1 Grumpy Morning Coffee Monkey
A monkey clutching its morning coffee with a grumpy, half-asleep face is instantly relatable. The mug and the scowl tell the whole joke. It brightens anyone’s morning.
Step 1 draw a slumped, hunched monkey. Step 2 cup a steaming mug in both hands. Step 3 add droopy half-closed eyes, a flat grumpy mouth, and eye bags.
Pro tipSlump the whole body and add eye bags so the tiredness reads.
AvoidDon’t draw it perky; the slump sells the not-a-morning-person joke.
2 Selfie Monkey
A monkey striking a pose for a selfie is a funny modern gag. The phone and the exaggerated pout land it. It pokes fun at all of us.
Step 1 draw the monkey with one arm extended holding a phone. Step 2 turn the head toward the phone and pucker into a duck-face pout. Step 3 add a peace sign with the other hand and a little screen glare.
Pro tipExtend the phone arm toward the viewer for a real selfie angle.
AvoidDon’t draw a neutral face; the exaggerated pout makes the joke.
3 Phone-Scrolling Monkey
A monkey slumped and scrolling its phone forever is painfully relatable. The zoned-out face says it all. It is a modern comic staple.
Step 1 draw the monkey slouched with a curved spine. Step 2 hold a phone up in one hand and swipe with the other thumb. Step 3 add blank half-lidded eyes and a screen glow on the face.
Pro tipAdd a glow on the face to show the screen has it hypnotized.
AvoidDon’t draw an alert face; the zoned-out look is the gag.
4 Facepalm Monkey
A monkey doing a big facepalm captures pure exasperation. The hand over the face is universal comedy. It reads at a glance.
Step 1 draw the monkey standing. Step 2 slap one open palm over the eyes and forehead. Step 3 slant the visible brow down, add a flat mouth and a sigh line or two.
Pro tipCover the eyes fully with the palm and let the head drop a little.
AvoidDon’t leave the eyes showing; the covered face is the facepalm.
5 Judgmental Side-Eye Monkey
A monkey throwing a judgmental side-eye is subtle, dry comedy. The sideways glance says everything. It is a favorite reaction drawing.
Step 1 draw the monkey facing forward. Step 2 slide both pupils hard to one side. Step 3 lower one brow, flatten the mouth, and add a tiny skeptical sweat drop.
Push both pupils fully to one corner for a strong side-eye.
Don’t center the eyes; the sideways glance is the whole joke.
6 Tantrum Monkey
A monkey mid-tantrum on the floor is big, funny drama. The flailing fists and open wail are comic gold. It captures a toddler moment.
Step 1 draw the monkey down on the floor. Step 2 pound both fists and kick both feet with motion lines. Step 3 open a huge wailing mouth, scrunch the eyes, and add a tear or two.
Add motion lines on the fists and feet to show the flailing.
Don’t draw it calm and seated; the flailing sells the tantrum.
7 Office Monkey in a Tie
A monkey in a business tie stuck at a tiny desk is dry office comedy. The tie and stressed face make the gag. It is very relatable.
Step 1 draw the monkey seated at a small desk. Step 2 add a business tie and a little laptop or paperwork. Step 3 give it a stressed face, a coffee, and a stack of tiny papers.
Pro tipAdd just a tie and a laptop to read as an office worker.
AvoidDon’t over-detail the desk; a few props tell the story.
8 Greedy Banana-Hoard Monkey
A monkey hugging a giant hoard of bananas is greedy and funny. The overflowing armful is the joke. It is gleeful gluttony.
Step 1 draw the monkey with both arms wrapped around a huge pile of bananas. Step 2 let a few bananas spill and tumble. Step 3 add a greedy grin and darting protective eyes.
Let a couple of bananas spill out so the hoard looks overflowing.
Don’t draw a neat bunch; the overflowing armful is the gag.
9 Mic-Drop Monkey
A monkey dropping the mic after a killer point is peak swagger comedy. The falling mic and smug face land it. It is instantly cool and funny.
Step 1 draw the monkey turning away confidently. Step 2 extend one arm releasing a microphone mid-fall. Step 3 add a smug half-lidded look, a raised brow, and motion lines on the falling mic.
Draw the mic mid-air with motion lines so the drop reads.
Don’t draw the mic still in hand; it has to be falling.
10 Photobomb Monkey
A monkey photobombing the edge of a picture is a great sight gag. The half-in-frame face is comic timing. It surprises the viewer.
Step 1 draw a simple photo frame or border. Step 2 pop a monkey head and one arm in from the corner. Step 3 give it a wild grin and crossed eyes, half cut off by the frame edge.
Let the frame edge cut off half the monkey so it looks like a bomb.
Don’t center the monkey; the corner pop-in is the joke.
