The Wishful Artist

Elizabeth Struk in Hutchinson, Minnesota is doing a daily drawing project she calls, The Wishful Artist.

Why did you decide to do this project? I went to school for fine and graphic art. Spent lots of time learning to draw realistically. I actually found it easier to draw with realism in mind, if I had the time to spend. Drawing "what I see" had become pretty natural for me.

Fast forward about a decade and I found myself extremely rusty. It was both surprising and depressing. I had always though of myself as an artistic person with an above average ability to draw but when I tried to pick up where I left off ten years ago, I found I didn't even know how to hold a pencil. It felt like a huge part of my personality had died. I made it my goal to relearn what I had lost and even add on some new skills I didn't have before. Drawing likeness was one of those new skills I am aiming for.

So to really put my shoulder into it, I have set a challenge for myself: Draw 365 likenesses in the next 365 days. They don't have to be done one each day. Sometimes I will do a few in a day and then might skip a few days, but I will try to post a new face here on my blog daily. This is a hefty challenge for a mom with an active four year old and a 7 month old baby but I am sure it will be worth it.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I sometimes think to myself, "If I can show this much improvement while only getting 4 to 5 hours sleep and tending to 2 lovably high maintenance cutie pies, IMAGINE IF I HAD MORE SLEEP AND TIME! I would be so awesome!". Other times I think to myself, "What am I doing? This is crazy. You will never be at the level you want to be so just give up now."  I guess I have good days and bad days...well, more like good hours and bad hours.

I feel that tug-o-war when I see this sketch. Sometimes I look at it and think I see overall improvement and hope and then an hour later I look at it and wish I could do it over.

I often wonder what people think when they see my drawings. Are they really impressed? Are the just being nice? Does no comment mean they hate it? Maybe they haven't seen it yet? or Why do they like my stuff so much? It's not that good.

I guess that's just the type of personality I have; constantly striving to do a good job and receive recognition/reassurance but then feeling like I don't deserve it when I do receive it. Maybe by the end of this journey, I will not only improve my artistic abilities but  grow a little thicker skin and maybe even add more confidence to my personality in general.

See all of Elizabeth's art HERE.

An Elephant A Day

Sheila Singhal in Ottawa, Canada is making An Elephant A Day...

Why did I decide to do this project? I picked up your book, and it inspired me to give a 365-day project a try. This was something I'd never considered before.

How has doing this project affected my life? It's made me finally try things I thought I'd never get around to, such as carving a watermelon, making drawings with sparklers, and trying just about every weird Surrealist technique there is. It's been exhausting, and there have been a few days when making anything and writing about it is just about the the last thing I want to do.

Thanks for the idea! I get about 400 hits a day, and my blog is currently being read in 122 countries around the world, with a total of 58,000 or so hits (at last count).

See all of Sheila's elephants HERE.

The Neptune Collective

Elise Mahan in Oakland, California is doing a painting a day project she calls The Neptune Collective. She explains that it's, "a continuously evolving visual narrative that spans one year and is devoted to my love of research and exploration into the study of astronomy and cosmology."

Why did you decide to do this project? The act of creating a painting every single day allows me to research and explore the vast and complex universe through a collection of visual studies. My paintings are also inspired by my work with children. I am an Art Studio Coordinator for a East Bay non-profit called Habitot Children's Museum, which has served a wide range of children and families from different countries and socioeconomic backgrounds in the East Bay for 14 years.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? My experiences developing art projects for this program has shown me that anything is possible and there are no constraints or boundaries in the art making process.

See all of Elsie's paintings on her blog HERE and buy her work on Etsy HERE.

Anna's A Pattern A Day

Anna Johansson in Sweden is making Ett Mönster Om Dagen AKA A Pattern A Day

Why did you decide to do this project? There are a thousand things I want to do, but I get tired just by thinking of all that is possible. Instead, it becomes nothing. But last Christmas I received a book; 365: A Daily Creativity Journal. One project. One year. Ok, let's go. My 365-day project starts here, January 2012. A pattern a day, for one year.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? First of, the insight that creativity has its ups and downs. All the time. Always. I'm more confident that my passion and ideas will endure.
Secondly, the best way to make room for new ideas is by executing the current ones.

See all of Anna's patterns HERE.

Elaine's Flower A Day

Elaine Greywalker is in the midst of her 4th 365 project(!), this time it's A Flower A Day...

Why did you decide to do this project? I started the first project because I like making something every day whether I want to or not. Having a daily mini-creative project gives me a sense of accomplishment and keeps the creative source open."

I did the "Morning Pages" for years before I did my first Make Something 365 project: "Archives", which was an attempt to cull the morning pages. It was a failure. Probably because it wasn't about making something. Then I started "Skies" which was successful. I only missed 30 days.

