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Drawing Challenge

The Essential Draw

Everyone has played the game: what would you take with you if you could only bring along one thing? We all have something, something essential or entirely superfluous, something kinky or sentimental, something cerebral or trashy. Out with it. What's your thing?

In this challenge, we ask that you draw something you wouldn't leave behind. Wait! Before you get to it, it MUST be something that could fit in a backpack. You're confined only by the size, nothing else.

VIEW SUBMISSIONS
The Essential Draw
Sponsor
Tom Bihn

TOM BIHN has been designing and making travel bags and backpacks in the U.S.A. out of the highest quality materials since 1972.

Drawing Challenge Winner(s)

Ramsey OBrien Ramsey O'Brien

Ramsey OBrien

I would grab my camera. Done in pen and ink and white china marker.

Drawing Challenge Submissions

Yosra AlKaff Yosra AlKaff
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Yosra AlKaff

My mobile is the most important thing to take for me.. it has my notes,reminders, accounts,.. etc. Basically I feel lost without it! Beside I can doodle using it :)

  • 11
Samuel Khiatani Vinod Samuel Khiatani Vinod
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Samuel Khiatani Vinod

  • 1
Bryan Collins Bryan Collins
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Bryan Collins

Roughly 8"x10" pencil on paper. Gotta have my sketchbook.

  • 11
Jackson Jackson
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Jackson

I love milk.

  • 7
Justyna Dabrowski Justyna Dabrowski
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Justyna Dabrowski

I would never leave behind a clean pair of cute granny panties! Very essential for everyone to have in their backpack. You never know when you'll need a pair!

  • 13
Virginia Virginia
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Virginia

I couldn't go anywhere without Little Miss Muffin.

  • 7
Gaver Gaver
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Gaver

  • 40
Liz Synalovski Liz Synalovski
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Liz Synalovski

  • 10
Kenny Swanston Kenny Swanston
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Kenny Swanston

My 3ds

  • 27
E J Summitt E J Summitt
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E J Summitt

Done using black biro and markers on graph paper. I know that it's 2013 but I just can't let go of tapes and tape players. I almost never leave the house without my Walkman and a selection of mix tapes.

  • 15
Stacey Jones Stacey Jones
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Stacey Jones

Yep, I'm THAT girl.

  • 4
Mariery Young Mariery Young
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Mariery Young

My Sketchpad.

  • 10
Ammar Aziz Ammar Aziz
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Ammar Aziz

  • 4
Dawn M. Mecozzi Dawn M. Mecozzi
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Dawn M. Mecozzi

What you see is obviously not one item. These are my thoughts in process for this contest. If I could honestly only leave with one thing...it would be my cat. Then I said this isn't that" kind" of leave with only one thing. So the small drawing pad came a

  • 7
rex riley rex riley Plus Member
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rex riley

if i have my java it cant be too bad

  • 10
Vanda Ferreira Vanda Ferreira
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Vanda Ferreira

Presenting LALAK: the disposable camera

  • 5
Jennifer Leigh Jennifer Leigh
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Jennifer Leigh

I won this flute in a bet in 1994, in Santa Cruz. A friend bet me I couldn't make a clear note the first time I blew it. He was wrong. He and the flute had just returned from a summer in Costa Rica. The flute travels when I do. I've played it everywhere from skyscrapers in Manhattan to quiet valleys in Yellowstone. Mountains, deserts, alone and with friends. It helps me quiet my mind and focus on my breath, and the sound.

  • 10
gretzki gretzki
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gretzki

That was easy. I just had to look in my backpack. The item that is always in there and follows me around is my swiss army knife without the tweezers. It always comes in handy.

  • 18
JOEY FOURR JOEY FOURR
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JOEY FOURR

whenever i leave the house i carry inside my rucksack things that help me think creatively, all the things are an excuse to bring out my inner child.

