Katie Gaines in San Diego, California is making a Sketch Every Day for a year.
She says, "Inspired by my 6 year-old son, Mason, who loves to draw, as well as Skull-A-Day (and MakeSomething365.com), I started my own 365 project called Sketch Every Day, on January 1, 2011. Every day I will sketch something in a simple blank journal (I don't know what...just whatever comes to mind or inspires me). The sketch may be a quick doodle or a more well-developed drawing that may serve as a model for a future project. It will use any medium I feel like sketching with: pencil, charcoal, Conté crayon, watercolor, ink pen, Crayolas, acrylics, pastels, lipstick, chocolate...whatever! The goal is to do it every day and post my sketch/progress on my blog. Because the project has a lot to do with being inspired by kids’ tendencies to draw and sketch and be creative every day, I also try to feature a kid’s sketch each day along with mine."
Why did you decide to do this project? I happened upon the Skull-A-Day project a while ago while searching for skull images for Mason (who’s always loved skulls). We think Skull-A-Day is so cool and unique! I became intrigued by the concept of creating something every day and Mason became obsessed with checking the blog for the day’s featured skull. I’m a decorative painter and stationery designer, so I paint or design almost every day...but for clients. I felt that in my busy schedule of running my own business and taking care of my family, my drawing skills were slipping and maybe I was hitting a creative plateau. I remembered the days when I was a kid and I would draw every day, all the time, of anything that came to mind, just because. I couldn’t remember the last time I did that. These days, my artwork has become “work” and I felt like I was losing the “art” part in my own life. I’ve noticed how much of that creative energy and spark Mason (and most of the children in my family) seem to have and it reminded me of my childhood and how much I missed that level of uninhibited creativity and imagination.
How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? It’s been a challenge to find the time to do the sketch and post about it every day. But it has definitely stirred up the creative juices and I’m hoping that the daily sketch will help me work on my drawing skills. I’m certainly not the best artist by any means, and my sketches are usually quick little 5 minute doodles. But so far, so good…I’ve been keeping up with it…for over a month now! And I can see and feel the changes it’s making in my life…and my family’s lives too. We’ve all been inspired to live life a bit more creatively, to be more mindful of the little things in the world that inspire us in big ways, and my project (and my blog) has become like a daily journal of musings, thoughts, inspirations. I can’t wait to flip through this book in a year and reflect on the journey. I take the sketchbook with me everywhere! Now my two sons and my nieces and nephew are asking to see my sketch of the day. My 5 year-old niece has her mom send me photos of her daily sketches. The kids’ energy and enthusiasm for this project helps keep me motivated. There are many times when the kids and I are all sketching together and it’s really an amazing experience. No TVs or video games, smart phones or laptops…just some paper, pencils (markers, crayons, paint) and our imaginations…sketching, just because.
See all of Katie's sketches on her site HERE.
She says, "Inspired by my 6 year-old son, Mason, who loves to draw, as well as Skull-A-Day (and MakeSomething365.com), I started my own 365 project called Sketch Every Day, on January 1, 2011. Every day I will sketch something in a simple blank journal (I don't know what...just whatever comes to mind or inspires me). The sketch may be a quick doodle or a more well-developed drawing that may serve as a model for a future project. It will use any medium I feel like sketching with: pencil, charcoal, Conté crayon, watercolor, ink pen, Crayolas, acrylics, pastels, lipstick, chocolate...whatever! The goal is to do it every day and post my sketch/progress on my blog. Because the project has a lot to do with being inspired by kids’ tendencies to draw and sketch and be creative every day, I also try to feature a kid’s sketch each day along with mine."
Katie's Blueberries
Mason's Blueberries
Why did you decide to do this project? I happened upon the Skull-A-Day project a while ago while searching for skull images for Mason (who’s always loved skulls). We think Skull-A-Day is so cool and unique! I became intrigued by the concept of creating something every day and Mason became obsessed with checking the blog for the day’s featured skull. I’m a decorative painter and stationery designer, so I paint or design almost every day...but for clients. I felt that in my busy schedule of running my own business and taking care of my family, my drawing skills were slipping and maybe I was hitting a creative plateau. I remembered the days when I was a kid and I would draw every day, all the time, of anything that came to mind, just because. I couldn’t remember the last time I did that. These days, my artwork has become “work” and I felt like I was losing the “art” part in my own life. I’ve noticed how much of that creative energy and spark Mason (and most of the children in my family) seem to have and it reminded me of my childhood and how much I missed that level of uninhibited creativity and imagination.
How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? It’s been a challenge to find the time to do the sketch and post about it every day. But it has definitely stirred up the creative juices and I’m hoping that the daily sketch will help me work on my drawing skills. I’m certainly not the best artist by any means, and my sketches are usually quick little 5 minute doodles. But so far, so good…I’ve been keeping up with it…for over a month now! And I can see and feel the changes it’s making in my life…and my family’s lives too. We’ve all been inspired to live life a bit more creatively, to be more mindful of the little things in the world that inspire us in big ways, and my project (and my blog) has become like a daily journal of musings, thoughts, inspirations. I can’t wait to flip through this book in a year and reflect on the journey. I take the sketchbook with me everywhere! Now my two sons and my nieces and nephew are asking to see my sketch of the day. My 5 year-old niece has her mom send me photos of her daily sketches. The kids’ energy and enthusiasm for this project helps keep me motivated. There are many times when the kids and I are all sketching together and it’s really an amazing experience. No TVs or video games, smart phones or laptops…just some paper, pencils (markers, crayons, paint) and our imaginations…sketching, just because.
See all of Katie's sketches on her site HERE.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI look forward to following your page through out the year.
I too have adobted the idea with sketching everyday. It's a very nice freedom away from the computer.
Thanks for sharing.
John Park