A lovely graduation song

Hand-drawn illustrations perfect for graduation albums and message boards. A collection of cute ideas.

Keyboard playerSAKI
I’ve been playing the Electone since I was six, mainly performing Disney music, anime songs, and music from dramas and films. I post performance videos on YouTube and social media, and I also give concerts. Building on my Electone experience, I took up synthesizer and piano during my student years and performed at school-sponsored events. As a writer, I’ve covered not only music-related topics but a wide range of genres, so I hope to draw on my experience to deliver articles that make readers think, “I want to try that!” or “I want to listen to that!”
Accompanist / Piano Instructoryuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.

As graduation season approaches, there are more chances to prepare things like graduation albums, message boards, and cards.

Why not add some cute hand-drawn illustrations to make them feel even more heartfelt? Motifs perfect for graduation—like cherry blossoms, ribbons, and party poppers—are surprisingly easy to draw, even if you’re not good at drawing.

In this article, we’ll share plenty of cute, hand-drawn illustration ideas that are easy for anyone to copy and perfect for graduation albums and message boards.

Add a warm, personal touch to your message for someone special with illustrations that reflect your style!

Hand-drawn illustrations perfect for graduation albums and message boards. A cute collection of ideas (41–50)

smile

When it comes to graduation, many people feel lonely or wistful.

That’s exactly why, for your illustration, how about drawing smiling faces that make viewers feel happy just by looking at them? To convey the graduation vibe, you could have the characters hold flower petals or a diploma.

It would also be lovely to draw multiple people, or the entire class, all smiling.

There are many kinds of smiles, so that’s where you can really show your skills.

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Hand-drawn illustrations perfect for graduation albums and message boards. A cute collection of ideas (51–60)

camera

Even if you draw a camera, you can make it look cute.

A camera also brings to mind the many memories captured in photos.

For a graduation yearbook, I think it would be lovely not only to draw a camera but also to pair it with illustrations of photographs.

I also recommend drawing a design where you and your friends are reflected in the camera’s lens.

When people look closely at the illustration and notice the little trick, they’re sure to be delighted.

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mortarboard

The square cap worn at university and high school graduation ceremonies—commonly called a mortarboard—actually has a meaning behind its shape.

The “four” of the square represents the four sources of scholarship: medicine, law, engineering, and theology.

Thinking of it that way, you might imagine the cap feeling quite weighty.

If you put a mortarboard on illustrations of male or female students and dress them in black gowns, they’ll look like graduates.

The black tassel hanging from the corner of the cap is most often drawn on the left side of the face.

Be sure to also check out illustrations of student caps that resemble baseball caps for reference.

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a student in the style of shoujo manga

@userfsf91n2abv
How to draw a kid laughing happily lol (just something I wanted to draw)#fyp How to draw illustrations I love the admins so much, please!
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It’s a bit of a high bar, but if you’re good at drawing, how about creating illustrations in a shoujo manga style? You can draw your own original characters or popular existing ones—show off your illustration skills to the fullest.

Turning a friend’s face into an illustration could also make for a memorable keepsake.

You might try drawing your friend’s face by focusing on distinctive features like the eyes, a mole, the lips, or hairstyle.

If it’s for a written collection, you can take your time, but for a graduation day message board, time is of the essence.

Work backward from the total time you have and plan your drawing accordingly!

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textbook

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For illustrations to accompany a memorable class anthology or message board, incorporating textbooks is a great idea.

For example, drawing a scene with textbooks and stationery on a desk can instantly bring back memories of student life.

Textbooks are iconic items that symbolize your school years, so turning a textbook cover into an illustration makes for a wonderful graduation keepsake.

Put your heart into drawing it so the memory never fades.

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Spring-themed illustration

[Easy for everyone] How to draw cute, spring-like illustrations [stylish hand-drawn] | How to draw illustrations for the spring season

Spring-themed illustration

Many people associate graduation ceremonies with spring.

So here are some ideas that evoke the feeling of spring.

First up are flowers.

Cherry blossoms, a graduation classic, or tulips and anemones are great choices.

Next, consider insects.

Adding springtime insects like butterflies or honeybees beside the flowers will create a warm, perfectly seasonal design for graduation time.

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school building

Speaking of graduation, many of you might think of the school building you used to see every day.

The school building is your daily place of learning and a symbol of youth! So why not incorporate it into a hand-drawn illustration? For example, draw the school building large, and add birds taking flight around it or trees symbolizing growth.

Or depict graduates walking through the school gates to create a poignant illustration that captures both farewell and a new beginning.

Try preserving the school building where you spent your days in a cute, charming illustration style.

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