Flower a Day is the best so far: the most fun and freeing. Having a concrete object makes it easy to create. I tried making "Spirit Boats" but that was too broad.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? It's about being in the now and seeing possibilities. I find a lot of similarities between making art/being creative and meditating or being present. Art/creativity transforms by opening up childhood wonder and appreciation of what is. So, it is about being fully me. A daily project keeps me in touch with the my source.

I come to this with a lot of training and experience in art, a lot of practice with hand-eye coordination (which is about being present and noticing), years of making abstract expressionistic works (which is about how I feel and relate to color, shape, and gesture). And also many years as a graphic designer. I want to unlearn a lot of formalized training and dig deeper in to what resonates with me. The daily project makes that happen.

During the "Skies" project I generated some really cool art. The "Flower" project looks to be going the same way. I'm happy and thrilled to be embarking on another year of discovery.

See all of Elaine's flowers HERE. And read more about her 365 projects HERE.

Celeb A Day

My friend Nate "Igor" Smith in Brooklyn, NY is posting a Celeb A Day He explains, " I have photographed so many celebrities in my job as an event and nightlife photographer. I am not a paparazzi and I don't really intentionally shoot any celebrity stuff but I decided one day to make a list of all of the famous people I have photographed and the count was over 300 so I decided to try to post one a day for a year."

Why did you decide to do this project? I though it would be a fun way to show off my celebrity work and possibly gain some new fans of my photography on Tumblr.
 

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I guess since I am not exactly creating new things (although I have shot a bunch of new celebs since I started) it hasn't changed my life in any real way, however it has managed to completely stress me out. I have also not really gained any sort of following for the site so the whole thing has been pretty disappointing. That being said it is a great exercise in persistence and discipline and I am very determined to see it through to the end. It's because of this that I rarely do auto posts and I try to take the time to update it every single day.

See all of Nate's celebrity's HERE. 

Painting a Vulcan Picture

Jennie Bukowski in Annapolis, Maryland is spending a year Painting a Vulcan Picture (the title of which is inspired by the song Paint a Vulgar Picture by the Smiths) She explains, "For the span of a year I am creating original characters and well known tv and film characters, in ink and color. Most will feature a single illustrated character where others might also feature a background, props, or various characters in one adorable package!"

Why did you decide to do this project? I wanted to do this to really stick to illustrating and also to improve my skill and imagination. Hopefully over the year I can not only broaden my portfolio and sketchbook but I can also expose my awesome illustrations to people who love them as much as I do. By doing at least one a day it can help me keep myself doing this for much longer in a year and maybe even make a successful living at it.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? Even though I haven't been at it too long, I've realized not only an improvement in my drawing skills and techniques but also in the characters and situations appearing. It has really widened my creativity, not only in illustrating but also other aspects of my life such as my writing. It has really kept me grounded and on track to being consistent at something. Through doing these illustrations I've also found alot of great and new illustrators that have really neat and original styles and techniques, so I've learned alot from them and this experience and project.

See all of Jennie's pictures HERE.

365 Days of Anime

Leah Hotchkiss in Marengo, Illinois is creating 365 Days of Anime...

Why did you decide to do this project? I went to a workshop where the teacher introduced me to the 365 creativity journal.  I finally got a copy for Christmas, and attempted to do a unicorn a day.  When that fizzled out after less than a month, I realized that the things I love to create most have to do with anime, so I started again.  Really, I just wanted something fun to do and bring a little direction into my otherwise mundane life.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I've seen a remarkable increase in my drawing abilities!  I've also had the chance to try a bunch of new things and create cosplay accessories that I always put off.  I've also improved with using digital tools for drawings, which is a skill I've always wanted to work on.  I've also been having a lot more fun than I usually do, because I'm always looking forward to what I'll work on next.  Once I finish the year, I might continue for who knows how long!

See all of Leah's anime HERE.

365 Hand Project

Kim Knapp in Houston Texas is doing a 365 Hand Project...

Why did I decide to do this project? A friend shared your book and website with me. I explored the website, read the book and enjoyed doing several of the exercises. For 5 months I mulled it over.....could I carve out time in my day for 365 days to commit to being creative? I am an Entrepreneur, busy running a home based business. I find my self in a rut and doing the same thing, day in and day out. I'm a runner and keep a rigid schedule for training and working out. I don't have the time for one more thing. I find too, I'm getting way to serious! At 53 I realized I needed to get back to basics and this project was just what I needed to tap into my creativity, let my hair down and have fun! On May 5th I woke up and decided to begin my project. So far I have proven to my self that you make time for things that are important to you. I made this project a priority. So far I have had no problem finding the time to do it :)  I think making the commitment was the hardest decision. I will honor my word to myself and see this through 365 days. 

How has doing this yearlong/daily project affected my life? It has added an element of fun and adventure to each day. It's taken me on "field trips"... out from behind my desk. I am only a month into the project and already have had a few wild adventures! I created Mr and Mrs Inkspot. Pinkie and Pointer. I took the photo, enlarged it, mounted to display board and take them with me on trips. Most recently attracted attention at a red light in the hill country of Texas for a photo with the Inkspot family. (Hand #25) It was fun to see the smiles on peoples faces.

