Why not add one more thing to the To Do list?
As the Coronavirus lockdowns took hold over the past month or so, my normal routine (and yours too, I’m sure) took a significant twist. No more heading to the studio to work in my sunny, quiet, undisturbed space. Work now meant clearing space in a corner of my daughter’s playroom, trying to get decent lighting, and actually squeezing in some time to work. While my daughter is pretty responsible, she is still young and with schools closed down and all learning being done online, that means significant schedule enforcement on my part. And LOTS of follow up to ensure that work she thought was done is actually done.
That threw my creative routine right out the window. I have been struggling. Really struggling. Stuck staring at in-progress canvases without being able to make a mark, listing all the things I should be doing and then shaming myself for not getting them done. Lost in a daze worrying about my elderly parents. Overwhelmed by it all.
My solution? Add one more thing to that to do list. Sounds crazy, I know, but it actually helped.
The 100 Day Project is a challenge that has been running a few years now and begins in April. It challenges you to do/create something every day for 100 days. This is what I added to my list. One small thing to create everyday. Something quick. Something you don’t have to share. Something that just gets pen to paper.
I decided to do small portrait sketches: just 4×6, just 10-15 minutes each, just to get me moving. I’ll actually end up with 99 of them as I used day one to be my prep day and cut all the 4×6 papers and start some backgrounds. That stack is all 99 cards, ready to go.
I create the backgrounds in batches and use them as an opportunity to play with color combinations, paint textures, and pattern. Then each day I grab a card and do a quick sketch in ink and colored pencil. Here are the first few. You can catch the rest over on my instagram feed. I have some catch up to do on posting (I have been social media distancing as well!) but eventually all 99 will be up there!
