Tuesday, April 3, marks the start of a very exciting time of year -- day 1 of another 100 Day Project!
Here's what it is: The #100DayProject is a free, worldwide art project that anyone can do. It's super simple. You just decide to show up every day for 100 days and create.
Last year I didn't complete the full 100 days. I got to day ~70 on my project #100daysofwildhair before losing motivation and letting it slip away. I'm happy to have made it that far, but this year I'm ready to go all the way!
If you're interested in joining, you can choose a project and join in at any time. Here are a few tips & tricks I learned from last year:
Day 36 from last year's #100daysofwildhair, available as a print here
1. Pick something specific to create every day.
The more structure you give yourself, the more likely you are to create daily. For example:
"I'm going to draw every day" is vague and can be overwhelming, especially later in the project.
"I'm going to draw my breakfast every day" is specific and doesn't require much thought. This kind of specificity will help you, especially if you have fairly full days and not a ton of time to dedicate to your project.
2. Give it a #hashtag.
Try to create something unique (I like to search Instagram to see if it's been used before). Last year I had #100daysofwildhair and this year I have #100daysofindependentstudy. Length doesn't matter. This is more for documentation's sake.
3. Don't feel obligated to post on social media every day.
Last year I attempted this, and it burned me out. The point of this project is to create, and that will inevitably lead to work you like as well as HATE. Feel free to keep it to yourself, and carry on!
4. Choose a project you're honestly excited about.
The first day should feel like a holiday, something you've been looking forward to for months. Last year I chose a project that "made sense" to my business and previous art experience. What's important here is the experience, not the outcome. Do what you makes you truly EXCITED.
If you'd like to find more direction, community, and interviews to inspire your project, check out the100dayproject.org.
My Project: 100 Days of independent study
The morning of day one!
This year I am using the 100 Day Project to dive into new art practices I've always wanted to explore but have never made time for in the past. I realize this will require quite a bit of energy, but I'm totally willing to put it in. To me, this 100 Day Project is serving as a personal "DIY art school".
I'm taking the next 100 days to dabble, learn, make really ugly art, and expand my skill set.
The project will be broken down in 25-day sections. I will explore four different practiecs, each for 25 days.
My only requirement is that I spend at least 15 minutes/day actually CREATING. This doesn't include time spent on tutorials or gathering inspiration.
Are you feeling revved up and ready to start your 100 Day Project, too? Let's go! I'd love to hear what you're focusing on in the comments below.