11 Gym Monkey With Tiny Weights
A monkey straining to lift comically tiny weights is a funny contrast gag. The tiny dumbbells versus the big effort is the joke. It always lands.
Step 1 draw the monkey in a proud lifting stance. Step 2 put a tiny dumbbell in each hand. Step 3 add straining lines, sweat drops, and an over-serious determined face.
Make the dumbbells tiny but the effort huge for the contrast.
Don’t draw big weights; the tiny ones make the gag.
12 Fabulous Diva Monkey
A monkey posing like a fabulous diva is glamorous comedy. The shades, boa, and dramatic pose sell it. It is effortlessly funny.
Step 1 draw the monkey in a dramatic hand-on-hip pose. Step 2 add oversized sunglasses and a feather boa. Step 3 add a smug pout, a hair flip, and a sparkle or two.
Pro tipAdd a sparkle and a hair flip to sell the fabulous attitude.
AvoidDon’t draw a plain pose; the drama is what makes it a diva.
13 Bad Hair Day Monkey
A monkey with wildly frizzy, out-of-control hair is a relatable groan. The explosion of hair and dismayed face land it. It is simple and funny.
Step 1 draw the monkey face. Step 2 explode a mess of frizzy, sticking-up hair all over the head. Step 3 add a dismayed flat mouth, tired eyes, and a little comb snapping in one hand.
Send the frizz sticking out in every direction for full chaos.
Don’t draw neat hair; the wild frizz is the whole joke.
14 Yoga-Fail Monkey
A monkey knotted up in a failed yoga pose is great physical comedy. The impossible tangle of limbs is the joke. It reads as a total fail.
Step 1 draw the monkey trying an ambitious cross-legged pose. Step 2 tangle the arms and legs into an impossible knot. Step 3 add a strained grimace, sweat drops, and a little yoga mat under it.
Cross the limbs into an impossible knot for the fail.
Don’t draw a graceful pose; the tangle is the comedy.
15 Chef Monkey Flipping a Pancake
A monkey chef flinging a pancake way too high is kitchen comedy. The airborne pancake and hopeful face sell it. It is a charming little scene.
Step 1 draw the monkey in a chef hat holding a pan. Step 2 fling a pancake high above with motion arcs. Step 3 tip the head back watching it and add a hopeful open mouth.
Send the pancake way too high with a motion arc for the joke.
Don’t keep the pancake in the pan; the over-flip is funnier.
16 Food-Coma Monkey
A monkey slumped with a hugely stuffed belly after too many bananas is blissful comedy. The round belly and dozy face land it. It is very satisfying.
Step 1 draw the monkey slumped back and relaxed. Step 2 balloon the belly out big and round. Step 3 add a dozy content face, a hand resting on the belly, and a banana peel pile nearby.
Round the belly out big and rest a hand on it for the food-coma look.
Don’t draw a slim body; the stuffed belly is the gag.
17 Monkey on a Scale
A monkey peering down at a bathroom scale in shock is dry, relatable comedy. The shocked look down tells the joke. It gets a knowing laugh.
Step 1 draw the monkey standing on a small scale. Step 2 tip the head down to look at the dial. Step 3 add a shocked open mouth, wide eyes, and a little pile of banana peels beside it.
Add banana peels nearby to explain the shocked reaction.
Don’t draw a calm face; the shocked look down is the punchline.
18 Banana-Throne King Monkey
A monkey lounging like royalty on a throne of bananas is grand and funny. The banana throne and smug crown sell the gag. It is gloriously over the top.
Step 1 draw a big throne shape built from stacked bananas. Step 2 lounge a monkey across it. Step 3 add a little crown, a banana scepter, and a smug regal face.
Stack the throne obviously from bananas so the joke reads.
Don’t draw a plain throne; it must clearly be made of bananas.
19 DJ Monkey
A monkey spinning records at a turntable in big headphones is party comedy. The headphones and decks make the scene. It is cool and fun.
Step 1 draw the monkey behind a small turntable setup. Step 2 add big headphones and one hand on a record. Step 3 add a focused cool face, music notes, and a raised other hand.
Add a few music notes so the party scene reads clearly.
Don’t clutter the decks; simple turntables read best.
20 Laughing-at-Its-Own-Joke Monkey
A monkey doubled over laughing at its own joke is warm, contagious comedy and a perfect closer. The full-body laugh is joy itself. It brightens the whole page.
Step 1 draw the monkey doubled forward. Step 2 clutch the belly with both arms and slap a knee. Step 3 squeeze the eyes shut, open a wide laugh, and add laughter lines and a tear of joy.
Pro tipDouble the body forward and add a tear of joy for a real belly laugh.
AvoidDon’t just draw a smile; the whole body should laugh.
