Strange Legends Drawing Challenge
31 Prompts • 31 Covers • One Month of Creativity
Welcome to Strange Legends
Every October, artists around the world take on creative challenges.
This year, I wanted to create one of my own.
Throughout October, I invite you to design magazine covers inspired by a world filled with mysterious creatures, forgotten legends, and anything your imagination can dream up.
There are no prizes to win, only the joy of creating, sharing your work, and discovering the incredible worlds imagined by other artists.
Now it's your turn. Have fun... and let your imagination run wild !
How to Join
Choose a Prompt
Browse the official prompt list and pick the ones that inspire you.
One prompt or all 31...
The choice is yours !
Create Your Illustration
Interpret the prompt in your own style. The official template isn't required, but it can turn your artwork into a genuine vintage magazine cover.
Share Your Artwork
Share your illustration on Instagram using #StrangeLegends2026 and don't forget to tag @loubasali.
Official Templates
The official template is available free of charge in two versions, featuring either a black or white logo to suit your artwork. Using it is entirely optional. It's simply here to give every illustration a shared visual identity throughout the challenge.
Just add your artwork, change the issue number to match your prompt and, if you'd like, add your illustration title.
That's it, your magazine cover is ready !
Includes PNG and PSD templates with both black and white logo versions.
This template is provided free of charge to help you create your own magazine covers.
Feel free to customize it, but please don't redistribute the files, sell them, or claim them as your own.
© 2026 Lou Basali
The 31 Prompts
Don't worry, you don't have to complete all 31 prompts.
The most important thing isn't reaching day 31. It's having fun and creating at your own pace.
It will be published on
September 14, 2026Curiosity: highly recommended.
Why Strange Legends ?
Before you pick up your pencils, here are the answers to the questions I get asked most often.
None at all. Whether you draw with pencils, watercolors, ink, or digitally, every medium is welcome.
Realistic, manga, cartoon, painting, pixel art... Strange Legends is above all a playground for your own imagination.
The official template is designed for digital artwork. If you work traditionally, you're welcome to use it after scanning your illustration... or simply skip it altogether!
The idea is simply to draw a little every day, without pressure.
Creating regularly is one of the best ways to improve, often more than we realize.
And by the end of the month, you'll have something truly rewarding: your very own collection of magazine covers.
A magazine cover tells a story before you even open the magazine. Every prompt is an opportunity to imagine a new world, a new character, or a brand-new legend.
The goal is to keep up with one prompt a day, but everyone moves at their own pace. You can fall behind, choose only your favorite prompts, or simply join in for the fun of it.
There are no rankings, no judges, and no prizes. The real goal is to create something you'll be proud of by the end of the month.
By October's end, you'll have a collection that didn't exist just a few weeks earlier. You can share it, add it to your portfolio, or simply flip through your magazine covers and see how far you've come.
There's only one rule: have fun drawing !
Artists of all skill levels are welcome. Every illustration is part of the adventure.
