Last year around this time I saw a post somewhere, probably on Instagram or was meandering around the internet and found out about this project - The 100 Day Project. I’m always intrigued about challenges like these, another good one running a marathon (winded up doing 1/2 marathon but that’s another topic) . So I read about it, and thought oh this is cool, maybe next time it comes along I will do it.

So here we are a year later, and here I am with week 1 completed.

I didn’t give myself any parameters, just to show up everyday and draw/paint something for a few or lots of minutes.

What did I learn after 7 days? More things that I thought I would.

The 1st is I had decided I was going to use my watercolors because I have a lot. I like to collect art supplies. I think we all do, no? The 2nd was that I wanted to do a square format and remembered I had bought a sketchbook that was 12cm x 12 cm and was all excited to use it.

Day 1 comes along and do my painting from a picture one of my uncles took. So this sketchbook I’m so excited to use, I’m ignoring the fact that’s it’s not watercolor paper and not even mix media paper but I choose to ignore it. So the results, ok. I’m fine with it.

Day 2 and 3 I decided to keep going with the watercolors and this sketchbook. I decided will be great to have all my 100 paintings in one sketchbook. There’s enough pages in it. By day 3 I was pretty bummed, almost made a hole in the paper. Paintings not coming out so hot. I’m still a beginner at this watercolor thing, even with drawing. .

By day 4, I told myself enough is enough. Decided on making the same size squares using cold press watercolor paper, and of course switch mediums to gouache. I was pleased with the results. Colors are a lot brighter, there are no muddled colors either.

Day 5, did another gouache painting and really like it but since I was also doing this other challenge where we were to use ink, i found out gouache and ink don’t mix. At least what I used. So was a bit disappointed with the results.

Day 6, forgot all about my square sketchbook I was so excited to use at the beginning. I went back to my multimedia sketchbook, and did a bigger panel, using Kuretake watercolors which feel like a blend of watercolor and gouache along with Derwent Inktense pencils. I felt more at ease with this one and decided to use lines across the hills.

Day 7, back to my little sketchbook and with this drawing, I just felt like it had to be in pencil and/or ink. I drew what was outside of my window. I just like using a soft pencil and getting a lot of texture in there and kind of a messy look. I didn’t want to ruin it by adding ink on top of it but also wanted to see what it would be like in ink so did a 2nd one in ink. I think I still like the pencil one better.

Since I just recently started posting on Instagram, I found it interesting that some of the work I’ve done that I liked, was not necessarily what others like. The ones I didn’t care for as much, people liked more.

Until next week.

The 100 Day Project - Week 1

The 100 Day Project - Week 2