  • 49
Robert Robert
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Robert

  • 5
nadya nadya
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nadya

Stuffs on Backpack! :))

  • 14
sarah conteh sarah conteh
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sarah conteh

I have Doodled my "Must have" item that is essential in my bag which is my Asthma inhaler. I never leave home without it. I have doodled the things that trigger my asthma off like air pollution and because I am celebrating that this week is a 1 year

  • 7
Vin Ganapathy Vin Ganapathy
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Vin Ganapathy

  • 11
Moran Moran
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Moran

  • 4
Clare Clare
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Clare

I would take my camera because there are sure to be some very funny photos to be had if no-one has thought to bring clothes as their only item in their back pack!

  • 26
lindoo lindoo
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lindoo

Of course won't go out without her. Birthday gift from Mom on my 14th or 15th birthday--I forgot. Still using this until now, ha ha.

  • 13
Sophia Murray Sophia Murray
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Sophia Murray

This is my doodle of my Burts Bees lip balm, its a simple pencil drawing on a neon orange post it. I commute alot and those buses get humid.

  • 4
Elizabeth Hunt Elizabeth Hunt
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Elizabeth Hunt

My corgi almost fits! "No Mushi the ball won't fit too."

  • 8
Zafaran Anu Zafaran Anu
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Zafaran Anu

My wallet is one thing I would not leave home without. Quite worn out, I love its denim texture. It has pictures of my mother, my son. I love its key chain which has an old watch and cute, miniature sandals attached.

  • 13
Jennifer Ramirez Jennifer Ramirez
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Jennifer Ramirez

The obvious choice

  • 6
Camilo Martinez Agudelo Camilo Martinez Agudelo
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Camilo Martinez Agudelo

An infinite sketch book.

  • 15
Ella Goodwin Ella Goodwin
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Ella Goodwin

It seemed that as an avid travelbug this was the most essential item to go in my backback, I wouldn't be getting very far without it. Traveling and in turn the appreciation of home have always been a big inspiration!

  • 11
Elizabeth Graeber Elizabeth Graeber
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Elizabeth Graeber

I would bring my 5 pound dog Chickpea!

  • 30
Jesse Blank Jesse Blank
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Jesse Blank

  • 4
Chanma Chanma
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Chanma

Its so essential that I cant even get my hands off it

  • 34
Maki Kawakami Maki Kawakami
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Maki Kawakami

  • 21
Carolina The Doodler Carolina The Doodler
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Carolina The Doodler

As a true doodle addict, I cannot live without a retractable ballpoint pen. It's the perfect doodling tool because it can draw on anything. So since there is no room for me to bring a sketchpad, my trusty ballpoint pen will save the day.

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Anasmatt Anasmatt
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Anasmatt

Essentially, I would (have to) take my glasses. Going out, with your backpack and your memories, looking to make new ones, you should see the world (clearly) for yourself.

  • 3
Terri Plemons Terri Plemons
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Terri Plemons

I take it everywhere, look at it when I can - Atlas of Middle-Earth, 210 pages

  • 11
Randy Whitlock Randy Whitlock
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Randy Whitlock

I ponder the most valuable item I bring with me every day.

  • 15
Georgina Yiannoullou Georgina Yiannoullou
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Georgina Yiannoullou

My MacBook Pro by Georgie Yiannoullou

  • 4
rodrigo aguilar rodrigo aguilar
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rodrigo aguilar

A mechanical pencil taped to an iPod with an ice cream attached.

  • 16
Savannah Gross Savannah Gross
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Savannah Gross

Ur heart may b heavy or ur heart may b lite, but everything u do flows from it.

  • 13
heather knapp heather knapp
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heather knapp

  • 2
Lynn Dunno Lynn Dunno
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Lynn Dunno

My Kitty's name is Kitty, I would never leave her behind.

  • 23
shrk*byt shrk*byt
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shrk*byt

My favorite Sketchbook & Thangs.

  • 2
ZELIG ZELIG
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ZELIG

I know that this coffee/espresso maker looks big but it's quite small actually and it definitely fits in my backpack (I've tried it). ;) Cheers!

