The Daily Art Challenge Begins

Inspired by Katie Moody, I'm starting a year-long art challenge. Beginning on Sunday, the 10th of July, I will create at least one piece of art every day for 6 days a week. I was starting to do this anyway with my renewed enthusiasm for art, but I want to make it official, so I can keep track of my progress and have something to brag about if/when I complete it. 

Having started on Sunday, there is plenty to share for this week's edit. Let's dive in!

Day 1 - 10/07/22

This piece's reference photo was taken on a long walk over the South Downs with mum on a sunny Saturday. It was the day I got my first ever tick bite and spent most of the walk streaming snot due to high pollen levels.

I created this postcard using, Gouache paint for the sky, Ohuhu alcohol markers for the base layer of the ground and coloured pencils and POSCA pens for the details. For the first artwork in this year-long challenge, I was pretty pleased with this piece. I loved using multiple materials in one piece.

Day 2 - 11/07/22

This quick, simple beach scene was created using only Ohuhu alcohol markers. The reference photo was found on Unsplash. I needed something quick and simple to draw on this day. We’re in the middle of a little heat wave in the UK, so my mind is on holidays, water and lazing about in the sun! I think this looks nice, but I’m not super proud of it.

I’m noticing the problem with forcing myself to make art every day will lead to less effort being put in on some days, and therefore there will be work I don’t feel great about. I think this is still worth doing, as it’s allowing me to practice using different art mediums and be looser with my work. It’s certainly helping with my perfectionism.

Day 3 - 12/07/22

I didn’t have as much time as I would have liked for this piece as I had to leave for my first Boot Fit class. Created with only coloured pencils, I used another Unsplash reference photo and really tried to work on blending the colours in nicely.

I like how this is going but I feel like it’s an unfinished piece and I want to return to this one at some point.

Day 4 - 13/07/22

I love this piece! I’m so happy with how it turned out. I got the reference using mapcrunch; a Google street view random generator. It landed somewhere in Bhutan. I used coloured pencils for some of the details and Ohuhu markers for everything else.

I think it turned out well. There is room for improvement. I need to work on picking the right colours and adding more marker layers to minimise the streakiness.

Day 5 - 14/07/22

This was another quick, simple, summer-inspired piece. I use Unsplash again as a reference. This road in the desert piece didn’t take me too long, but I think it’s quite effective. I used the Ohuhu markers mostly with coloured pencils and a white POSCA for details. I need to work on my stead hand and remember the brush tip created more ink bleeding than the chisel tip.

Day 6 - 15/07/22

I wanted to use the Ohuhu markers in a different way today. So I first created a sketch which I outlined with a black fine liner. I then went in a coloured the piece in using different shades of the colours and blending to add depth.

I did think it looked ok as I was doing it but I don’t like how the piece has come together as a hole. I

Reflecting on what I have learned this week I realise that it’s the more detailed pieces based on a reference image I like the most. This is slightly annoying as they are the hardest to do and when you’re trying to create one a day finding the time to really make them work is hard.