The 100Day Project 2021

I am addicted…

I am not sure how else to describe my feelings towards The 100 Day Project. I have such mixed feelings - my heart says Yes, but my mind is saying Oh no… How? You are much too busy.

I am feeling perfectly uneasy, however isn’t that a sign that something good is going to happen? The excitement of a big, blank page just waiting for you to start laying down the ideas. I also know that good things happen to those who sit down to work everyday. Be it 20 min or 2 hours. All work leads to Something and Something is much better than Nothing. Right?

My 2021 project was all about abstract art and mark making. Swatches of layered colour , scribbles, intricate line work, transparency - trying it all on for size. Keeping what works for me, discarding the rest.

Letting loose on big pieces of sketchbook paper.

Working intuitively, concentrating on color relationships, transitioning between areas, thinking about differences….

I loved this project -> It felt free and it felt like me.

This years 100 Day Project starts on February 13th, 2022! For more information go to @dothe100dayproject on Instagram or pop over to their website

I am including some of my Tips & Tricks for getting started below:

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.

2. Go in with a game plan Prepare yourself. Map out a loose weekly plan and have a sense of how you plan on getting through 100 days. Work week to week - do not think about Day 50 when you are on Day 10 - trust me, you will inspire yourself and the ideas will come.

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. I included this journal as one of my days as it showed people how I was keeping my ideas in place.

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 show the creative process behind your finished piece. Photograph the mediums used or even how you frame your finished piece. It's always interesting for others 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. Captions The hardest part for me was coming up with a caption everyday for each piece. Something would often pop into my head when creating so I would often use that or if I thought of something during the day I would pop it into my creative journal for use at another time. Use quotes, emojis

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 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.

In parting, this project is about You! It’s all about learning something new and creating new habits. There are no Project Police - make the project your own. Do what excites and inspires you. If you lose steam then change direction.If you get bored, take a break.If you don’t want to share, then don’t. Be kind to yourself.

Keep an open mind and follow your fancy.

I hope that helps. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask! 

Keep easy,

Julie