Is a drawing challenge the best thing for you?

#drawing #drawingchallenge #artchallenge #30dayanatomy #drawingdaily #discipline #rant #artmotivation

If people only knew how hard I work to gain my mastery. It wouldn't seem so wonderful at all. ~ Michaelangelo

Drawing challenges have been one of the most popular ways to encourage daily drawing practices. Over the past few years I have participated in a few drawing challenges and have only completed a couple of them.

In my experience, I have not previously set a schedule nor dedicated minimal time to create. What made it so hard to be consistent like all the other influencers?

Here's my theory, I focused too much on keeping up with the trends.

Seriously! I wanted to grow my platform as well as improve my craft but, that soon turned into comparing myself with other artists and seeing their numbers rise instead of mine. Focusing too much on current trends left me to resent drawing, feel ashamed and overall, step away from my craft. Temporarily, at least.

Ever heard of zombie scrolling? Yep that was me!

Many of us tend to waste so much time in mindlessly double tapping, liking and consuming someone else's content verses allowing our minds to take a break from peaking into other windows of life. This tethers us into believing that we need to "catch up" because we don't look like the pretty pictures presented to us.

We start making empty promises like, "wow, if I participate in said challenge, my art will look just as aesthetically pleasing as this person's" and then we proceed to chuck those falsities out of the window to scroll onto the next post.

No worries. I'm guilty of this.

I have felt the exhilaration of starting a new year of Inktober only to rush at the end of the day to put out a mediocre piece and give up a few days in then feel like I let down myself and my fellow artsy tribe.

Then I ask myself, why is this? Is it because I truly love to draw and paint and feel saddened that I couldn't release the days stresses onto canvas or...am I creating art for the likes and views. The answer is yes and...Yes?

While I have noted the benefits of drawing daily and getting my frustrations or joys or whatever memories onto paper or digital canvases, I do still want to have my art resonate with others and know what it makes them feel. I love to see people's faces when they view my work and express how it's spoken to them.

Now, I am not a psychic so I can only speak from my own experiences but, my next examination would be why I get frustrated after just a few days of daily drawing and not getting the outcome I'd expected?

My conclusion was, I must think this comes easily! Dear reader, if you have also come to the same conclusion, let me remind you that nothing worth value comes easily. Some may have it come more simpler than us but, there is still a struggle and others battle discretely.

I ranted quite enough and while I previously hoped to start a drawing challenge, I've opted not to. At least not yet.

What I aim to do is build my own discipline in drawing daily.

I know! I know! This sounds like another stupid challenge but it's not. At least not the fast paced, attention seeking one that we may be used to. While I do feel as though social media has created a toxic environment for artists and non-artists alike, I do not rule out truly rule out drawing/art challenges. One thing I can say is that these challenges create a sense of accountability, and that's great! However, we should actively try to separate being accountable from finding self value in how well we can maintain these challenges.

Not many people follow this site, and I'm okay with that. I'm at liberty to make mistakes, fail, dust off and get back on track. And so are you, human!

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So, my focus is to create my own assignments on self improvements.

1. Figure drawing: I find that I have gotten very stiff with my gesture drawings and figures. I want my paintings to maintain life.

2. Anatomical studies: Who the heck made hands and feet so hard to draw? Seriously, I grow tired of my pictures being ruined by poor, mangled fingers.

3. Character creation: My humans I create belong, dammit! no more awkward squinty eyes and same face syndrome.

4. Portrait Studies: This one, I could probably put further up but, again, I'm just now creating this for myself. I could see myself using the heads found in the 100 heads challenge and yes, I've already started this one a few times.

Shame! lol

While I don't plan to have a rigid set up, I would like to draw at least 30 mins a day. Now, I may document this process but, there may be no guarantees for me posting all or even any of them. (No hard feelings, I work full time and it's very difficult to update daily)

If this is something that you may want to adopt, feel free! I will always encourage improving one's craft. You can post here or not, you can let me and the rest of the Mystical Art Studio know how you're doing with your progress or keep that to yourself as your own little sacred space.

It's your artistic journey ❤

Share this with all of your art buddies to continue growing the community!

Much love and God bless