Unearthing Your Creative DNA: How the 100 Day Project Can Help You Find Your Artistic Style
Photo by Sydney Moore on Unsplash
Have you ever felt that gentle tug, that inner whisper urging you to explore your creative side? Perhaps you've even dreamt of embarking on your very own art journey, finally picking up a brush, a pencil, or even your digital stylus to bring the vibrant visions swirling in your mind to life.
Trust me, I vividly remember that feeling. I was right where you might be now, standing at the precipice of artistic exploration, gazing at a blank page or screen, filled with both excitement and a touch of uncertainty about where to even begin. The sheer volume of information and resources available can feel overwhelming, but within that vastness lies an incredible opportunity.
The beauty of our interconnected digital age is the unprecedented access we now have to incredibly talented instructors and deeply inspiring lessons, all conveniently accessible with just a few clicks.
What is the 100 Day Project? A Guide to Creative Exploration
You might be wondering, what exactly is a 100-day project? Well, in its essence, “#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.”
That's the official word straight from www.the100dayproject.org, and it perfectly encapsulates the spirit of this global artistic endeavor. It's a collective commitment to daily creative exploration, a chance to dedicate focused time to nurturing your artistic soul.
The 100 Day Challenge: Your Path to Discovering Your Unique Artistic Style
There's a pervasive rumor circulating within the creative community, a whisper of transformation that suggests actively participating in a 100-day challenge can profoundly change you as an artist. And perhaps most intriguing of all, it's widely believed that this dedicated daily practice has the remarkable ability to hone and, ultimately, define your unique artistic “style.”
As someone who still considers herself to be continually finding myself as an artist, I'm definitely on that exciting journey of discovery, eagerly seeking to understand and settle into what my own distinct artistic voice truly is. The idea that consistent daily creation can lead to a clearer understanding of my own aesthetic is incredibly appealing.
Breaking Through Creative Blocks: The Power of Consistent Art Practice
Challenges like the 100-day project, or even shorter 30-day creative sprints, are also incredibly powerful tools for breaking through those frustrating creative blocks that inevitably plague every artist at some point. They offer a precious opportunity to simply create without a predetermined purpose, free from the constraints of rigid parameters or specific outcomes. It's a chance to explore the boundless landscapes of your imagination without borders or limitations, allowing your creativity to roam freely and unexpectedly. This freedom can often lead to surprising discoveries and unexpected breakthroughs in your artistic practice.
Feeling Uninspired? Try a 100 Day Creative Challenge!
Perhaps you've been feeling a little creatively stagnant lately, that well of inspiration seems temporarily dry? If so, I wholeheartedly encourage you to consider embarking on a 100-day challenge of your own! The beauty of it lies in its open-ended nature. You can choose absolutely anything creative that resonates with you:
The rhythmic flow of writing
The intricate patterns of quilting
The grounding act of gardening
The tactile satisfaction of sewing
The expressive freedom of painting
The detailed precision of drawing
The innovative world of digital art
The possibilities are truly endless. The most crucial step is simply to get started, to take that initial leap of faith and commit to the daily practice. Even dedicating just a few minutes each day can yield significant results over time.
My Personal Journey with 100 Day Art Challenges: Finding My Creative Path
Over the past few years, I've personally embraced the challenge of a self-imposed 100-day project a few different times, each experience offering unique insights into my own creative tendencies.
The very first time I committed to this personal challenge, I set a simple intention: to draw a flower every single day. While I did indeed end up with a beautiful collection of 100 floral drawings, I must confess that it wasn't a strictly consecutive 100-day endeavor. Life, as it often does, has its own rhythm, and sometimes those daily commitments can be tricky to maintain perfectly.
During a second challenge, I found inspiration and structure in a wonderful book by one of my favorite artists and authors, Jennifer Orkin Lewis (@augustwren), aptly titled "100 Days of Drawing: Sketch, Paint and Doodle Towards One Creative Goal."
This inspiring book served as the very backbone and guiding structure for my own personal 100 days of creative exploration. I diligently worked my way through the entire book, engaging with all of the thoughtfully curated projects it offered.
