Daily Drawing Challenges
Over the past year, I've participated in several daily drawing challenges and now, I think they're a fantastic way to cultivate a daily artmaking habit.
I started out in January with Jessica Swift's 100 Creative Days challenge, which would last through the end of April. I started out focused on flowers, and each day, selected a new one to draw. You can see many of those in my portfolio.
On March 1, after doing 38 days of flowers, I began a 30-day challenge led by Jen Landis: Magic Animal Oracle Cards. Each day, I received a prompt with an animal and a small bit of information on how to approach the drawing. Since these were to be a deck of cards when complete, I moved out of the sketchbook and used watercolor cards, roughly the size of a playing card. I quickly found a format I liked, but my drawing and painting style really evolved over the 30 days. You can see those in my portfolio as well.
On April 1, I continued with a new challenge: Magic Tools Oracle Cards. Same idea, again from Jen Landis: a prompt each day, and another card. By this time, I was loving my format and the limited palette I'd selected. And, this was day 70 of the 100 Creative Days challenge, still going strong.
On May 1, I reached the goal of 100 days of artmaking, only missing 3 days along the way. I also started my third 30-Day challenge with Jen - Tiny Worlds Oracle Cards. By this point, I think I was ready to focus on something else because I got to day 25 and stopped there.
In total, I made art every day, give or take, for 5 months before I stepped away for a break. Here's what I learned through the process.
The only way to find your style is to make art.
As I look at the cards, I see my style solidifying and coming together. My use of limited colors, limited materials, and lots of linework has come to define what I do. The addition of tiny details, dots, and what I call "vibe lines" in fluorescent pen or white paint marker has emerged as a signature of mine. And I wouldn't have found that if I hadn't made 85 oracle cards in 3 months.
Time limits and small spaces work for me.
For each of these challenges, I gave myself 30 minutes and a small space to draw inside. That was critical in my success. For the Magic Tools Oracle Cards, I tried going to a larger size card - and hated it. As soon as I went back to the smaller card, I loved it again. Constraints can be helpful - limited palettes, small spaces, and a timer work for me.
Be brave - not perfect.
Making art everyday takes so much pressure off of you to be "perfect" every day, because nobody is perfect every day. Instead, it requires you to be brave every day and pull your creativity out for a stroll. Because of these consistent daily acts, I have 3 decks of cards and a full sketchbook in only 5 months.
I'm better when I'm making things.
When I make time to create every single day, I am a much happier person. I am calmer, more engaged with the world around me, and curious about people. I laugh more, I observe the world more closely, and I am happier overall. I enter the world as a better person - and that's good for everyone.
Action Tips:
There are so many ways to set small goals for your own artmaking.
Find a 14-Day or 30-Day Challenge to join, and give it a go.
Don't expect perfection - and be brave.
At the end, you'll be amazed by what you've accomplished.
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