1000 Drawings Challenge

This creative challenge will push your artistic boundaries and help you to grow as an artist. In the 1000 Drawings Challenge, you will build your skills, explore different subjects, and develop a personal style. Apply any medium and approach to the term 'drawing' that interests you the most.

I took over a year to complete the challenge myself, and here are a few ideas that I found useful to keep in mind:
  • Track Your Progress: Date everything. Write notes on what you did well, what you can improve on, what you enjoyed, and what surprised you. Keep a record of your drawings to see how you improve over time.
  • Embrace Imperfections: This challenge is not about creating perfect drawings but about growth and exploration. Mistakes are more valuable than accuracy, allow yourself to make them and to learn from them. Each drawing is a step forward, and progress is more important than perfection.
  • Set Realistic Goals: Break down the challenge into manageable milestones such as ten minutes each day or one page each week. Do not forget to allow yourself to take breaks.
  • Experiment: Don’t be afraid to try new techniques, tools, or approaches. Be comfortable getting uncomfortable and do not think too hard, just keep moving forward. 
  • Explore Inspiration: It is important not to take this challenge too seriously. Give yourself permission to wander off. When inspiration for a new creative project arrives, take advantage of that energy and explore those ideas fully. Trust that, when the time is right, you will return to where you left off on this challenge. 
  • Share and Reflect: Share your work with others and reflect on art and artists that inspire you, borrowing ideas and influences from them.

By following this guide, you'll not only complete a substantial body of work but also gain valuable experience in different drawing techniques and subjects. Embrace the challenge and enjoy the journey of artistic growth. Now grab your favorite pen and sketchbook, and begin!

  1. Hands (100 drawings)
    • Focus on various poses, including rings or gloves and interacting in different ways.
  2. Feet (100 drawings)
    • Draw feet in various positions and angles. Experiment with different types of footwear and activities.
  3. Heads (100 drawings)
    • Explore emotions and expressions through different head studies. Include skulls, males, females, boys, girls, elders, and infants.
  4. Figures (100 drawings)
    • Capture movement and action in your drawings. Illustrate characters in dynamic poses such as athletes, warriors, dancers, workers, and adventurers.
  5. Fauna (100 drawings)
    • Study texture, proportions, and values in these sketches. Explore the many families and subcategories of animals such as mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates.
  6. Flora (100 drawings)
    • Illustrate different types of plants such as trees, leaves, bushes, flowers, mushrooms, cacti, and succulents.
  7. Foods (100 drawings)
    • Study fruits (apples, oranges, bananas, grapes, berries), vegetables (carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, onions, potatoes), baked goods (bread, cakes, pastries, cookies), desserts (ice cream, pies, tarts, chocolates), and cuisines (burgers, pizzas, sushi, pasta, salads).
  8. Things (100 drawings)
    • Illustrate objects such as tools (hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches, drills), toys (stuffed animals, action figures, game pieces), accessories (glasses, watches, hats, scarves), dish-ware (plates, cups, coffee, tea, smoothies, cocktails, bowls, utensils), paraphernalia (stationery, gadgets, sports equipment, musical instruments), artifacts (historical, cultural, speculative).
  9. Vehicles (100 drawings)
    • Study the machinery in public transport (uses, trains, subways, trams), personal vehicles (cars, motorcycles, bicycles), commercial vehicles (trucks, delivery vans, semi-trailer), air transport (planes, helicopters, hot air balloons), watercraft (boats, ships, submarines, jet skis), recreational vehicles (RVs, ATVs, skateboards).
  10. Places (100 drawings)
    • Capture environments by studying natural landscapes (deserts, tropical forests, mountains, lakes, rivers, beaches, canyons), rural settings (countryside, farms, small towns, rural roads), urban scenes (city streets, parks, markets, waterfronts), architectural styles (gothic cathedrals, art deco buildings, modern skyscrapers, cultural landmarks (temples, palaces, historical monuments).
BONUS 100 DRAWINGS: To enhance your ability to draw from imagination, create 100 additional drawings, with 10 in each of the 10 categories. Alternate between drawing from memory after studying a reference image (without referring back to it) and drawing while still referencing the original image but rotating it to a different angle in your mind.

REFERENCES

line-of-action.com

https://www.sketchdaily.net/

quickposes.com

instagram.com/earthsworld

https://x6ud.github.io/

forestryimages.org

www.bonsaiempire.com


I’m an artist based in Missoula, Montana, where I live with my spouse, our blue heeler, and our bearded dragon. My creative work spans pen and ink, graphite, oil paint, gouache, digital media, and photography.

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