Around Here: March 2020
Adventures in Arting Podcast: The Frugal Crafter

The 100 Day Project 2020

I've decided to once more attempt the 100 Day Project

In case you haven't heard of it, #The100DayProject is a free art project that takes place online. Every spring, thousands of people all around the world commit to 100 days of exploring their creativity. Anyone can join. The idea is simple: choose a project, do it every day for 100 days, and share your process on Instagram with the hashtag #The100DayProject.

My first attempt at this project was back in 2017.  I did 100 15-minute faces.  In essentials, I set a timer for 15 minutes each day and created a face -- drawing, painting, collage, monoprinting -- any technique or style was fair game.  Here are a few of those faces:

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Then in 2018 I decided to do 100 Days of Art Tweets.  Here are screenshots of some of those tweets:

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Here's what I've learned from my previous 100 Day Project experiences:

  • 100 days is a lot of days.  Like, A LOT of days.  It's unrelenting and you have to really love whatever you choose to do.
  • Giving myself wider parameters makes the project easier for me -- for example: 100 days of painting is a lot easier to do than 100 days of hot pink gouache landscapes.  That said, wider parameters also allow me to wiggle out of pushing myself beyond discomfort -- which is how you improve!  So for me, it's about striking a balance of making it open enough but not too open.
  • For me, the only reason to do the 100 day project is to get better at something.  Both years I did the project, I was better (and faster) at the end than I had been at the beginning.  The year I tweeted I learned that, generally speaking, my audience is not a twitter audience, which was good information.
  • It really helps to think about how much time you're willing to commit to this project every.  single.  day.  It's not just the time of making the thing -- there's also time involved with photographing and posting.  Sharing is part of the project.

Keeping all of the above in mind for 2019, I've decided to do 100 Days of Words + Art.  Unlike previous years, I don't plan to finish something every single day.  Instead, I'm promising myself to work on the project every day for 100 days.  I'd like to spend less than 30 minutes a day on this project each day.  My goal is to end the project with at least 25 finished pieces that mix words and art together.  That's finishing a piece every 3-4 days. 

I'm excited for a new approach to an old project.

How about you?  The 100 Day Project begins on April 7, 2020.  Will you be joining in?

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