  • 21
Kitt Van Hassel Kitt Van Hassel
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Kitt Van Hassel

Not sensible, not logical, but my choice all the same, my feline friend Tommi-girl would be my choice "object" to pack up in my backpack and take along with me. As grumpy as she'd be with the idea.

  • 16
Nancy Belle Nancy Belle
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Nancy Belle

I can't leave without my cat...I'm sure he would fit in. Just give him some air holes. it will be like taking along an organic back scratcher!

  • 16
Grace Hsu Grace Hsu
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Grace Hsu

The superfluous thing that I would bring is this tiny, smaller-than-A4 painting (though it's really mixed media, including acrylics, watercolour pencils, regular coloured pencils, pencils, fine-liners).

  • 7
Carla Carrasco Carla Carrasco
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Carla Carrasco

I need to take water with me everywhere I go, otherwise I'll at least feel cotton-mouthed, and when that happens I get nervous and uneasy. This bottle is the best. I take it with me on my day-to-day errands and on my travels.

  • 23
Sara Levine Sara Levine
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Sara Levine

  • 7
Mr Steffen Mr Steffen
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Mr Steffen

Never leave home without suncream!

  • 11
Spela Majer Spela Majer
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Spela Majer

the only thing I would need with me is a little calico cuteness -- and that's why I take my cat Mimi. you wouldn't even know she's there (or that she's anywhere else than home), because Mimi is a little sleep-monster =) and a real sleep-yoga master. every position you can imagine, she's a black belt!

  • 37
Rebecca McCartney Rebecca McCartney
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Rebecca McCartney

When Starbucks and other gourmet coffee purveyors arrived it was great...for awhile. I love regular coffee. Over the years I've made boxes to hold 4 cups of "to go" coffee that I could bungee on the back of my motorcycle, contraptions to keep coffee contained in backpacks and still all my rides were permeated with spills. Now I have an ancient but still functional commercial coffee maker...so the best stuff is at home! Must...Have...Coffee!

  • 14
Ruchi Mittal Ruchi Mittal
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Ruchi Mittal

The most beautiful engagement ring in the world - noone said the one thing had to be kept in the backpack!

  • 6
Alexis Alexis
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Alexis

I would take a genie lamp

  • 10
Hollie McManus Hollie McManus
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Hollie McManus

Can't take a pencil without paper, or paper without a pencil, so my camera!

  • 2
Dan Cook Dan Cook
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Dan Cook

My Sock Monkey

  • 12
Terry Horn Terry Horn
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Terry Horn

Among the many things in my backpack is my homemade cigar box soprano ukulele.

  • 4
Bela UncleCat Bela UncleCat
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Bela UncleCat

Little wooden sheep

  • 38
Lotte Skadborg Hansen Lotte Skadborg Hansen
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Lotte Skadborg Hansen

Choosing is hard work!

  • 12
Misty Adams Misty Adams
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Misty Adams

  • 27
Petricka Petricka
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Petricka

although naked, but never without my glasses...

  • 19
Mira Viv Mira Viv
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Mira Viv

  • 8

Frequently Asked Questions

I have the most votes, am I the winner?

Not necessarily. As stated in our guidelines, the public voting from the community helps bring the most popular art submissions to the top. Once the public voting is over, the editorial team at Doodle Addicts (along with the sponsor), will then vote internally from the top group of submissions.

I made a mistake, how do I fix or replace my entry?

You can delete and resubmit your entry anytime before the submission deadline. Just click on the “Replace Image” button below your submission (on the challenge page) to delete your original submission and replace it with your new one.

Am I allowed to have my fans, friends and/or family vote?

Yes, of course. We definitely encourage you to spread the word on your participation in this fun drawing challenge.

There are so many good ones! Can I vote for more than one?

Yes! You can mark one, two, five or all of them as your favorite.

What do you do about cheaters?

Any fake votes we catch will be removed. Let’s keep this fun everyone, the prize is just the cherry on top.

Still have questions?

Make sure to read the guidelines and the terms and conditions, most questions are answered there. If something is still not clear, feel free to email us and we’ll try to help.

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