The 100 Day Project 2022 - Finale
Ta da! The finale of yet another 100 days of creating. My 6th year participating and I am still a believer in sitting down daily for short periods of time and creating. I am always in awe of how a little each day can amount to a lot!
Dedicating time daily to this project always results in something good for me. Keeping my head, heart and hands busy is good for the soul. It makes me happy and helps make any day a good day. I believe that is the ultimate outcome.
Projects are also important and very inspirational for me. They provide structure and offer a guideline within which to create. I can be a little bit scattered, often with way too many ideas - a project helps me to concentrate on the task at hand. I will admit that I often find myself swaying off the path, but it is this journey that I love the most. I love watching how ideas are formed and how each idea informs the next.
This year was no different. I knew how my project was going to start, but I didn’t have any insight into how it was going to end. It gradually unravelled itself into the making of a book. I had so many pieces and they were all wishing to just be Something. A book was born.
A place to record the journey and to help lead it forward. A place for the imagination to run free. A place to come for inspiration. A place to call my own.
The perfect book.
I know these will not be my one and only. I am already imagining my own creative journals and sketchbooks - all handmade
Are you thinking about your very own 100 Day Project? I can’t say enough good things about just starting. Yes, it seems daunting, but even if you only finish 25 days that is Something. As I always say it is better to create Something, than Nothing at all.
Here are a few thoughts of mine on The 100 Day Project. These are from back in 2017 but I thought I would share with you again.
Tips & Tricks
1. Keep it small. It helps make the project manageable and easy to complete in a sitting. You can use these "thumbnail" images later as a starting point for bigger work. Working small also gave me a better idea if my idea was something I was interested in pursuing further or just a passing fancy. These pieces do not have to be finished. It is the process that matters.
2. Go in with a game plan (..but keep it Flexible) Prepare yourself. Map out a loose weekly plan and have a sense of how you plan on getting through 100 days. Start with 30 days and observe the path your project is taking - follow that path.Keep a Journal dedicated to your thoughts and ideas on the project - everything in one place.
3. Keep notes along the way I created a 100 day journal with all of my ideas, colour choices, thumbnail sketches of compositions, thoughts and tidbits to share. Immerse yourself in the project. As a creative you know just how many ideas we can come up with! This was a perfect spot to put them in for use during the project and for later on.
4. Vary the mediums used Play! Try new techniques and new medium/substrates. Trust me that after 50 days you will be in need of some new art supplies!
5. Creative Process Use some days to form your ideas and share the creative process behind your finished piece . Photograph the mediums used or even how you frame your finished piece. It's always interesting to see how a piece gets from the working stages to a finished piece.
6. Video Show how you go about making your marks. (I need to get better at this!)
7. Sharing (if you are planning to share on social) First of all, this project is mainly for you! If you are comfortable and in need of some support, accountability and community then by all means Share. Please do not feel like you have to create a perfect photo daily, just do what works best for you. I like to share on my Stories or make a weekly reel. I also love posting to Pinterest as then I have a place for all of my projects to live. Have a look over here on my Pinterest account.
8. Work in Series I broke my weeks into different series. I tried landscapes, I tried abstract, colour blocking, botanicals...you name it. I played with lots of ideas all based around cut paper, but I tried to concentrate on them in series to see if I could expand on an idea.
9. Collaborate Grab a friend that works in a similar manner and do the project together. It's a nice little push of encouragement and an interesting way to present different creative viewpoints. It's also helpful to have someone to play ideas off of.
10. Don't be too hard on yourself Take time with your project to get the most out of it. No one said it has to be consecutive days:) Also if 100 days is just too daunting then start smaller. Try a 30 day project! A month long project is a great commitment and will have value for you.
Last, but not least- this project is for You! If you choose to share it and be a part of the community then great, however if that is what is stopping you then don’t feel pressured to do so.. I’ll admit that I found this was the most difficult part of my previous projects so this year I didn’t want the pressure of creating beautiful content every day. I shared weekly, some photos, some reels and often just in stories. I shared on my terms.
I hope that helps. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask!
Once again I would like to thank everyone for their support! I love when people take time out of their busy day to support and encourage others. I was so inspired by all the people who left nice comments. Thank you!
For more information on the 100 Day Project have a visit here
Keep Easy,
Julie