Strava art ideas: shapes that work, with real examples
Here are Strava art ideas by shape, each with a real route: hearts, animals, letters and symbols, seasonal designs, landmarks and characters. Pick one that fits your streets, then plan it in minutes and go run or ride it.
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How to choose a shape
Three rules decide whether an idea becomes a clean drawing. First, keep the number of lines small, because every line is distance you have to cover. Second, match the shape to the canvas: straight-edged shapes suit street grids, while curved shapes suit parks and open ground. Third, set the distance before the shape, so the generator can scale the drawing to a run or a ride you will actually finish.
Every example on this page is a real route planned with GPSArtify, and the caption also says which city it was drawn in. Pick one, then open the generator and drop the same shape onto your own map.
Hearts
The heart is the first shape most people draw, because it works everywhere. In a grid of streets the two lobes become a run of blocks and the point is one long diagonal, while in a park you can trace the curves freely. A heart also carries a message, so it is the classic piece for an anniversary, a proposal or Valentine's Day.
Heart, BarcelonaStreet grid, so a good first piece. 
Two hearts, BudapestFreestyle in a park, so short and quick.
Animals
Animals are the crowd-pleasers, but they need a silhouette that reads at a glance. So pick an outline with one recognisable feature, such as a dog's ears or a reindeer's antlers, and let the streets provide the rest. A cycling distance then gives you room for the detail.
Cartoon dog, MontrealMany short lines, so an ambitious one. 
Reindeer, LyonThe antlers make it readable.
Letters, numbers and symbols
Letters, numbers and symbols are the easiest shapes to fit to a city, because streets already run in straight lines. Initials, a birthday number or a symbol like pi come out sharp in grid-like districts, and therefore they are a safe choice for a first urban piece.
Pi, MontrealFour lines, so one afternoon.
Seasonal Strava art ideas
Seasonal pieces get shared the most, because the timing does the storytelling for you. An Easter bunny, a shamrock for St Patrick's Day, a ghost for Halloween or a Santa hat in December are all simple outlines with few lines, so they fit a normal training run.
Easter bunny, MontrealEars first, then a round body. 
Shamrock, MontrealThree lobes and a stem. 
Ghost, LyonOne outline, then two eyes. 
Santa hat, LyonA December classic.
Landmarks and everyday objects
Landmarks and everyday objects make the most satisfying big pieces, because the picture is instantly recognisable. The Eiffel Tower across Paris is a tall shape, so it suits a long north-to-south route, while a bicycle across Montreal is the kind of joke that gets kudos from every cyclist on your feed.
Eiffel Tower, ParisA long ride, so plan it by bike. 
Bicycle, MontrealTwo wheels, one frame.
People and characters
Figures and faces are the ambitious end of the scale, because a face needs many short lines and the proportions must hold. So plan these as your third or fourth piece, once you know how your streets behave, and give them a generous distance.
Figure, MontrealFor the experienced, once the streets are familiar.
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What you get before you pay
Creating a GPSArtify account is free, and there is nothing to install: the generator runs in your browser. Generating routes, exporting GPX files and using the tracker are part of a paid subscription; the current plans are shown inside the app after you sign up.
So you can sign up, look around, and decide when you are ready to plan your first route.
Strava art ideas FAQ
What is the easiest Strava art to make?
A heart or your initials in a grid-like neighbourhood, because both use a few long lines and simple corners. So the route stays short, and the picture still reads clearly on the map.
How do I get ideas for Strava art?
Start from a shape that means something to you, then look at your map: a park suggests a freestyle piece, while a grid of streets suits letters and geometric shapes. The shape library in GPSArtify is another quick source, because you can drop a design on your area and see whether it fits.
Can I draw a heart on Strava?
Yes, and it is the classic first piece. Plan the heart as a route with a generator, export the GPX file, then record the activity while following it, and the heart appears on your Strava map.
Do seasonal Strava art ideas work in any city?
Mostly, because a Santa hat, a shamrock or a ghost needs only a few clean lines. Grid-like districts give the sharpest result, while parks let you draw the curves freely.
How big should a Strava art idea be?
Match it to the sport: a running piece fits inside a neighbourhood, while a cycling piece can span a city. Set the distance first, and then let the generator scale the shape to it.