However, much like my first attempt, it wasn't always a perfectly consecutive practice. Some days, I would immerse myself in a single project, allowing it the time and attention it deserved, and then perhaps skip the following day due to other pressing time commitments with family life. To compensate, I would often double or even triple up on projects on subsequent days to try and "catch up" with my self-imposed schedule.
Looking back now, with the benefit of hindsight and reflection, I can clearly see distinct patterns emerging in both my drawing and painting styles during both of those initial 100-day challenges.
I suppose you could accurately describe that gradual unfolding as the natural evolution of one’s artistic style. Through consistent practice and exploration, I began to discover specific techniques that truly resonated with me, certain subject matter that consistently sparked my interest and joy, and, perhaps just as importantly, other approaches and themes that, well, simply didn't ignite the same passion within me.
This process of discovery through doing is an invaluable aspect of any artistic journey. It's through this repeated engagement that our preferences and tendencies begin to solidify into what we recognize as our unique way of creating.
Embracing the Official 100 Day Project: A Community of Creativity
As time marched on, as it inevitably does, I started to hear chatter of the official 100-day project – that takes place online every spring, uniting thousands of creatives from every corner of the globe – and I was immediately on board!
There was something about the collective energy and the shared commitment that felt incredibly motivating and inspiring. Being part of a larger community all striving towards a similar goal can provide a powerful sense of accountability and encouragement.
This time around, I decided to set myself a few specific parameters right from the outset, hoping to cultivate a more consistent and focused practice.
First and foremost, I intentionally purchased a VERY small, unassuming blue sketchbook. My reasoning behind this seemingly minor decision was strategic: I wanted to eliminate any potential feelings of intimidation or pressure to fill a vast, expansive page with a grand masterpiece every single day. The smaller format felt much more approachable and less daunting, making the daily commitment feel more manageable.
Furthermore, I made sure to select a sketchbook with a type of paper that was also suitable for light washes of watercolor or gouache, just in case I felt the urge to incorporate those mediums into my daily explorations.
Secondly, I consciously decided not to predetermine a specific subject matter that I would be consistently drawing or painting. My primary goal was simply to show up daily and make art – whatever form that might organically take on that particular day.
My initial thinking was that the faster the sketch, the better. The core intention was to simply get something down on paper, to make the act of creating art a more ingrained and consistent part of my daily routine. This freedom from a specific subject allowed for a more spontaneous and intuitive creative process.
As a busy mom of SIX wonderful kiddos, navigating the beautiful chaos of a homeschooling family (a topic for another blog post, perhaps!), finding those precious quiet moments to dedicate to my art often requires a bit of creative maneuvering. In teaching my kiddos on a daily basis, those pockets of stillness are often fleeting but deeply cherished. This reality underscored the importance of setting achievable daily goals for my 100-day project.
I was genuinely pleased and encouraged by my progress during this challenge! I was surprisingly consistent in showing up daily to engage in a quick drawing. Whether the creative session lasted for a focused two minutes or a more immersive twenty minutes, my fundamental rule remained the same: simply show up and make something. This commitment to daily practice, even in small increments, proved to be incredibly powerful.
During the first couple of days of this challenge, I found myself naturally reaching for my trusty pen and occasionally adding light washes of gouache. However, as the days have unfolded, a fascinating shift has occurred. It seems that I was increasingly drawn to and finding a real "sweet spot" for the elegant simplicity of line art – and particularly the intricate beauty of botanical line art! This unexpected discovery was a direct result of the freedom I had given myself to explore different mediums and subjects without pre-conceived notions.
The funny thing about my current affinity for using a pen is that I used to avoid it at all costs! I was very much a "please-don't-make-me-use-a-pen-ever" kind of person, often feeling intimidated by its unforgiving nature. I'm honestly not entirely sure what has triggered this significant change.
Perhaps it's the specific type of pen I was currently using – which, I must admit, I absolutely love for its smooth flow and rich ink. Whatever the underlying reason, I am now completely on board with the power and beauty of pen and ink. This newfound love for a previously avoided medium is a testament to the transformative power of the 100-day project.
