the draw-with-eyes-closed dare is that it levels the playing field instantly. It doesn't matter if someone is a talented artist or hasn't picked up a pencil since third grade — the moment those eyes close, everyone is equally hopeless. That shared helplessness is exactly what makes it so funny to watch.

It's also a low-stakes dare in the best possible way. Nobody gets embarrassed in a way that stings — they just end up with a hilariously bad drawing that everyone can roast together. The person who had to draw it is usually laughing just as hard as the crowd.

Another reason it lands so well? The reveal. There's a genuine moment of suspense as the artist lifts the paper and everyone leans in to see what the supposed masterpiece looks like. That reveal almost always triggers a wave of uncontrollable laughter, and those are exactly the moments that make a party memorable.

What You Need Before You Start

This dare requires the bare minimum in terms of supplies, which makes it easy to pull off on the fly. Here's what to have on hand:

- A few sheets of blank paper (printer paper works perfectly)
- A pen, marker, or pencil — markers tend to produce more visible results for the audience
- A flat surface to draw on, like a hardcover book, clipboard, or table
- A blindfold or simply the honor system of keeping eyes genuinely shut

Pro tip: markers over pencils, every time. When you hold the drawing up for the room to judge, a bold marker makes those gloriously terrible lines much easier to see and appreciate from across the table.

How to Run the Dare Step by Step

Getting the most out of this dare comes down to a little structure. Here's how to run it for maximum laughs.

First, the person who landed the dare sits at the table with paper and a marker in front of them. Before they close their eyes, the group secretly agrees on a subject for them to draw. Classic subjects include a dog, a house, a self-portrait, a car, or a famous landmark — anything recognizable enough that the gap between intention and result is obvious.

Next, the artist closes their eyes (or puts on a blindfold if the group is serious about fairness) and someone announces the subject out loud. The artist has about 30 to 60 seconds to draw it without lifting the marker off the paper — this is key. Keeping the pen touching the paper the whole time creates those wonderfully chaotic continuous-line drawings.

Once time is up, the artist opens their eyes and sees what they produced. Give them a moment to react before the room chimes in. The reactions — both the artist's and the audience's — are half the entertainment. Then hold it up, let everyone roast it, and maybe snap a photo for posterity before moving on.

Subject Ideas That Make the Dare Even Funnier

The subject you choose dramatically affects how funny the outcome is. Simple, familiar objects tend to work better than abstract concepts because everyone has a clear picture of what it should look like — which makes the failure more deliciously obvious.

Easy crowd-pleasers include a smiling face, a cat, a bicycle, an elephant, or the Eiffel Tower. These all have recognizable shapes that are hard enough to draw blind but familiar enough that people know exactly how wrong it went.

Want to crank up the difficulty? Try more complex subjects. A group of people sitting at a table, a dragon, a detailed map of the country, or a sports car — these turn the drawing into something that looks like modern art by the time the pen comes off the paper.

You can also let the person who gave the dare choose the subject, which adds a light competitive element. They'll naturally pick something tricky, which usually backfires on them because the funnier the subject is, the more legendary the resulting drawing becomes.

Fun Variations to Keep Things Fresh

Once the basic dare has been done a round or two, try mixing in some of these variations to keep the game lively.

Non-dominant hand plus eyes closed: If the group really wants to torture — in the most affectionate way — whoever landed the dare, add the twist that they also have to use their non-dominant hand. The results transcend bad drawing and enter the realm of abstract expressionism.

Speed round: Instead of one person drawing, everyone grabs paper and draws the same subject with eyes closed simultaneously. Compare the results at the same time and vote on whose is funniest, whose is worst, and — occasionally — whose is suspiciously accurate.

Describe what you drew: After the blind drawing reveal, the artist has to explain what they were going for with full confidence and artistic seriousness. Hearing someone earnestly describe why the blob in the corner is definitely a dog adds another layer of comedy to the whole thing.

Pass the drawing: One person starts drawing a subject with eyes closed, then passes the paper to the next person who adds to it — also with eyes closed. Keep passing around the table until everyone has contributed. The final collaborative masterpiece is something to behold.

Portrait challenge: The person drawing has to draw a portrait of someone specific in the room. After the reveal, the group has to guess who the portrait is supposed to be. The chosen subject's reaction to seeing their likeness is usually worth the price of admission alone.

Tips for Getting the Biggest Laughs

A few small adjustments to how you run this dare can take it from funny to absolutely unforgettable.

Build the suspense before the reveal. Have the artist hold the paper face-down for a few seconds while the group counts down from five together. That little moment of anticipation makes the reveal land harder every single time.

Encourage commentary from the audience while the drawing is happening. Watching someone's face scrunch in concentration as their pen wanders wildly across the page while everyone tries not to give away what they're seeing is half the fun. The gasps, the stifled laughter, the whispered commentary — let all of that happen.

Keep the drawings! Stack them up throughout the night and do a gallery review at the end of the evening. Voting on categories like "Most Unrecognizable," "Accidental Masterpiece," and "Actually Kind of Impressive" makes for a fun closing ceremony to the night.

Don't rush the roast. After the reveal, let the room have a good 30 seconds to react and joke about it before moving on. The person who drew it will almost always join in once the initial shock of seeing their creation wears off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you really need a blindfold for the draw with your eyes closed dare?

Not strictly — most adults are perfectly happy to just close their eyes and play honestly. That said, a blindfold does remove any temptation to peek and tends to make the group feel like the dare is being done properly. A sleep mask or even a folded scarf works great.

How long should the person have to complete the drawing?

Thirty to sixty seconds is the sweet spot. Less than 30 seconds doesn't give enough time to attempt anything meaningful, and more than a minute can drag the energy down. A 45-second timer tends to feel perfectly frantic without going on too long.

What if someone is self-conscious about their drawing ability?

That's actually one of the best things about this dare — drawing ability is completely irrelevant. Remind anyone who's hesitant that the entire point is that the drawing will be bad, so a self-described terrible artist has absolutely nothing to fear. If anything, they have an advantage in the comedy department.

Can this dare work for a smaller group of two or three people?

Absolutely. With a smaller group, the portrait variation works especially well — drawing the one other person sitting across from you with your eyes closed and then seeing their reaction is hilarious even with just two people. The speed round where everyone draws simultaneously also translates perfectly to a smaller group.

Ready to Get Drawing?

All you need is a marker, a few sheets of paper, and a group of friends willing to make fools of themselves in the most harmless and entertaining way possible. The draw-with-your-eyes-closed dare is one of those rare game moments that gets funnier each time someone new takes their turn.

Shuffle it into your Truth or Dare deck tonight and watch it become the dare everyone requests again and again. The gallery of blind masterpieces you'll accumulate by the end of the night just might end up framed on someone's wall — or at the very least, living permanently in everyone's camera rolls.