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If you have been finding it hard to actually get around to doing some art regularly the 100 day project might be just what you’re looking for!
What is the 100 Day Project?
The 100 day project is a free challenge that runs in the first quarter of every year.
People from all over the world choose a creative project that they can do every day for 100 days. You can share your progress on Instagram but of course, you don’t have to. There is a lovely community feel around this project and that can be very motivating.
However, there is nothing stopping you from choosing a 30 day project for yourself instead, or taking up a 100 day project challenge by yourself, or with a friend/(s) at any time of year.
Nearly 10 years ago I participated in the 100 day project. It was the very first challenge of this sort that I have ever done so it has a very special place in my heart.
You never know where a little personal project might take you.
I’ll tell you a bit more about my own 100 day project and how it led me to publish these books. Click here if you just want to skip straight to my 100 Day Project!
I learned so much about finding my own style in this project. I even created this class so that I would be able to share the joy of this process.
But first, let’s make sure you are convinced of the value of a personal creative project like this and give you some tips on choosing a project for yourself.
Benefits of a Personal Project like the 100 day Project
Whether you choose to join in the official challenge with the rest of the world, or go it alone, I highly recommend giving yourself a project like this.
Very often, we know we have it in mind to engage in our creative hobbies regularly and we know we enjoy it when we do. But actually finding the time and energy to do it can be trickier than expected.
Firstly, ‘engaging in our hobby’ is far too broad. We often don’t get started because there is a lot of decision making required to actually get going.
What exactly will you create?
With what supplies?
Where and when will you do this?
If you do a 100 day project (or something similar) you force yourself to decide all of that ahead of time, leaving you with only the daily execution to worry about.
There is a lot of satisfaction to be had from actually accomplishing what you have in mind.
Consistent daily practice also means you will build skill and confidence in your work.
And since tomorrow you will do another one, there is a lot less pressure to get today’s right.
It’s really all good.
How To Participate in the 100 Day Project
The 100 day project was started by Michael Bierut, and is now hosted by Elle Luna and Lindsay Thomson. You can visit the 100 day Project official site here.
It is free to participate and you can check out the hashtag #the100dayproject on Instagram to see what other creative souls are up to this year.
Although, I feel a caveat is in order here.
If you know that you enjoy seeing what others are up to, then go right over to Instagram and dive in! However, for many of us, this can be counterproductive. Don't worry about that, if that is you too.
Comparison is the thief of joy.
Give yourself permission to let go of anything that diminishes your joy.
And don’t forget, there is nothing stopping you from creating your own personal project, of 100 days or any other time frame, at any time of year.
How to Choose the Best 100 Day Project for You
The secret to a successful 100 day project is to keep it small and manageable. 10 minutes is ideal. That makes it a quick fun easy project that you will be able to complete every day. And if you do, you’ll have an enormous sense of satisfaction in 100 days time.
You can choose any sort of creative project you fancy.
Some people play piano, some people bake, some write poetry.
Anything goes.
The key is to make sure you give yourself clear parameters that are very easily achievable.
Think of something simple enough that you will be able to do it on your toughest, busiest day, not something that you will realistically only do when you are at the top of your game.
I’ll tell you more about the art project I chose in a minute, but here are a few other examples of things you might like to try:
a tiny daily zentangle, perhaps in a pocket sketchbook or on cards cut to something close to business card size
a daily abstract watercolour painting - by the end of the 100 days you will know exactly how each of the colours in your palette behaves.
a small daily pen sketch - quick and loose, with no option of erasing, maybe choose a subject to stick to like fruits or trees or your outfit for the day.
Keep your expectations of the output low and just enjoy the process.
My Own 100 Day Project (from many years ago!)
The project I chose to do was to draw a whimsical girl in a small sketchbook using limited supplies. In the end it became rather addictive and I continued well beyond the 100 days and created my largest series to date. I have come to call this collection my Grace Girls series.
I filled many, many sketchbooks with these charming whimsical girls and found a great deal of joy and solace in doing so. Eventually I decided to give these girls their own books which you can explore here.
When you commit to a project that you will complete for 100 days you have to let go of the idea that you are going to make 100 brilliant pieces of art. Of course it’s possible, but it’s probably not likely.
That is something very useful to experience. It’s much easier to do when you’ve only invested 10 minutes. It's not such a big deal if it doesn’t work out.
Tomorrow is another day.
Turn the page and you get a fresh start.
This really helps you to be a little bit less precious and unburden yourself from the unrealistic expectation of producing something excellent every time you take out your brush.
In fact, I would go so far as to say making bad art is very liberating.
I learnt so much from maintaining this consistent practice and in the end came up with a very helpful process which I turn to time and again. The challenge I created for myself during the 100 day project and beyond ended up helping me to refine a process that I now use whenever I am creatively stuck.
Because the process I developed during the 100 day project I did all those years ago has been so helpful to me, I really wanted to share it. So I created my first ever class to make that happen.
It is called Mix It Up and you can find out more about it here.
Find Your Own Style
and learn to draw cute little whimsical people!
Click the button to get a 20% discount on this class while you can!
Not only did I find a process to use to help me get unstuck, I also discovered a way to find my own style. This is something so many people tell me they worry about.
We all want to learn to paint in our own unique way - not just copy someone else.
Finding your own style is not as mystical as it seems. If you choose to, you can take a proactive approach and be a little methodical about it, using my system to help you.
It’s an awful lot of fun to do. More than a joyful adventure, I heartily recommend it as a way of increasing your confidence in your abilities and embracing what is uniquely you.
I discovered my own style for creating whimsical characters but this process can also be applied to finding your own style of drawing or painting anything you choose.
But I must say, if you are reluctant to draw people I heartily recommend trying out this whimsical approach.
Apart from being so much fun to create little cartoon smiley faces, you will eventually learn to accept that you actually can represent the human form using your very own hand in a sketchbook.
This is the biggest mindset hurdle when it comes to drawing people – believing that you can and being prepared to try.
Spending a lot of time painting whimsical people eventually gave me the confidence to tackle learning to draw people in a slightly more realistic way.
Of course, that hasn't stopped me drawing these cute little whimsical people whenever the mood takes me.
Because they just make me smile.
And that is the most important thing I can tell you about choosing your own creative project.
Make it a little gift to yourself every day.
The chance to do something quick and easy because it is fun and it makes you happy.
You need no other reason than that.
Are you on your own painting journey?
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