100 Drawings

*I meant to post this a few weeks ago, but was having trouble with posting at the time.*

I just issued a challenge to my artist friends to make 100 drawings within one month. I sent it out to a lot of people (50 or so) and only heard back from a handful of them, so good luck to those who are taking it on. I'm excited about the challenge, and look forward to the things I will create. I'm tired of procrastinating and "saving up" all the good drawings for the future because I'm too afraid to do them! My friend Andy told me about the artist Kara Walker, and how when she feels stuck she does 100 drawings. The first bunch are really bad, but then comes the good stuff.

Since starting the challenge, I noticed that it's psychologically a lot easier to draw when I feel less pressured to make something good. If I do it in the spirit of fun and discovery, it is definitely a lot more fun and I find myself doing things I don't normally do for fear of it not turning out "good enough." I also realized that I need to do a lot more observational drawing. Here's the flickr group if you want to join the challenge and upload photos: http://flickr.com/groups/100drawings/. Here's the e-mail I sent out to everyone (and feel free to invite anyone you know to join the challenge):

Hello, I’m issuing a Challenge to all you artists out there: Make 100 drawings (or paintings, sculptures, collages, etc.). You have one month to do it. Pick a starting day and mark it on your calendar, and then go at it! Why? I issued the challenge to myself because I am a perfectionist and procrastinator, and I get so attached to the ideas in my head that I end up not creating anything. Or I feel the need to make a “masterpiece” and become so paralyzed that I avoid making anything at all for fear that it won’t be good.

This is a way to break free of that, to ignore the part inside of you that judges everything you do, to experiment with materials or techniques that you don’t ordinarily use, to work more quickly than usual, and to have fun making things again. There aren’t really any set rules, but I ask that if you pledge to take this challenge, please commit yourself to it so that it doesn’t become another one of those
ideas that ends up in the dustbin in your head. Do it in a way that is achieveable. I suggest starting out working small and using fairly inexpensive materials, onlybecause the expense and size factors could easily become an excuse not to do it. Also, don’t be afraid of ugly and/or “shitty” drawings. In fact, I encourage you to deliberately create a few ugly drawings just to get it out of the way and know that there still is life after ugly drawings. Rid your soul of all that scares you. Try doing things that you don’t ordinarily allow yourself to do – because they seemed too silly, stupid, or just not in your usual style. Liberate yourself!

Whether or not you finish exactly 100 drawings within a one-month span is unimportant if it leads to discovering something new about yourself and becoming inspired. And if you’re not a visual artist, do 100 other things. This is not a new idea, but it can only help you if you actually do it, and not just think about it!

Anyone up to the challenge? Please join me!!!