100 Day Drawing Project

This past August I started a 100-day drawing project - a challenge to draw for 100 consecutive days. I’ve done shorter challenges before so I was curious and excited to see what 100 days would be like. In short, it was great!

I was initially inspired to do this by a UK-based live illustrator Katie Chappell (www.katiechappell.com). If you’re reading this and you’re looking to get excited or (re)energized about or focused on a project you’re doing, I recommend having a look at Katie Chappell’s website. In addition to a lot of useful information she has on her blog, she offers a productivity course consisting of short video prompts, written material and tips to help you get stuff done. They material is practical and presented in a friendly, approachable and inspiring way. I think she also offers illustration-related coaching.

Back to drawing. I completed the challenge, drawing almost daily. Some days I did a few drawings - some detailed, some less so - other days it was a single quick sketch. I got a small sketchbook that I carried with me, and a pencil case with a couple different drawing options (a pen, pencil, a couple pencil crayons). Drawing every day put less pressure on a drawing to look a certain way, to have to be “good” - I could just do another one tomorrow. I gave myself permission to try different media and to focus on different aspects of drawing that I’ve been wanting to improve on or learn about. In the magpie drawing above, I played around with using oil pastels on top of watercolour. I also challenged myself to try adding some more abstract elements. Committing to a 100 days made me feel more focused, like I was committing to drawing. There were many days where I drew only because of this commitment.

I’m finished now and have been thinking about starting another challenge. I am considering focusing on a certain aspect this time - a theme, a technique, or a medium.

City Birding