Category: January Sketchbook Challenge

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January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge – Day 1

Here’s to new beginnings and creative challenges!

I’m excited and nervous about this sketchbook challenge. How about you? 

I’m excited because I love creative challenges, and I know that if I commit to a sketch a day for the next 31 days, growth will happen.

I’m nervous because, well, I must commit to it. I need the discipline to make sure I carve out time in my day to make a sketch. I don’t want this to be something I’m excited about in the beginning – and start off with a bang – to only fizzle out once I hit the middle of the month. So, let’s help each other to not let that happen. Shall we?

So, for the challenge…

You can sketch anything you like or take my suggestions. I won’t be giving a lot of instruction on technique or anything else, but I will give you some ideas of what to sketch. And, I will definitely give you encouragement and tips along the way. Feel free to reach out with questions as you work. I’m here. 

Here we go!

Day One: Pick a word for the year. My husband and I do this every new year. It’s a word to inspire, to work toward, to invite more of its examples and evidence in our lives throughout the year. 

My word: Discipline. 

I need to be more disciplined in order for my art business to grow. And, I most definitely want it to grow. Once my teaching year resumes, I get incredibly busy. My days are

 long and it becomes easy to neglect my creative side and my little sprouting art business. So, this year, I’m making it a priority. And, it will take discipline!

Now back to you:

Step one: Pick your word.

Step two: Doodle it onto the first page of your sketchbook. 

You can make it a fancy script. Or, big and bold. Maybe add flowers sprouting from it. Duplicate the word several times. Write it in different scripts. Fill the page or make it stand it out with a lot of white space around it. But Do Have Fun! 

If you would like, please share your word. Or, share the page. I would love to see your wonderful new year words!

Your friend in creative adventures,

Autumn

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January Sketchbook Challenge

Sketchbook Challenge Eve

It’s December 31st. Not only New Year’s Eve but the eve of our sketchbook challenge. Let’s prepare, shall we?

Step 1: Grab your sketchbook. Open to the first page. Sign it and date it! You can choose to date it for December 31st, 2020, or January 1st, 2021.

Step 2: Set an intention and write it down. What do you want to get out of this challenge? What do you hope for? Make it relevant and meaningful to you. You don’t need to share this intention with anyone. And, you can keep it short. For me, I want to get better at drawing with pencil and ink. More specifically, I want to improve my line drawings.

Some other ideas for intentions:

I want to jumpstart my creativity.

I want to practice how to trust my creative voice.

I want to start a daily sketching habit.

I hope to overcome my negative self-talk about my abilities as an artist by drawing every day despite myself. (Yep!)

Your intention for taking on this sketchbook challenge can be as personal or general as you want. But, do set an intention. Give this practice purpose so that when or if someone were to ask WHY you can answer perfectly. 

Bonus Step 3: After signing, dating, and writing down your intention, doodle around it!

Bonus Step 4: Maybe decorate the cover with stickers.

If you are so inclined to share your why, please comment below or on my Art Journaling with Autumn Facebook Group (You can still join this group). I would love to hear some of your reasons for doing this with me.

Autumn

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January Sketchbook Challenge

Art Supplies

So many art supplies to choose from…Yes, there sure are! 

I suggest keeping things simple. I believe in the inspirational powers of limitation. You don’t need the fanciest of supplies out there to get started and to make art. If you think you do, then, I will tell you right now, that’s just an excuse. And you don’t need another excuse to keep you from creating.

Now later on, you might want to splurge on quality watercolor paper or an expensive ink pen that delivers precise lines in just the right way. I won’t tell you that you won’t notice a difference in the end result. You will, especially when it comes to watercolor paper. But, for the every day sketching and learning, you don’t need to shell out the hard-earned coin for anything special. 

For the month of January, I will be limiting myself to the use of pencil and ink pen. My intention is to get better with line drawings, so I will be using this 31-day challenge to practice with only these tools. I imagine that after 31 days of drawing daily with pencil and pen, I should learn something knew and gain a bit more control of using them. 

So, when it comes to choosing art supplies for this challenge, think about limiting yourself. Maybe you will do 31 days of drawing with colored pencils or maybe even using crayons. Perhaps you want to have the option of combining a few items to see what you can do. And then there are those who don’t need to limit themselves at all. 

Go for it. But whatever you choose for supplies, make it something that is meaningful for you. Choose something that you are curious about using.

I would love to hear in the comments what supplies you will choose during this month!

– Autumn

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January Sketchbook Challenge

January Sketchbook Challenge

With a new year, often times comes a want for new habits and growth. For me, I have a pretty long list of goals I would like to target in the year 2021. But, I will start with the 31-Day January Sketchbook Challenge for now. 

To answer what it is, watch the video below. 

As a quick note, I plan to keep things simple and use limited supplies–such as a pencil or ink pen and a smaller sketchbook (I’ll post what I will use soon). But you can decide what supplies you wish to use!

Oh! And as a supply option, I forgot to mention crayons! Don’t forget the beauty of drawing with crayons. Hope you will join me!