The 100 Day Project: Diary #1
Here’s the start of a new series of blogs that you’ll see from time-to-time in the months ahead! I’m taking part in the #100dayproject, which is a creative challenge run by Lindsay Jean Thomson. This year is the tenth year! The 100 Day Project challenges participants to pick and idea or project, and then work on it every day for 100 days.
I’ve always meant to take part in the past, but life was always in the way. It often coincided with end-of-lease/moving house, or holidays – but this year, the timing is perfect! It begins on the 22nd of February.
Why another art challenge?
I blogged a little about my participation in last year’s STRADA easel challenge. I found it exciting, difficult, gruelling, and rewarding. I found my skills and ambitions both levelled up, but also found myself exhausted and out of stamina by the end of the month. Mostly, this was because I was not in the habit of a daily painting practice. But the most exhausting requirement, for me, was the daily posting of work to facebook or instagram.
The 100 Days Project is similar, in that it requires daily practice (and for 100 days, not just 30!), but since it is not a competition, there are far less strict requirements. I feel like this is a good middle ground for me. A daily practices, and overarching project, and the ability to provide weekly updates instead of daily ones.
Preparing for the 100 Day Project.
I had so many ideas for projects that I was flipping between ideas, unable to settle. In the end, I chose based on three requirements.
1) Flexible time requirement – The ability to complete my day’s practice in a short timeframe or long, depending on the day, and at any time of day.
2) Low cost investment – I didn’t want to have to buy a bunch of new supplies just for this challenge. Ideally, it would be a way of using some of the material stash I already have.
3) Enriches my current artistic projects & work – The work made for this challenge should compliment the body of work I am developing.
In the end, my project of choice is Works On Paper.
I will be completing a sketch, study, or finished artwork each day, on paper. These studies will be of still-life and landscape, and will form some of preparatory work for a larger collection based on the landscapes of Tasmania, and the small moments of living here.
Best of all, this will absolutely diminish the stash of various papers that I have built up over the years!
I’ll be doing some extra blog posts about my progress through the project, so I hope you look forward to reading them!
Things of Note:
Discover Tasmania website (if you’d like to learn a bit more about my state - they have a great tourism ad campaign showcased at the moment, so take a peek!)