I seek my husbands assistance from time to time. He is a good sport and enjoys helping me. I dressed up his hand (Hand #14) and we played for about an hour. We laughed and laughed. We made a memory for sure and the photos were wonderful! I smile every time I look at them. I look forward to other "hand" projects with my husbands involvement. It has added another positive dimension to our relationship. 

I look forward to each day with anticipation because of this project. What is the world presenting to me to explore?  I think faster on my feet and make more decisive business decisions. This project is keeping me on my toes and I'm more effective and intentional not only in my business life but my personal life too. 

See all of Kim's hand HERE.

 

Everyday Appreciation

Suticha in Reston, Virginia is creating daily art in her project Everyday Appreciation...

Why did you decide to do this project?  I have been concentrating on my full-time job so much all these years that I almost forgot how much I love spending time drawing, doodling and painting. The books "The Creative License by Danny Gregory" and "Daily Zoo by Chris Ayers" remind and inspire me to start drawing again. So I simply think that if I want to be better at those, I have to make time and do it everyday. So I treat this as a part of my 2012 New Year's Resolutions.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? Self-disciplined.

See all of Suticha's creations on her blog or on Facebook.

My Hands Doing Things Follow-Up

My friend Kizz Robinson finished her yearlong photography project My Hands Doing Things on April 30, 2012...

What are the biggest lessons/skills you learned from doing your project? The biggest technical skill I learned was to use my camera with manual settings. When I started part of my mission was to know my camera better. Taking the leap and putting the camera on manual and playing wasn't something I wound up doing in order to take a hand photo but I think that simply handling the instrument every day made me more aware of all that it could do and more daring in terms of caring whether or not I got a few crappy shots as long as I was trying something new. It's hard for me to try new things. One night, though, I was at a friend's gig a little early and when I sat down at the table I thought, "What would happen if I put this on manual and took my pictures tonight this way?" Spent a few minutes testing out settings and I don't think I've turned back since.

In what ways did the project change your life? I'm more aware of my creative process. I think, due to shortcomings in organizational skills (notice that I still haven't properly been able to identify and label all my photos from the year), that a year long project is too long for me unless I make some serious changes to how I document and label things. The practice of doing something every day for a month or two or perhaps for a season, though, is really good for me in terms of pushing me to try new things and just screw around enough that new skills emerge. When I'm doing a little something every day the success or failure of each day has less impact on my motivation and ego. It's easier to learn from my mistakes. Going back over the photos to choose some to include here I also learned that I've been a mess all year. Funerals, illnesses, funks I think it's a good thing I had a project to keep me moving forward!

Now what? After reading that Stephen King pointed out, "If you write a page a day in a year you'll have a novel." I'm writing a page a day toward a memoir-style book of pet stories. I've got a few ideas for "X a Day" projects and I'm not sure which of those I'll do first. Probably the most ambitious one is that I'd like to get back to painting again and I think painting a small canvas once a week for 3 or 4 months could be a real help. Saving my pennies for new acrylics even now.

See all of Kizz's hands HERE.

Julie's Daily Project

Julie Thomas in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is doing a star themed daily project with her 2 year old daughter...

Why did you decide to do this project? I received 365: A Daily Creativity Journal and thought that it sounded like a fun project to share with my daughter.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I normally do arts and crafts with my daughter, but I like that this project pushes me to do so everyday. Also, using the book ideas as jump off points has inspired me to think of and make things that I may not have otherwise thought of. Many of these my daughter has enjoyed greatly. The best part of doing this project is not only sharing the experience with my daughter, but seeing her reactions to some of the things that we've created. She was so excited to wear her Super Mya cape on Day 100. She still wears it all of the time. She also loved making and was so proud of the shirt she painted on Day 132.

See all of Julie's projects HERE.

Unstuck at Urban Outfitters

I just found out that Urban Outfitters will be doing a trial run of carrying my new book Unstuck in some of their stores! If you shop there and spot it, please consider buying a copy (or three), so they know it's worth bringing it in as a regular item in all of their locations. Thanks!

Poster Every Day

Shiri Levy in Israel is making a Poster Every Day...

Why did you decide to do this project? When being "in between jobs" as they call it and trying to figure out what I want to do next, I decided I want to make sure I spend some of my free time on doing something creative. As a design school graduate and big poster fan, I decided the most fun thing to do would be to design a poster every day. It allows me to incorporate a lot of different things I like such as quotes, people, lyrics and design elements.

How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I'm only at the beginning of the project but I'm already having a lot of fun exploring different skills such as illustration or typography. I also love the fact that inspiration can really come for anywhere and I find myself writing notes to myself at odd hours with ideas for a poster future posters.

See all of Shiri's posters HERE.