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Back to Back Drawing

Back to Back Drawing pairs up a describer and a drawer, sits them back to back, and asks one to talk the other through an image using nothing but words. When time's up, the two drawings go side by side — and the gap between them is where the real lesson in communication shows up.

15–30 min2–50 peopleAveragePaper & pencilsIn personClassroom ✓
By Jon Zajac · Founder & Chief Icebreaker · Last updated February 19, 2024

What is Back to Back Drawing?

Back to Back Drawing pairs people up: one becomes the describer, the other the drawer. The describer studies an image the drawer can't see, then talks them through recreating it — using only words, and never naming anything that's directly in the picture. The drawer works from the description alone: no peeking, and no yes-or-no questions.

It works because the setup removes every shortcut people normally lean on to communicate — no pointing, no facial expressions, no glance at the reference. Whatever gets described has to be specific enough to survive translation into pencil marks, and whatever gets drawn has to be built entirely from someone else's words. Comparing the two images at the end is where the insight actually lands: the difference between them shows exactly where the description broke down.

Skip it for remote teams — this one depends on two people physically sitting back to back with paper in front of them, unable to see each other's page. It also takes a beat of prep: pull together a stack of images with just enough detail to challenge the room without losing anyone.

The rules

  1. Pair up and sit back to back — one partner is the describer, the other the drawer.
  2. The describer gets an image the drawer never sees.
  3. Describers use words only, and never name anything that's directly in the picture.
  4. The drawer can ask clarifying questions, but not yes-or-no ones, and never peeks.
  5. Describers describe — they don't draw, point, or gesture.
  6. When time's up, compare drawings, then switch roles and repeat with new images.

Before you start

  • Group size: 2–50 people. It's built around pairs, so it scales the same way whether you're running one pair or a room full of them at once.
  • Materials: images, paper, and pencils or markers. Have a set of simple yet detailed images ready — a house with distinct features, a geometric shape with a pattern — plus paper and pencils or markers for every drawer.
  • Seat pairs back to back. Arrange chairs so each partner can't see what the other is doing — that's what keeps the description honest.
  • Pick images with room to interpret. Choose images detailed enough to challenge the describer but not so complex that participants disengage — that balance is what keeps the round interesting.
  • Let describers study first. Give describers a moment with their image before the clock starts, so the describing — not the reading — is what eats the time limit.

How to run it

  1. Pair up and assign roles 1–2 min

    Sit each pair back to back. One partner is the describer, the other the drawer.

  2. Explain the rules 1–2 min

    Describers use only verbal description — no naming anything directly in the picture. Drawers can ask clarifying questions, but not yes-or-no ones, and they can't peek.

  3. Hand out images and give study time 1 min

    Give each describer a picture the drawer can't see, and let them study it for a moment before the round starts.

  4. Describe and draw 5–10 min

    Describers talk their partner through the image, word by word. Drawers work from the description alone — no direct hints, no peeking.

  5. Compare and debrief 3–5 min

    Time's up: partners compare their drawing to the original image and talk through what matched, what didn't, and why.

  6. Switch roles and repeat 5–10 min

    New images, same time limit, opposite roles. Everyone gets to be both describer and drawer before the group reflection.

← no naming, no peeking. the mismatch is the whole lesson.

Facilitator tips

Choose images that reflect the roomPick images with a range of cultures, backgrounds, and abilities in them — participants are more likely to feel seen in the exercise.
Keep instructions gender-neutralAvoid assumptions about gender identity in how you phrase instructions — it keeps the setup welcoming to everyone in the room.
Adapt for different abilitiesFor participants with visual or hearing differences, swap in tactile images or add extra verbal cues so the description still lands.
Offer language supportFor non-native speakers, offer a quick translation or explanation so everyone starts the round on equal footing.
Let people choose their roleIf someone's more comfortable describing than drawing, or the reverse, let them pick — confidence in the role matters more than forcing balance.

Why it works

Precision, forced by the pictureDescribers can't point or gesture, so the vague noun doesn't survive — shape, position, and comparison are what actually get the drawer close.
Listening with nothing to look atSitting back to back strips out every non-verbal cue. The drawer has only the words, so each one has to land the first time or the drawing drifts.
The mismatch is the lessonComparing the drawn image to the original afterward is where the real insight shows up — the gap points to exactly where the description broke down.
HELLO, MY NAME ISJon

"I love this one for the debrief — holding the drawn image up next to the original says more about communication than any lecture could. Simple setup, real insight: swap roles, swap images, and everyone feels both sides of a description that didn't quite land."

Jon Zajac · Founder & Chief Icebreaker

Reflection questions

Six questions, ready for the group discussion once both rounds are done.

  1. What specific challenges did you run into describing or drawing the image?Surfaces the common pitfalls — they tend to repeat across pairs.
  2. How well do you think you listened and responded to your partner's descriptions?Gets people naming their own listening habits out loud.
  3. Did you find yourself filling in gaps with your own assumptions? How did that show up in the final drawing?A sneaky one — most people default to their own experience first, and the drawing shows it.
  4. What did you do to clarify a description when you weren't sure what your partner meant?Turns clarifying questions into a shared toolkit for next time.
  5. How does this connect to non-verbal communication in real life, and how might missing those cues have changed the outcome?Bridges the exercise back to meetings and calls where body language isn't available either.
  6. How can you apply what you learned here to your professional or personal relationships?Closes on a concrete next step instead of just moving on.

If this fits, so will these

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Same back-to-back setup, with clay standing in for the pencil.

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The back-to-back format, applied to dance moves instead of a picture.

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The back-to-back format, applied to describing an outfit instead of an image.

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The back-to-back format, applied to assembling a puzzle by description.

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Keep a hula hoop spinning around your waist for as long as you can.

Jon Zajac

Founder & Chief Icebreaker

I started IcebreakerSpot because I believe strong connections are the foundation of successful teams. This site exists to make it easy to find and share the icebreakers and team-building activities that build trust, spark collaboration, and help groups do great things together.

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