I would genuinely look forward to those quiet moments each day when I could finally sit down with my little blue sketchbook and my favorite pen. The subject matter for my daily drawings was wonderfully random and delightfully unpredictable. Remember, the guiding principle has been no pressure, just exploration. Consequently, some of my daily creations turned out in a way that truly delighted me, while others, well, let's just say they serve as valuable learning experiences! I would make an effort to share my daily progress on social media on most days, but I also extend grace and understanding to myself on those busier days when it simply couldn’t happen. This act of sharing, even imperfectly, can be a powerful way to connect with other creatives and stay motivated.
What's truly exciting is that, much like my previous 100-day challenges, I witnessed a definite and noticeable shift in my overall artistic style. Distinct patterns began to emerge in my linework, my subject matter preferences, and my overall aesthetic, and I genuinely love the direction in which my creative voice has evolved! This gradual refinement is a key benefit of consistent creative practice.
The Birth of a Botanical Mini Collection: A Testament to Daily Art
My very first mini botanical collection see some examples in my portfolio. This collection was a direct culmination of dedicated daily drawing practice. During this focused time of consistent creation, I allowed myself the freedom to explore a diverse range of subject matter, experimenting with different forms and textures.
Simultaneously, I became increasingly comfortable and confident in my use of pen and ink as primary mediums in my artwork. Botanical line drawing, a timeless and elegant art form, historically played a crucial and necessary role in the scientific study and documentation of plants.
While my own artwork leans more towards abstraction and often stems directly from the realms of my imagination, I consciously attempted to pay close attention to the inherent natural details of shape, the elegant flow of line, and the dynamic sense of movement present in various plant forms. This exploration of botanical themes through my own artistic lens led to a unique and personally meaningful body of work.
These initial mini prints, born from this daily practice, were made available in my online shop. The positive response to this first exploration into a more focused botanical style has been incredibly encouraging and has further solidified my growing passion for this particular artistic direction. This tangible outcome of the 100-day project served as a powerful motivator to continue exploring this newfound artistic path.
Unlock Your Creativity: Try a 30 Day Art Challenge
Does the prospect of committing to 100 consecutive days of creative practice feel a little daunting or like a significant time commitment to you right now? If so, perhaps a more approachable starting point would be to consider embarking on a shorter, but equally impactful, 30-day creative challenge!
I have personally participated in quite a few smaller, 30-day challenges over the years, often guided by talented instructors on fantastic web-based platforms such as Creativebug. These shorter challenges offer a taste of the benefits of daily practice without the longer commitment of the 100-day project.
Here are a few ideas for 30-day creative challenges you could explore:
30 Days of Sketching Faces: Focus on improving your portraiture skills through daily sketches.
30 Days of Color Exploration: Experiment with different color palettes and combinations in your chosen medium.
30 Days of Abstract Art: Dive into non-representational art and explore different abstract techniques.
30 Days of Nature Journaling: Combine observation and art by documenting the natural world around you.
30 Days of Hand Lettering: Practice different lettering styles and create daily quotes or phrases.
I wholeheartedly encourage you to find your favorite creative platforms like Creativebug and explore the diverse array of 30-day creative adventures they offer – you might just discover a new passion or unlock a hidden talent! These platforms often provide structured prompts and guidance to support you throughout the challenge.
Find Your Artistic Mentors: Exploring Online Art Classes
Also, I would love for you to take a moment to revisit this blog post, where I previously shared a few of my absolute favorite online art classes and introduced you to a handful of the incredibly talented artists and online art teachers who have significantly influenced my own artistic journey. Their wisdom and guidance are invaluable resources for anyone looking to learn and grow as an artist. Platforms like Creativebug, Skillshare, and Domestika offer a wealth of classes covering a vast range of artistic mediums and techniques.
Join the Creative Conversation: Connect on Instagram
Finally, I warmly invite you to follow along with me on Instagram! You can find me there at @byerinbeth. I would absolutely love to connect with you, see your own creative explorations, and build our vibrant online art community together! Sharing our creative journeys can be a powerful source of inspiration and support.
Until next time, may your creative spirit continue to flourish and inspire!