Hello everyone! It’s Megan from Makewells, and I’m here with an update on my long-ago- completed 365 sketchbook project! Yep, almost a year ago (WHAT?!), I wrapped up this monstrosity of a project, and it was so much fun!
So, yes, I did it! 365 days in a row of filling up my sketchbook with whatever struck my fancy that day! It was quite an accomplishment and I’m so happy I stuck to my goal! So today I’ll share a glimpse into the project, and some tips on sticking to a daily creative challenge.
Your goal can be as specific or general as you want! Maybe your goal is to work for 10 minutes a day in your art journal, or to draw a flower a day on sticky notes. Mine was pretty broad: fill up one page in my sketchbook each day and post it to Instagram using the hashtag #makewells365.
Your goal can be as specific or general as you want! Maybe your goal is to work for 10 minutes a day in your art journal, or to draw a flower a day on sticky notes. Mine was pretty broad: fill up one page in my sketchbook each day and post it to Instagram using the hashtag #makewells365.
Other than that, it was a wide open road of possibilities each day! For me, that’s freeing. (most of the time). But if you need more “boundaries” to help you along, give yourself a theme or a couple more rules to stick to!
You will not make art that you like 365 days in a row. Give up that goal, throw it out the window, and just keep making things. There were days I did not really like the way my page turned out. Many of those days actually. But who cares! It was my sketchbook - and I had 364 other chances to “like” what I made. Just make stuff. Enjoy the process of making - that’s why you are creating, right?
If it’s just too daunting to go for the marathon, start with the 5K. I won’t pretend that 365 days in a row didn’t feel crazy daunting at times. So start slow if you need to! Try a 30 day creative challenge, or 100 days. Take little steps to develop the habit of creating daily and soon it will be as instinctive as having your morning coffee.
Trying to set up a time each day to create is a wonderful plan - a schedule really will help you develop a habit... but be prepared for days that it just isn’t going to happen when you want to. Because guess what, you never know what your day holds!
There were quite a few nights I begrudgingly sat down to work in my sketchbook, annoyed that I’d skipped my “morning routine” and had saved it for the end of the day. But every time I sat down, I always ended up being happy I was creating. :)
So there are 4 little tips to help you get started with a daily creating project!
I’ll be starting my 2nd 365 Project on June 1st, and I can’t wait!
And be sure to check out my new lettering courses here!
Xo,
Megan
Way to go Megan! This is amazing...and you've created so many beautiful pieces.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE makewells!Thanks for the tips!
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ReplyDeleteFabulous! I followed your every day art project on instagram and enjoyed it very much. Your work is so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who has done what I call 'morning art' for two and a half years now I love reading about other people's projects and what they feel about them. I started out with a painting a day in gouache, then moved to a book where I mostly worked with markers, but didn't have to finish a page within a day (just work on the book for 30 minutes every morning), then I did a period where I integrated it into my regular journal and right now I am about to finish a book full of collages. I think my next daily project will be about portraits, but I haven't fully decided yet. I love how this thing has become part of my routine and how just half an hour a day gets you book after book after book filled with art. It feels a bit magical to me.
The weirdest thing about it, is that it showed me I am actually quite disciplined. Who knew? ;-)