Squiggle Game
Quick Pitch
The Squiggle Game is a creative drawing game where one player scribbles an abstract squiggle and everyone else turns it into something recognizable — the more unexpected the result, the better.
Hook
One person draws a random squiggle — just a few wavy lines or an abstract shape with no intended meaning. Everyone else gets the same squiggle and has a few minutes to turn it into a real picture by adding lines, details, or context. The squiggle becomes the tail of a cat, or the edge of a building, or someone's hair. When everyone reveals what they made, seeing how different minds completed the same starting point is genuinely surprising.
Equipment Needed
- Sheet of paper (8.5×11 or larger recommended)
- Pencil or pen (multiple colors optional)
- Eraser (optional)
- Ruler (helpful but optional)
Setup
- Choose Squiggle Creator: One player (or rotate)
- Draw Squiggle: Creator draws 1-3 abstract lines/shapes
- Random, no intended meaning
- Should be suggestive but not obvious
- Takes 10-30 seconds
- Copy for Others: Either use same paper or give each player a copy of the squiggle
Rules
Objective
Transform a random squiggle into a recognizable or creative image, demonstrating imagination and artistic ability.
Gameplay
Solo Version:
- One player creates squiggle
- Player transforms it into picture
- Evaluate for creativity
Group Version:
- Squiggle creator draws abstract line(s) on paper
- Paper passes to first player OR copies given to all players
- Each player has 2-5 minutes to complete the squiggle into a picture
- Can add to squiggle, draw around it, or incorporate it cleverly
Gallery/Voting Version:
- All players complete same squiggle
- Display all results
- Vote on:
- Most creative
- Funniest
- Most artistic
- Most clever use of original squiggle
- Most recognizable
Squiggle Types
Linear Squiggle:
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ (wavy line)
Might become: Snake, River, Road, Hair, Stream
Spiral Squiggle:
@ (spiral shape)
Might become: Snail, Hypnotic eye, Galaxy, Flower
Angular Squiggle:
/\/\/\ (zigzag)
Might become: Mountains, Lightning, Stairs, Heartbeat
Curved Squiggle:
() (curved line)
Might become: Moon, Face, Ball, Apple, Eye
Complex Squiggle:
Multiple lines forming abstract pattern
Might become: Scene, creature, landscape, abstract art
Expert Player
Tips
Creating Squiggles:
- Make lines interesting but not too suggestive
- Avoid obvious shapes (heart, star) — too limiting
- Use natural, flowing lines
- Balance empty and filled space
- Interesting squiggles have multiple possible interpretations
Completing Squiggles:
- Look at squiggle from different angles
- Rotate paper to see new possibilities
- Let imagination wander before committing
- Consider: What could this be? What does it suggest?
- Use squiggle as:
- Core of image (work around it)
- Part of larger composition
- Incorporated cleverly into design
- Starting inspiration (transform completely)
Most Creative Approaches:
- Transform squiggle into unexpected object
- Use squiggle as part of scene
- Incorporate it subtly rather than obviously
- Create humor through unexpected uses
- Demonstrate artistic skill in completion
Examples of Squiggle Transformations:
A wavy line might become:
- Snake in grass
- River landscape
- Hair on head
- Ocean waves
- Smoke
- Necklace or crown
- Road through mountains
A spiral might become:
- Snail shell
- Spiral galaxy
- Hypnotic eye
- Swirling water/whirlpool
- Spinning top
- Flower bloom
- Spiral staircase
Variations
Rapid-Fire Squiggles:
- Multiple squiggles given in sequence
- Transform each in 30 seconds
- Quantity over quality
- Score based on number completed
Themed Squiggles:
- Squiggles must become specific category (animals, vehicles, food)
- More challenging but more focused
Collaborative Squiggle:
- Multiple players add to same squiggle simultaneously
- Create shared artwork
- Chaos often produces interesting results
Progressive Squiggle:
- Player 1 completes squiggle into picture
- Player 2 adds to Player 1's completion
- Player 3 adds to Player 2's work
- Layered artistic creation
Timed Competition:
- All complete squiggle in exact time (2 minutes)
- Vote on best
- Score in tournament format
Artist Challenge:
- Skilled artists complete same squiggle
- Compare how different artists interpret same input
- Judge on interpretation diversity
Storytelling Squiggle:
- Squiggle becomes part of larger narrative
- Explain what the image is and what it's doing
- Story quality factors into judging
Reverse Squiggle:
- Draw complete picture
- Next player removes parts to create squiggle
- Original artist guesses what picture was
Learn More — History & Origins
History & Origins
The Squiggle Game has roots in traditional creative drawing exercises and parlor games. It gained particular prominence through the artist Peter Halley and musician David Bowie's 1999 collaborative "Squiggle" project, where one artist created a squiggle and another artist completed it. However, the game existed informally long before this as a children's creative exercise and party game. It's been featured in creativity workshops and art education contexts.
Cultural Context
The Squiggle Game demonstrates how perception and imagination work together. The same squiggle generates vastly different images based on each artist's experiences, knowledge, and creativity.
The game appears in creativity workshops, art education, and psychology research exploring imagination and divergent thinking. It's accessible to all skill levels — untrained players often produce more creative results than skilled artists bound by artistic convention.
Famous collaborations using similar mechanics (like the Bowie-Halley project) demonstrate how established artists value the game's creative potential. The game teaches that there are multiple valid interpretations of ambiguous input — a valuable lesson in both art and communication.