My 100 Day Project and 5 Tips To Do Your Own
Last week, I finished my 100 Day Project - one new digital drawing everyday for 100 days straight.
I learned a lot and wrote a bit about that here:
0 likes, 0 comments - melodyonline on October 30, 2023: "Workflow is everything - Knowing where to start and how to end just makes everythin
This post is more about how I did it and if someone else is interested, how they can do it and be successful at it.
So! My 5 best tips if you want to complete a 100 Day art challenge:
Identify Your Goals: Why do you want to draw (or paint or sketch or whatever) for 100 days? For me, I had A LOT of goals. But the main goal was to develop my style and create a large body of work I could use for marketing, my portfolio, and social media. I think having that very specific goal - and being passionate about my goal - helped tremendously.
Know Your Parameters And Stick To Them: I chose to work with a limited color palette, a very specific subject, and only a handful of design elements or "special effects" within Photoshop to make every picture. It forced me to be more creative since I had to work within these borders. Let the challenge of your 'rules' push you to think more creatively.
Find Accountability: I posted each new picture to Instagram every evening before midnight. I told my boyfriend, my parents, and my therapist. The more people know, the more they can encourage you, check in on you, and provide feedback and words of support. It felt like I really had to follow through and keep my word. Also - don't do this in complete isolation. Working in secret makes your artwork feel like a secret. Give others the chance to be proud of you.
Make The Time: In the beginning, I had no idea how much time I would need to commit to this project for it to be successful. I underestimated the amount of energy needed each day to complete a picture. I was surprised by how many hours I would spend on a piece, how difficult it was to do two pictures in one day, and how exhausted I was by the end. Whatever amount of time you think you will need, double it. Maybe even triple it if you're a procrastinator or a perfectionist, like me.
Accept Your Limitations: There were some days I simply couldn't produce the kind of art I wanted to make, no matter how hard I tried. You will have off days, sick days, and low energy days. This is essentially a three month long project. I wasn't always satisfied by what I made. Some days the picture was ugly. Some days I wanted to start over but didn't have the time. Shit happens. You don't have to love every piece. The better you are at accepting things the way they are, the more successful you'll be in the end.
In short, every picture wasn't a masterpiece. Every day wasn't perfect. But I finished it. And a week later I'm still riding the high of accomplishing such a challenging and ambitious goal for a 'new' artist.
I already have the next 2-3 projects planned out in my head. That's the best thing of all when completing a project like this: I have this abundance of energy and confidence. It's like, if I could do 100 drawings in 100 days, then why can't I do _?
This blog will be getting a facelift soon and I'm going to try to post more art quotes this month. I have the time now! Until next time.















